Tropical Fish Information – Your Fish Tank Guru

The Nitrogen Cycle Part of the Ecosystem of a Freshwater Aquarium
By Jason MacParland

The nitrogen cycle is a natural process in any aquarium. It begins as soon as you add the first fish to the tank. Their waste products include ammonia, which starts the nitrogen cycle. During the initial setup period, it is important that you test the water quality daily, so that you can watch your tank progress through the stages of the nitrogen cycle.

In addition to simply adding fish to the aquarium, there are other ways to jump-start the nitrogen cycle. Those with saltwater aquariums can add live rock to begin the process. If you are setting up a freshwater tank, it is possible to add a cup of gravel from an established tank. Although it will contain the beneficial bacteria necessary for the nitrogen cycle, it may also contain unwanted bacteria or parasites, so this method should be used with caution.

When your new aquarium is first set up, it’s important not too add too many fish. Adding too many fish results in high levels of waste, which your new tank ecosystem may not be able to handle. As the ammonia levels spike, your fish could die. In fact, many experienced fishkeepers recommend beginning with a few inexpensive fish to begin the nitrogen cycle if you plan to keep exotic tropical fish in the aquarium. This way, if your first nitrogen cycle does not go as planned, you won’t kill off an expensive and rare fish.

As you add fish to the aquarium, ammonia levels will start to rise immediately. All of the food you put into the tank will eventually be converted into ammonia by your fish. You can expect ammonia levels to fluctuate as the aquarium ecosystem settles into a routine. However, ammonia buildup is dangerous for your fish. Signs that the ammonia is too high include red or bloodshot eyes, red inflamed gills, or red streaks on the sides of your fish. Ammonia levels of 0.25 to 0.5 parts per million (ppm) can stress your fish, while above 1.0 is considered lethal. Although it’s best to let the beneficial bacteria eat the ammonia, continuing the nitrogen cycle, if the levels get too high you should change 15 to 25 percent of the water to reduce ammonia levels. Reducing the amount of food you are feeding will reduce future ammonia levels.

Within two weeks of introducing the first fish to your new aquarium, a beneficial bacteria will start to eat the ammonia. This nitrifying bacteria converts ammonia into nitrites. Your tank may become cloudy during this stage in the process, as the bacteria multiply quickly to eat the excess ammonia. At this point, nitrites should begin appearing on your water test results.

In another week or two, you will start to see increasing nitrate levels on the water test strips. Moderate levels of nitrates cause no harm to your fish. They can build up, however, especially if you are not diligent about changing the water in the tank. If levels go above 80 to 100ppm, a water change can help increase the water quality in the aquarium. In addition to regular water changes, live plants can also remove nitrates from the aquarium environment.

The nitrogen cycle is a very important process in your aquarium. You can expect the full cycle to take anywhere from three to six weeks to become established. This step is crucial if you want the aquarium to be healthy, and it must be monitored closely with water test kits.

James MacParland is a freshwater aquarium expert. For more great information on ecosystem of a freshwater aquarium, visit http://www.easyfreshwateraquariumcare.com to learn more about setting up and maintaining a freshwater aquarium. Check out my site to learn more about the ecosystem of a freshwater aquarium and more.

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Anyone who has kept a fish tank knows how dirty the water gets. After all, although fish are tiny, they are also rather untidy animals, and the water wishes constant maintenance. Even if you make it a practice to modify the water and wash out the aquarium on a regular basis, you’re still going to want some assistance with the huge task of maintaining a healthy environment for your fish. One of the things that will help you is a good filter. Filters can be biological or chemical, but one of the best filters you can buy is one that uses diatomaceous earth as it’s filtering medium.

As the name implies, diatomaceous earth comes from the soil. Diatoms are small organisms that die and leave fossilized remains in the soil. By so doing, they fill the soil with minute cavities which may be employed effectively in filtering waste out of water, including the water in aquariums. These are the same types of filters which are employed in pools and municipal applications, and they are excellent for capturing even the smallest particles in your water. In fact, they corral particles that are too small to be caught in most other sorts of water filters.

Vortex Diatom Filters are high-speed mechanical filters which are engineered to fine filter water in aquariums without disturbing the natural, and desirable, level of bacteria. Though many of us have been conditioned to consider bacteria as being a bad thing, there are many different categories of good bacteria that we rely on every day, so it is important that we not rid any ecosystem of the good bacteria that it needs for plants and animals to survive. A filter which damages the balance could prove dangerous for your fish.

A System one Pressure Filter from Aquarium Products will polish tank water at the rate of 300 gallons an hour. It can be employed both in saltwater and freshwater aquariums successfully. By filling the filter jar with diatomaceous earth, which can be purchased separately, it will run for about 3 hours at a time. It must be turned off after 3 hours, because running it longer will cause the motor to burn up. However, in that 3 hours, you will have filtered and polished the best quality of water on the market today.

