My Aquarium

You might still find yourself, even after learning what you have learned, wondering whether or not you should look further into the purchase of some of the many chemicals that are sold for fish. After all, there have probably been a few people that told you that there is an obvious benefit to the fish or else this stuff would not be sold. Obviously, there could not just be a company trying to make money off people willing to buy into anything. But, you still think that some of these chemicals might be needed. Before you purchase and start using anything, you are going to want to make sure that you are asking yourself a few questions. If you can't answer these questions, you might want to rethink the purchase of such chemicals.

For starters, do you know why in particular you are adding these chemicals? Basically, what are they doing for the aquarium, for the fish and for you? Who is benefiting here? Are there many side effects that can be expected or should be looked for when using such chemicals? What are you going to do if you find that the chemicals you purchased for an all-important reason, do not actually do the job that they claim they can do?

Another thing to think about is whether the chemical that you will be using will have any bad interactions with other chemicals that you are using in the aquarium. If there are no bad reactions, how do you know if the chemical actually did anything at all? Are you going to be left just assuming that it worked? If the chemical does alter the aquarium, but a little too much, is there a way to correct this? Could your fish die from too much of this chemical? If so, just how much is too much?

What about the filtration? Will the chemicals that you are looking into buying affect the filtration any now or in the future? Also, if the chemical you are being sold is meant to correct something, how are you to know that this "something" is actually wrong in your aquarium or are you just guessing?

If you find that after careful thinking you are not able to properly answer all of these questions, you should not be trying to add chemicals to your aquarium that do not need to be there. Even if your aquarium did need something, which it probably doesn't, you need to make sure that you have as much information as possible in order to properly do the job. Otherwise, you are simply going to want to make sure that you are leaving the aquarium alone.

Even though it is very unlikely that it is the water source, such as the water pipes in your house, that are causing the shift in pH levels, it is one of the easier things to test for so you might want to cover this first. All you have to do is to fill a bucket with the tap water and immediately test the pH level. Allow the bucket of water to sit for many hours and then test it again. If you notice a change in the pH level, then you can assume that it is the water source that is the culprit. However, if there are no changes, then it is time to move to the next test.

Now, there could be something that you have in the fish tank that is causing the pH levels to change. Things that are commonly known for suddenly changing pH levels would be that of seashells, wood, dead plants, peat, coral skeletons, dead fish, limestones, bones and leaves. If you have any of these in your fish tank, you are going to want to remove them right away. If you are unable to detect anything that would cause higher pH levels, then you might have to look a little closer, particularly at your substrate. Crushed coral is usually meant for marine aquariums where the higher pH is generally desired. If that does not seem to be the problem, you are going to want to remove everything from the fish tank that does not need to be there. Allow the fish tank to sit for several hours and then test the pH level again. If it goes back to normal, then you know it was something you had placed in there.

Most commonly, the reason behind the change in pH levels is the addition of chemicals. These are generally chemicals that did not need to be added in the first place. Sometimes, chemicals will react badly together and they will cause an abrupt change in the pH level. In order to determine whether it was any of the chemicals that you are using, get a bucket of water and treat is according to the amount of water that is in the bucket. Allow the chemically treated water to sit for about 15 minutes and then test it. If it tests for an altered pH level, then you know what the problem was. Most likely, the chemicals you are using, for one reason or another and that are altering the pH levels, are chemicals that your fish can live without, so stop using them.

Gravel Cleaner

First you need to set yourself up, you will need two water buckets, an old towel, a gravel washer (or a hose will do)

Using the hose hold the hose end in the aquarium and with your mouth suck the water from the other end until the water

comes out and then place the water in the bucket. This method takes a bit of practice though, sometimes the water does not flow or you may involuntarily swallow some aquarium water.

If you use a gravel washer the method is slightly easier. Keeping the end of the hose covered with your thumb. place the cylinder into the water and fill it with water. Lift the cylinder vertically out of  the water and wait until the air has been released and the hose is full of water.

Place the gravel cleaner back in the aquarium and hold it on an angle (the cylynder is totally submergerd). Take your thumb off the hose end (near  the bucket) and water should come straight out. Fill the first bucket up and then place the hose in the second. Throw the water in the first one out (uf you have plant use this water to feed them as it is a great  fertilizer). Continue this process until you have removed 1/3 of your tanks water.

