Contents · How To Avoid The 7 Biggest Aquarium Mistakes Algae and Green Water As you’ve probably guessed, green water is due to freefloating algae growth. The - causes and solutions

How To Avoid The 7 Biggest Aquarium Mistakes

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Contents

Fish Compatibility And Wrong Fish Selection ................................................................................... 3

New Tank Syndrome ................................................................................................................................ 4

Algae And Green Water .......................................................................................................................... 5

Ph Problems ............................................................................................................................................... 6

Position ....................................................................................................................................................... 7

Filtration ................................................................................................................................................... 10

Overfeeding .............................................................................................................................................. 11


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Fish Compatibility and wrong fish selection One of the biggest problems new aquarium owners have is the selection of inappropriate fish being put together in the same tank. Appropriate fish must be chosen carefully according to the required conditions in the tank and the behaviours of the fish. New owners will often select the most colourful fish irrespective of the species and the water conditions required to keep those fish healthy. For example, someone may have an aquarium that is kept at a pH of 7.0 and has an existing range of tropical fish appropriately suited to that pH. The customer may like the look of some African Cichlids and therefore introduces these into the aquarium. The problem here is that the African cichlids require a pH of 8.0 and therefore will either die or be ‘strugglers’. Ironically, over time, this will affect their appearance, causing their colours to be less bright and their behaviour more lethargic. Any small drops in the pH level will create unhealthy water conditions for the new fish and they will most certainly die.

TIP - Know what your pH level is. Maintain it at the same steady pH and choose the correct fish species that are suited to your pH level.

As well as water conditions, typical fish behaviours must also be thought about. Some fish are known for their bad temper, but even those known for their peaceful demeanor can show signs of aggression from time to time. The causes are many but it usually comes down to the fish being unhappy with something in its surroundings. Possible causes include:

◉ Too little room ◉ Too small or no school (for schooling fish) ◉ Gender imbalance - males often compete for females’ attention; too many

males and not enough females can mean problems ◉ Incompatibly of species - unrelated species with similar appearances, fin

nippers housed with fish with delicate flowing fins, etc. ◉ Aggressive individuals - some individual fish are simply more aggressive than

others

Many aggression problems can be fixed by simply adding or removing fish to alleviate the issue. Removing the bully rather than the victim is preferable. Furthermore, temporarily isolating problem fish or rearranging the tank’s decorations as well as adding to them will sometimes work as well.

http://www.aquarium-setup.net/great-fish-for-your-first-freshwater-aqaurium/


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TIP - Add fish gradually over the first 6 week period. After each week perform a 20% water change. Make sure you use your water treatments.

New Tank Syndrome

So common it has its own name!

All too often, someone new to the hobby will set up their first tank, add in some fish, then watch helplessly as those fish perish over the following days or weeks. You see, what they didn’t realize beforehand is that there is more to keeping a healthy aquarium than changing the occasional filter cartridge.

All aquariums operate on biological filtration. Biological filtration is the removal of ammonia (fish waste) and excess fish food using the good bacteria that is living in your aquarium and filter. When you first set up your aquarium, there is not enough ‘Live Bacteria’ to handle the waste the fish are producing, which means that the waste level will build up and the fish can die. This is called ‘NEW TANK SYNDROME’ and it happens when a new tank is overpopulated too quickly and the fish get overfed.

The real powerhouse of every aquarium’s filtration is bacteria. It is bacteria that break down the fish’s waste from highly toxic ammonia to less toxic nitrite and finally to relatively harmless nitrate. Without these bacteria, the fish are quickly poisoned by their own waste. Luckily, cultivating these bacteria is easy, once you know how.

Getting the biological filter up to speed requires putting the tank through a process called cycling the aquarium. Cycling the aquarium allows bacteria to populate the filter media within the tank’s filter and begin breaking down the fish waste produced by the fish. The best way to do this is add BioActive8. It is also essential to add chlorine neutraliser in order to remove the chlorine from the tap water, as this chlorine will kill the live bacteria that will keep your fish healthy.


