One of the most satisfying pastimes is setting up an aquarium, but it also involves careful planning, particularly with regard to the water. The health and happiness of your fish and plants are greatly influenced by the quality of the water in your tank. Maintaining cleanliness alone won’t suffice; optimal water quality is essential for developing a healthy aquatic ecosystem.
The water’s temperature is crucial, to start. It’s crucial to find out what temperature is ideal for your particular species of fish or plant because they all have different preferences. While many freshwater fish thrive in colder temperatures, tropical fish generally prefer warmer water. You can keep the proper conditions by using a thermometer and heater that you can rely on.
The pH of the water is the next important factor. This is crucial because it impacts plant growth and fish health by measuring the water’s acidity or alkalinity. Although most freshwater fish prefer a pH that is neutral to slightly acidic, you should again check the requirements of the fish in your aquarium. Simple test kits are available to check and correct the pH level as necessary.
Remember that the concentration of minerals like calcium and magnesium in the water determines its hardness. Hardness has an impact on both the effectiveness of your filtration system and the general health of your fish. While some fish require soft water, others do well in hard water. Water conditioners and mineral content modifications are two methods for adjusting water hardness.
Finally, it’s critical to use a quality filter and change a portion of the water on a regular basis to maintain good water quality. By doing this, waste is removed and dangerous chemical accumulation is avoided. You can provide a stable and healthy habitat for your aquatic life by monitoring temperature, pH, hardness, and cleanliness. Your aquarium can become a vibrant and lovely underwater world with the correct setup.
Aspect | Description |
pH Level | The pH should match the needs of the fish; typically between 6.5 and 7.5 for most species. |
Hardness | Water hardness affects fish health; aim for medium hardness unless your fish require specific levels. |
Temperature | Keep the water temperature stable and appropriate for the species in your tank. |
Ammonia | Ammonia levels should be zero; high levels are toxic to fish. |
Nitrites | Nitrites should also be at zero; they can be harmful in high concentrations. |
Nitrates | Low levels of nitrates are preferable; frequent water changes help maintain this. |
Chlorine | Ensure the water is free from chlorine by using a water conditioner or letting it sit out before use. |
Filtration | Good filtration helps maintain clean and balanced water quality. |
- Basic parameters of aquarium water
- What kind of water to pour into an aquarium
- Plain tap water
- Boiling
- Filtered
- Bottled
- Distilled
- From a river, lake, well
- Rain
- How to prepare water for an aquarium
- First filling
- Periodic replacement
- Video on the topic
- How to achieve crystal clear water in an aquarium. SECRET!!!
- Organization of water flow in a herbalist aquarium
- What kind of water to pour into the aquarium
- Where to get water for an aquarium?
- The main indicators of water in an aquarium and preparation of water for a planted aquarium
- Tests and parameters of water in an aquarium, we cut the truth
Basic parameters of aquarium water
Neutral parameters are found in regular tap water. The liquid’s parameters are changed to suit the requirements of aquatic life. Because they require different living conditions, it is therefore undesirable to keep fish and plants in the same pond. To ensure that the water in the aquarium is suitable for the fish, you should measure the following parameters using a thermometer and testers:
- Temperature. Affects the quality of aeration and spawning processes. When the parameter increases to 28℃, the fish begin to reproduce. The critical mark is 35℃. If the water temperature is higher, the inhabitants of the aquarium will die. The lower minimum value is 18℃. In a cold room, use a heater. The best temperature in the aquarium is kept within +23…+26℃.
- Hardness. Depends on the concentration of calcium salts, magnesium, and other alkaline earth elements. The unit of measurement is degrees of hardness (dGH, dKH). Optimum water hardness in an aquarium is 5–25 dGh. The parameter changes during the day and depends on the season. It is influenced by inhabitants that absorb salts. Some types of stones and shells increase hardness. Snails and crustaceans need harder water for the strength of the shell. For neons and some types of bettas, the water should be soft.
- Acidity. This parameter is affected by hardness and temperature, time of day and even aeration. In the morning, the pH is higher, in the evening it is lower. The pH level is determined by litmus tests. In an acidic environment, the paper will turn red, in an alkaline environment it will turn blue. The optimal pH is 6.5–8. Alkaline water is made with soda, acidified with peat tablets.
Unassuming fish can easily adjust to varying hardness and acidity levels and feel no pain when the temperature suddenly changes. As a result, certain species of killifish and cichlids belonging to the genus Tilapia can withstand temperatures as high as 45°C and 70°F, respectively. In home ponds, such experiments are not advised.
What kind of water to pour into an aquarium
Humans can obtain water from a variety of sources. There are plenty of options, so it’s critical to understand which ones are best for aquatic life. For aquarists who are setting up a pond for the first time, this is especially concerning. Make sure the water is safe and beneficial for the aquatic plants and animals in your aquarium before adding any water.
Plain tap water
The easiest option is tap water, which has all the microorganisms needed for fish development. The liquid is tested before usage to make better use of its properties.
The composition of water varies greatly between different locations and regions. That most of it is extremely difficult is a major drawback. This indication may end up getting in the way of using such a liquid. In addition, pathogenic microorganisms may enter tap water.
An aquarium should only be filled with tap water after it has been left in an open tank for at least one to two days. This is done in order to cause mechanical impurities to sink to the bottom and chlorine to evaporate.
Boiling
After heat treatment, water is free of harmful bacteria and germs. However, there are numerous drawbacks:
- does not contain useful microelements that fish need to develop immunity;
- boiled water has a reduced hardness index.
It’s not practical to boil a lot of water in big tanks. Expert aquarium keepers respond to the question of whether boiling water can be added to an aquarium by saying that it can only be done for the fish that have lived there since birth.