Another thing that you are going to want to remember is that often times, when someone starts messing around with the pH level of the water in their fish tank, the open up Pandora's box. Add anything new to that aquarium, such as some gravel, a new decoration, your hand or even some nice fish food and the pH levels could rise up or fall down extremely fast. You are going to find yourself trying to play scientist while adding all sorts of chemicals into the water your fish were enjoying, when it really was not needed in the first place.

Even though you might now realize that you are not going to need to play around with the pH levels, you still might be interested in just what pH is. Understanding what it is and what is means is certainly a lot easier to get then trying to figure out how to control it. Basically, pH is a measurement of how alkaline or acidic the water is. There is a measurement scale that goes from 1 to 14. The lowest point, is 1, with the highest point being 14 and 7 is the obvious "neutral" point. Anything that has a pH lower than a 7 is considered acidic. Anything that has a pH that is higher than 7 will be considered basic.

Again, the pet industry, who claims to simply want to inform fish owners how to properly care for their fish, will tell you that you must keep the pH level at 7. They will advise you to purchase anything and everything in order to make sure that you are turning your kitchen into a laboratory while you try to juggle pH balances. In nature, most of the fish that you would be dealing with, survive in waters that have various pH levels. Generally, the pet industry is just telling you otherwise in order to convince you to purchase their wide array of chemicals. After all, if they don't convince you of a reason, they can't make any money.

I then raced down to the pet shop to see what equipment I needed and the store owner told me that a fish breeding box like the one below was what I required to keep the fish safe from the other fish.My next concern was what to feed them, the  pet shop  owner said that crushed fish food was fine and when they got a bit older some blood worm would be good as well. Oh at this stage I found out the correct name for the babies were "fry".

Weeks went past and the fry grew nicely and I eventually placed them back with the larger fish. Just in case your reading this and want to know when they can be migrated back in with the rest of the fish,  well its when the fry are big enough that they can no longer fit in the biggest fish's mouth!

Other fish that have live "fry" are

Mollies , Swordtails, Guppies, Convicts

Generally, when it comes to beginners, there are only two chemicals that are highly recommended for the fish tank. One of these chemicals would include a dechlorinator. The other would be an Ichthyophthirius medication. This is commonly referred to as an Ich or Ick medication. The first chemical, the dechlorinator, is probably pretty easy to figure out in terms of what it is used for. This is going to help you with the water changes. Most likely, you are going to be using tap water to fill your fish tank. Tap water is chlorinated and chlorine is not good for fish. Therefore, you will want to try to neutralize the chlorine water in order to make sure that your fish will not be harmed.

Then there is the Ick medication. This is something that you simply do not want to pass on. Do not think that you are not going to have to deal with this problem, because you will. So it is just beneficial to your peace of mind to get it ahead of time. You will want to make sure that you are purchasing a product that has Malachite Green as the main active ingredient. With the right Ick medication, the Ick should be able to be fully treated in a manner of just a few short days.

You might be thinking, "But what about pH?" and if you are, you are not alone. The thing is though, most of the fish out there are living in waters that vary greatly in pH levels. There are hardly any fish out there, especially once that you will be caring for, that are going to require a particular pH level in order to survive. So do not worry about trying to figure out how to perfectly adjust or troubleshoot your pH level. Just leave it be.

Then there are the algae destroyers, the water clarifiers, the bacteria boosters and the ammonia removers. Are these needed? No, not really. The Ammonia removers are a waste because they tend to cause more issues than they solve. The bacteria boosters are not a great idea because again, a lot of people find that these cause more problems. There are better ways to control algae than through the use of algae controllers. A water clarifier? If you are having trouble with water clarity, there is a good chance you are not properly maintaining your fish tank. Something has gone wrong and you need to address the issue instead of adding chemicals to the water.

When you are setting up a brand new aquarium setup, it might be wise to set everything up, fill it with the water, let all of the equipment run and get the temperature of the water just right before you go introducing any fish to the scene. This will help you to make sure that the aquarium is not leaking. Yes, even brand new aquariums can leak. This is something that you are going to want to be careful to watch for. You will also want to make sure that the filter is filtering properly and that everything else is working right. If you skip this vital step, you could be costing yourself a lot of time and frustration in the end.

Before you can do all of that though, you are going to want to make sure that you are properly rinsing out all of the new equipment. This includes not just the fish tank itself, but the filter media, the decorations, the gravel and anything else you will be putting in there. There is going to be a small amount of debris from the manufacturer that you are going to want to rinse off with cool tap water. Do not use soap.