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Algae and Green Water

As you’ve probably guessed, green water is due to free-floating algae growth. The causes and solutions to this problem are much the same as with a bacterial bloom, with one additional consideration; light. Algae needs light to grow and too much of it can lead to excess growth. To treat green water, reduce the light, cut back on feedings, and perform a water change.

Simply put, algae is going to happen. Every tank, even healthy ones, has at least some algae growth. Keeping your tank algae free is not the goal but rather keeping the algae in check. The easiest way to do this is to control the two things the algae needs; light and food. Avoiding overfeeding and blocking direct sunlight from reaching the tank will go a long way towards preventing excess algae growth.

Similarly, eliminating problem algae that has already taken hold is a matter of reducing the light and nutrients available to the algae. Lighting can be reduced to just a few hours a day and feedings can be cut back to only every other day until the algae begins to recede. Physically removing as much as possible along with a good gravel vacuuming and water change will also help cut off its source of food.

Introducing some competition is another option; either algae eating fish and/or snails to directly remove it or live plants to compete for resources. Some species are Flying Fox, Bristlenose catfish and Sucking Catfish. Finally, if even after your best efforts the algae refuses to go away we suggest you use an aquarium algaecide.

TIP - The food algae needs to flourish is phosphate which is in all fish foods. To help prevent algae, a phosphate remover can be inserted into your filter. If your aquarium still has an algae problem install an Ultra Violet Steriliser. This will keep the water CRYSTAL CLEAR!


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pH Problems

The key to a healthy aquarium is a stable pH. There are 2 common reasons why the water pH can be unstable and plummet causing fish to die. The first reason is a low carbonate hardness level. The carbonate hardness is what holds your pH at the desired level. Simply check your KH level (Carbonate Hardness) and if it is below 1 german degree add a pH buffer. Remember that there are pH buffers that will adjust your pH to different levels therefore choose the correct one for the fish you keep. The second reason is a build-up of organic material in the substrate or filter media. Decomposing organic waste materials have an acidifying effect on aquarium water. As the buffering capacity of the water is compromised by decaying organic material, aquarium pH level becomes susceptible to fluctuations. We recommend you inspect the mechanical filter media for excess organic waste build-up and either clean or replace. REMEMBER ….Don’t clean or change the biological filtration (noodles)

TIP - Use an Aquarium Syphon/ Gravel Cleaner when performing a water change.


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Position

This seemingly simple task is often overlooked, and many important factors are completely ignored. Why is the location to set up a home aquarium so important? Why can’t we just set it up wherever we would like it to be?

The positioning of our fish tank is not all about where we would like to see our fish. It is more closely related to the well being of the fish, the overall environment of the aquarium, how easy it can be maintained, as well as the safety of the house or apartment. The following details are the most important factors that need considering when deciding on the position of your aquarium.

Do not set up an aquarium near a window where it can be exposed to direct sunlight or very strong daylight Anyone who has kept an aquarium for a few months knows that algae is one of the biggest problems any aquarium may face. It is hard to get rid of and it keeps coming back. One of the leading causes for an algae infested aquarium is too much light. Placing an aquarium in an area where it can receive direct sunlight is asking for trouble. Sunlight can also overheat the water temperature in an aquarium very fast, causing the temperature to drop rapidly as soon as the fish tank is no longer in the sun. Fish do not like fluctuation in their water temperature since they are cold blood species and can’t regulate their body temperature like humans do. Therefore, it is extremely unhealthy for them. In the summer time, direct sunlight might even heat up the water to a lethal temperature.

Do not locate an aquarium near a door Fish can be scared and shocked every time the door is opened and closed. You might not feel much of a shock when you close a door, but it is too much for the fish. The shock traveling through solid matter is transmitted through the wall, the floor, the aquarium stand, the fish tank, the water, and all the way to the fish. They can feel it, and it is too strong for them if the door is nearby. The shock can be a major stress factor on your fish, and therefore, your tank must be kept away from the door if you want to keep your fish healthy and long-lived.