Though it may seem a little weird to use soil to clean your tank, diatomaceous aquarium filters are so popular that they are on back order at most online shops. With persistence you will be able to find the filter you need to keep your aquarium clean and your fish healthy.

While a number of people possess fish simply because they are an easy pet to possess, other people pride themselves in the tanks that they have set up in the center of their homes. Several people spend thousands of dollars on their fish, so it is essential to them that these prized fish go with them when they transfer. Thus, setting up for a relocation normally involves making contact with moving truck rental companies for moving van rentals, and a dedicated moving company that deals with the transport of fish and aquarium tools. If you are one of these people, then the first concern that you must learn is that you must get started as soon as possible, so that you have time to set up for all of the parts of this relocation.

When moving fish, you have to be especially careful. Fish are usually somewhat frail, and they will act in response to the stress that a move puts on them. Adjustments in space plus the water that they have spent plenty of time in will all have a particular result. Several fish merely cannot manage the stress, and we lose a number of them, but when your fish cost you plenty of money, you desire to put in the time and effort to transport each of them so that they arrive at your current house uninjured.

There are unique moving companies out there that only manage moving pets. While some of these companies will only transfer animals like cats and dogs, there are other companies that are professionals in moving fish and reptiles. If you are anxious regarding you moving your fish on your own, then perhaps this is the route that you must take. Keep in mind that you must take precautions in picking a fish moving company just like you would if you were picking any other kind of moving company. Take the time to look at your alternatives and choose the company that you think is going to watch over your animals better than any other.

If you do choose to go forward and transfer your fish on your own, remember these things. First, you must keep the change of water that they stay in to a minimum. There are beneficial bacteria in the water that take time to progress, and often, new water could lead to shock that could cause the death of your fish. Constantly transport your fish in a smaller container filled with water from the first tank so that they are already familiar with it. Second, remember to provide your fish adequate oxygen to make the whole trip. Keep in mind, they will not have the advantage of a pump, so you need to include adequate oxygen in their travel container in its place.

Don’t forget to take the time to get well-informed before you try to move the fish. Taking time to plan and learn is the ideal concern that you could accomplish in order to guarantee that your prized fish arrive at their current house protected, whole, and with as minor stress as possible.

Introducing New Freshwater Fish to an Established Tank

By Jason MacParland

Aquarium owners wait for the day their tanks complete the nitrogen cycle so that they can finally add colorful fish to their aquariums. Although most people are in a hurry to add their newly acquired fish to their established tank but there are a few things that have to be kept in mind before putting your new fish in your tank. This article will elaborate on some things to keep in mind while introducing new fish to an established tank.

Quarantining New Fish

Fish purchased from the local fish shop should be first quarantined for a week before adding them to your established tank since many store bought fish are stressed out. A quarantine tank will allow your new fish to get used to your water parameters and this step will also ensure that parasites don’t enter your established tank. The quarantine tank should preferable be an established tank with a sponge filter and a few plastic plants. While putting the new fish in the quarantine tank you should first acclimatize your fish slowly to your water conditions so that they do not get more stressed.

Acclimatizing New Fish

The best way to acclimatize your new fish is to float the bag full of fish in the quarantine tank for 15 minutes so that the temperature of the water in the bag matches your aquarium’s temperature. You should then open the bag and add a cup full of water from your quarantine aquarium into the bag. You will need to add a cup full of water every 15 minutes to the bag full with fish so that the PH of the water in the bag matches the PH of your aquarium. After adding 3 – 4 cups of water you will need to net out the fish carefully and add them to your tank. It is advised not to empty the bag of fish directly into your established tank since store water usually contains pathogens and parasites. Aquarium salt can be used to de-stress your fish while they are in the quarantine tank. Aquarium salt also prevents the onset of various fish illnesses. The right dosage is 1 teaspoon aquarium salt per 10 gallons of water. It is always advised to mix the salt in a bucket of water and then pour the water into the tank.

Things to Remember

While introducing new fish to an established tank you should remember that quarantining your fish prevents them from getting stressed and this step also prevents your other fish from getting illnesses. After quarantining your fish for 1 week to 10 days you should net them out carefully and add them to your main aquarium. Many aquarium owners prefer to use a cup to scoop out fish rather than netting them since scooping out fish with a cup is less stressful. Fish that are hard to catch can be caught using the net and cup technique. This technique involves using a net to chase the fish into a cup. Fish nets should not be used for species that have barbs on their mouth.

James MacParland is a freshwater aquarium expert. For more great information on aquarium freshwater fish, visit http://www.easyfreshwateraquariumcare.com to learn more about setting up and maintaining a freshwater aquarium.

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