Once you have everything set up and running for at least a day, it is going to be time to introduce the fish. If you already have the fish from another aquarium setup, you are going to have to start by siphoning the water from the old tank into buckets. Once you fill one bucket of tank water, you will want to net the fish out of the tank and place them in that bucket of water for the time being. You will want to make sure that the temperature of the water in the new tank is at the same temperature of what was in the old tank. When all is set up, you can net the fish into the new aquarium.

It is recommended that you feed the fish sparingly and that you are not introducing any new fish to the aquarium for at least four weeks. This will not only give the new fish a chance to get used to the new aquarium, but it will allow bacteria to populate. For the first several weeks, you are going to want to make sure that you are keeping an eye on the fish and the new tank, just to make sure that everything is going as smoothly as it should be.

My Fish Tank

I found that when I first set up my fish tank I had to have all the equipment, chemical needed to make it a big success. Initially the cost was on the high side to say the least but  the majority thing that you purchase for your tank do last for quiet a while.

When it comes to things needed for a fish tank, there are going to be the things that you have to have and then there will be the things that you do not have to have, but you might want. Understanding what all of these things are will help to make sure that you are getting everything you possibly can for your new fish tank set up. The more you know about what is available to you and why you would want or need those things, the more assured you will be to have some very happy fish.

The first thing you have to have is the fish tank itself. This might seem a little obvious, but it goes beyond the purchase of a just any old fish tank as you want to make sure that you have a fish tank of the correct size. Fish food is another item that you need to have on the list of things to purchase because you cannot take fish into your home only to starve them to death. Now, the rest of what is out there, although some people out there will surely disagree, is completely voluntary. Depending on what kind of fish tank set up you will have and how kindly you want to treat your fish.

Something that you may not need, but might want is that of a filter. This is especially true if you want to help keep your fish healthy for a long time. It will also help to reduce the amount of maintenance required by you in order to keep the fish tank clean. There is also a heater that will help to make sure that the water is always remaining at the best possible temperature. Of course, remember, some will say that these are two things you have to have.

Now, on to more things that are simply options for the fish tank. There are things such as gravel, decorations and a fancy fish tank stand. None of these are absolutely necessary. Your fish will not know if their fish tank is on a fish tank stand on sitting on a sturdy dresser. The fish probably will care a lot about the decor of the fish tank either. However, you might get some enjoyment out of having these things.

There are also things such as chemicals, gravel vacuums, timers, buckets, lights, water pumps, air pumps and various other things that you can add to the list of things that you may want, but do not absolutely have to have in order to set up a fish tank. Some people will actually start out with nothing more but the very basics and as their budget allows, they will purchase more things to add to their set up.

Fish fatalities in a tank that is less than two months old are usually attributed to the new tank syndrome; the explanation is often generic and the losses may be the result of several factors. However, majority of the fish tank owners who encounter dead fish in their tank blame the disorder for this issue.

The causes of new tank syndrome

While the actual cause of death may vary from poisoning to stocking problems, improper water conditions or disease, the root causes of all these issues are:

Excessive ammonia in the water which is the result of an ineffective biological filter
Poor tank maintenance and care.

Why does the level of ammonia in the water get dangerously high?

A new biological filter is not capable of handling the waste from the fishes; this means that there is no disposal system in the tank and the fishes are swimming in contaminated water which can be stressful. The risk of new tank syndrome can eliminated by proper tank cycling. Through this process, you allow bacterial cultures to populate the biological filter, preparing them to handle the waste from the fishes in the tank. These bacteria process the ammonia into nitrate which is simply purged out with every water change.

The impact of elevated levels of ammonia on the health of the fishes

The higher the level of ammonia in the water the lower will be the oxygen levels, this makes it harder for the fish to breathe and can even cause blindness.

The resultant stress makes the fishes susceptible to scores of other ailments.
The issue is compounded by over feeding which is not unusual for a new fish tank owner; however, this adds to the water contamination.

Simple tips to prevent the new tank syndrome

Understand that cycling can help; the process takes 6 to 8 weeks in which time the bacterial culture in the biological filter is ready to process the waste.

Keep the population in the tank to a bare minimum till the aquarium is cycled; this will help you to ensure the well being of your pets.

Depending on the level of ammonia in the water and the bacteria in the filter, extra water changes may be needed to get rid of the excess waste.

Keeping fish is no different from any other pet; it takes hard work and diligence to enjoy the company of these lovely creatures. So, make sure that you understand what the task entails before purchasing the fish
Be diligent and very careful with tank maintenance.

Do not over-feed the fishes. If the food is not gobbled up within two minutes of putting it in the water, you are giving them too much to eat.