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Do not place an aquarium near a radiator, an air conditioner, or a vent In positions near a radiator, air conditioner, vent or something similar, can cause fluctuations in temperature of the water and once again, fish require stable water temperature to thrive.

A full aquarium is very heavy. Whether you decide to put it on an aquarium stand, a desk, or on a dresser, make sure it is sitting on something strong and solid. One litre of water weighs 1kg and a small 20L tank can hold as much as 20kg of water, meaning your tank can weigh well over 30kg with the substrate, decoration, and equipment added in.

This means that the surface to support the fish tank must be perfectly levelled. An uneven surface might crack the tank in the long run even if it does not crack right away. The floor where the tank is located on must also be perfectly levelled, and it is best to have the fish tank located against a wall or in a corner where the floor can support it better than if it is in the centre of the room.

Locate an aquarium near an electrical outlet This will make it easier for you to hook up all the necessary equipment such as the filter, heater, lights, and air pump. However, the electrical outlet should not be placed directly under the aquarium in order to avoid short circuits in case of a water leakage or spill.

Locate your aquarium with an easy access to water A healthy aquarium requires frequent partial water change. Large buckets of water can be very heavy and walking large distances with such weight is not enjoyable

Locate an aquarium in an area where there is enough space around it for you to work on during the maintenance Without an adequate working space, not only will it be difficult to access your tank for maintenance purposes, but it could cause you to become lazy with the maintenance of your aquarium.


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Locate an aquarium in an area where you can sit comfortably to observe the fish While ensuring low traffic around your fish tank, it is also important to ensure it is in a location that is visited frequently. This way you can constantly keep an eye on your fish and will be able to notice if there are any problems in your tank or surrounds.


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Filtration

To calculate the desired filter flow rate for an aquarium simply multiply your aquarium litre volume by a minimum of 4 times. You want to purchase a filter that can run 4-6 times the volume of your aquarium water through itself per hour. Some extremely specialized tanks, like nano reef aquariums, require much more powerful filtration. It is important to know the actual size and volume of your fish tank for many reasons, the primary one knowing what quantity of water treatments to use. To calculate the size of your aquarium you must do the following calculation:

Length (cm) x Width (cm) x Height (cm) / 1000 = Size of Aquarium in Litres

For example:

120cm x 45cm x 45cm / 1000 = 243 litres

There are 3 types of filtration

1. Mechanical Filtration. This is commonly where water runs through a sponge and the waste gets caught.

2. Chemical Filtration. This is when products are used to filter the water. The two most common is the activated carbon which removes toxins and odours and clears the water and Zeolite (Ammonia Remover) which absorbs harmful ammonia.

3. Biological Filtration. This is where filter media, most commonly filter noodles, harbour beneficial live bacteria which break down the ammonia in the fish waste. This is the most important type of filtration.

The most ideal Filter is the External Canister Filter, which uses a process involving all of the above three filtration systems.

TIP - Filtration is the single most important aspect in keeping a healthy aquarium. Buy the best filter from the start. You will save money in the long run.


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Overfeeding

This is commonly the biggest mistake people make. If you overfeed your fish, the waste created by your fish, as well as the uneaten food will break down into ammonia, killing your fish! SIMPLE.

A common question we are asked is, what quantity do we feed? It’s a hard question to answer because in every case it will be different depending on species, size of the fish, quantity of fish in the aquarium, type of filtration and frequency of water changes. At Waterlife Aquarium, our recommendation is to feed what the fish will eat within a 2-minute period. If, after 2 minutes, there is uneaten food floating around or sitting on the bottom of the aquarium, remove it. If the food given is gone in 1 minute, give them some more.

Underfed fish won’t die, they will just lose weight. An overfed aquarium spells DISASTER.

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Contents · How To Avoid The 7 Biggest Aquarium Mistakes Algae and Green Water As you’ve probably guessed, green water is due to freefloating algae growth. The - causes and solutions