Filtered
Water is deemed "dead" after it has been filtered. It is devoid of beneficial microorganisms, but it also won’t include salts, heavy metals, or other harmful contaminants. After passing through a filter, water needs to settle so that volatile chlorine compounds can evaporate before adding it to an aquarium.
Not every kind of filter can be applied. It is not possible to pour water that has passed through the filters listed below into an aquarium:
- with an antibacterial effect;
- remineralizer;
- saturating with silver ions.
Aquatic life may be killed by the liquid that was purified with such apparatus. The natural aquatic environment will not resemble this one at all.
Bottled
Chlorine is absent from bottled water that has been purchased. It is not in need of defense. However, selecting a liquid with the necessary degree of hardness can be challenging. A high-quality bottled water is not a cheap choice for fish. Mollusks have occasionally perished in aquaristics after spilling bottled water. This suggests that not all water that is bottled is of a high caliber.
Note: If you have to choose between bottled and filtered water due to extremely low-quality ordinary tap water, the second option is preferable.
Distilled
After going through the distillation process, liquid is free of dangerous substances and salts. It has undergone total purification. While you can’t use it exclusively for aquariums, you can mix some with tap water.
From a river, lake, well
In quantities that are lethal to fish, pigoen, river, and lake water may contain dangerous chemical compounds. These consist of nitrates, phosphate compounds, and other related substances. You should only use such water if you are positive it is completely safe.
Rain
Rainwater is composed similarly to distilled water. total lack of microelements and beneficial bacteria. This kind of liquid is only used to lessen the degree of hardness. It should be remembered that dangerous acids may be present in rainwater. As such, it ought to be applied sparingly and only following testing.
How to prepare water for an aquarium
It is necessary to create conditions that are similar to those found in nature in order for fish to play and plants to accumulate vegetative mass. It is necessary to purge a liquid of heavy metals, mechanical impurities, phosphates, chlorine, and nitrogen compounds in order to make it suitable for aquatic life. This can be done at home by any aquarist. The subsequent techniques are employed:
- Use conditioners according to the instructions. The preparations can be purchased in specialized stores. Their use is advantageous because you do not need to waste time settling the water.
- Add sodium thiosulfate (10 g of the substance per 100 liters of water). With its help, the bonds of chlorine and ammonia are eliminated. For mixing, turn on the aerator for 2 hours.
- Reduce the hardness of tap water by adding distilled liquid. For the same purpose, you can partially boil.
- A modern method is to pass the liquid through an osmotic filter or ionizer.
When setting up a home pond, preparing the water for an aquarium is a crucial step that should not be overlooked.
First filling
The water must be filled correctly the first time in order to determine the desired biobalance at the desired rate. The guidelines listed below must be followed:
- Before installation, the aquarium is thoroughly washed with ordinary water, without chemicals, the glass is wiped with a sponge or soft cloths.
- Arrange the bottom, laying out the previously prepared soil.
- Pour in water and leave to settle. At first, the water will become cloudy due to the development of bacteria, after a while it will become transparent again.
- After the water becomes cloudy, measure its parameters. If they correspond to the standards, plant vegetation and populate it with aquatic inhabitants.
When there are only 5-7 cm left to the upper edge, the aquarium is said to be fully filled. Water cannot be poured all the way to the top. The fish can’t jump out of the tank because of the indentation. This vital air space is especially important for tanks that have lids.
Periodic replacement
It is required to perform a partial water change along with the tank cleaning process once a week. For hygienic reasons, prune the plants and siphon off the bottom. Decide on the water ahead of time. It is advised by seasoned aquarists to update no more than 30% of the volume at once. To avoid upsetting the established biobalance and stressing out the fish, it is not advised to keep it longer.
Be aware that if there is a fish disease, the water may be changed more frequently—up to three times per week—and that medications may be added.
There might also be situations involving force majeure. For instance, dangerous materials unintentionally entered the aquarium due to carelessness or ignorance. Under such circumstances, the aquatic environment must be entirely replaced rather than modified. Temperature, acidity, and hardness levels should all be in close proximity to the aquarium. The fish will find it easier to change their water if the parameters are chosen well.
It is settled, and if needed, the hardness is decreased, before pouring water from the faucet. You must add boiled or distilled to accomplish this. When changing the tank’s contents, you can use conditioners to prepare the liquid in the same way.
The water’s quality is very important when setting up an aquarium because it affects the health of your fish and plants. Your aquatic life will flourish and remain vibrant if it is kept in a stable and clean environment. It’s crucial to regularly check and maintain the proper ratio of nutrients to chemicals. Recall that maintaining clear water is only one aspect of maintaining the health of the ecosystem in your tank.
Each aquarium is different, and different fish and plants require different water conditions. It’s critical to investigate the needs of your specific species in order to design the ideal habitat. Every action you take helps create a more balanced and healthy environment, whether it’s controlling the hardness, pH, or filtration.
Testing and tweaking on a regular basis are necessary to maintain good water quality. A regular cleaning schedule and the use of high-quality water conditioners can help stop issues before they arise. Your aquarium can grow into a vibrant underwater paradise with proper maintenance, adding happiness and relaxation to your everyday existence.
The kind and quality of water you use when setting up an aquarium is essential to providing a healthy habitat for your fish and plants. Your tank’s water should be balanced to reflect the natural conditions of your aquatic life, including temperature, hardness, and pH. The water that you use—filtered water, distilled water, or tap water treated with dechlorinators—can have a significant impact on the health of the fish in your aquarium. A healthy, dynamic aquatic ecosystem is ensured and problems can be avoided by maintaining ideal water conditions.