These tips are deceptively simple yet they are remarkably effective in eliminating the risk of new tank syndrome

Chemicals will not come to your rescue here
A lot of people believe that adding chemicals to the tank will solve their problems; actually, this just compounds the issue as the harsh chemicals negatively impact the bacterial colonies in the filter. Chemical compounds deplete the water of ammonia which is food to the microorganisms in the filter; they starve and die which renders the cycling process futile.

So, never use ammonia removers in the water; once used, it will take several months for the proper tank conditioning to return. A lot of pet shops also recommend the addition of bacteria boosters which are supposed to miraculously increase the potency of the biological filter. However, this technique is highly unreliable.

The simplest and the safest way to cycle a tank and create a healthy environment for your fish is to do things the natural way. Just be patient and keep up with the extra water changes and very soon the tank will be perfect for your new pets.  

You may not have come across the term fish tank cycling unless you are an avid follower of the aquarium news groups and forums. However, you may have heard of a fatal condition known as the new tank syndrome. This deadly disorder is the effect of the cycling process.

What is this cycling business all about?

Cycling is the process which is used to set up a bacterial bed in the biological filter that eliminates the toxins produced by the natural metabolic processes of the fish. When done correctly, cycling can prove extremely beneficial for your pets; however, there are scores of ways in which the job can be fudged up or slowed down.

The steps to cycling a fish tank

Allow the growth of a bacterial culture in the filter that digests ammonia turning it into Nitrite (this substance is more toxic than ammonia).

The filter then produces bacteria that digest the Nitrite turning it into an innocuous substance Nitrate.

However, while nitrate will not kill the fishes it can cause loss of appetite and stress, small water changes will remedy this situation.

The things to remember when recycling the fish tank

Contrary to what the pet shops tell, there is really no need to use goldfish for cycling the tank unless you intend to keep them.

A very important thing to remember when cycling the aquarium is to keep the number of fishes in the tank down to the minimum.

The fish used for cycling should be hearty and should include all the species that you would like in the aquarium in the long run.

Never recycle the tank with lots of feeder goldfish.

The best fishes for cycling an aquarium

If you have a small community tank, a few white clouds or Zebra Danios should do the trick. On the other hand, for a more aggressive tank with larger or many fish, you may want to use Tiger Barbs or Cherry barbs. For an African Cichlid tank, a few Pseudotropheus zebras should do. Simply choose the hardiest fish at the local pet shop that you intend to keep.

The number of fishes that will be needed for the job depend on the size of the tank and the type of fish; the type of filter will also have a bearing on the number of fishes needed. For a tank in the range of ten to twenty gallons, three small schooling fish will be more than enough. Alternatively, you could also make do with a small cichlid.

The actual cycling process

Introduce the fish into the tank and let them enjoy the water for a couple of days. Feed the fish as usual but ensure that there is no excess food in the tank which may turn into decaying matter and foul the water. Only introduce the number of fishes needed for cycling; keeping the others in another tank till the aquarium is cycled. There are several reasons why you should cycle the tank with the minimum number of fishes.

More fishes means excess waste which will put undue pressure on the fishes resulting in higher death rates and susceptibility to diseases.

Water problems can occur due to the large number of fishes.

Foul smell

While the fish are in the tank; change 10% to 15% of the water after a couple of days and you should be ready to take the water for sampling in a week or so. Most pet shops will test the water for a small fee. If everything has been done correctly, the level of ammonia in the water should be quite high with just traces of nitrite. Do not worry about this as it easily takes 6 to 8 weeks to complete the cycling process.

Another water test will be required on the 6th or 8th week at which point the water should only have traces of ammonia and nitrite. Add the fishes only if the level of these two compounds is significantly low. It is imperative to add just a few fish at a time so that the filter is not stressed which will call for another round of recycling.

If the level of nitrite and ammonia has not gone down between the 6th and 8th week, it would be a good idea to retrace your steps and try to analyze what went wrong. Usually, factors such as regular water changes and increasing the frequency of change at the first sign of ammonia stress will have an impact on the length of the cycling process.

For instance, if there is too much ammonia in the water, it will impede the growth of the bacterial culture in the filter. Also, the water has to be treated with chloramine because chlorine can kill the bacteria. If ammonia removers are used in the cycling process instead of water changes, this can cause the bacteria to starve.

Remember to never use chemicals when cycling as this can cause a hindrance. Allow the biological filters to process the ammonia. If you continue to see ammonia stress in the fish even after cycling, this points to over population, overfeeding or the under-filtering.