Aquarium Care Guide- New Tanks
For every decision we make about owning a pet, whether it be a fluffy cat or a lazy hamster, we should always make sure that their intended habitats are going to be safe for them. On the account of fish keeping, the nitrogen cycle is the most important matter to be reviewed. Inside an aquarium, there is the poisonous substance ammonia. The bacteria that happens to breakdown this substance is produced by already thriving fishes. So for new aquariums, the thing to be answered to would be how to lower the ammonia levels even without the presence of any living fish.
Aquarium nitrogen cycle is simple enough to be understood by any prospect pet keepers. It begins with the production of ammonia, which is caused by various impurities in the water such as the excreted fish waste, the uneaten food particles, contaminations, etc. Then, fishes will release nitifying bacteria that will eat the ammonia and turn it to nitrite, which is a less poisonous substance. After that, the same bacteria will convert the nitrite into nitrate, a something that very tolerable and essentially harmless for the fishes. The nitrate will either be filtered, or dispatched through regular water changing.
You must first run the aquarium before you start putting your fishes inside. Wash all equipments with water. Avoid using detergents, because they could leave traces that might later on harm the fish. Use de-chlorinated water for your tank, and don’t forget to add up filters and lights. Observe cycle in tank until the water inside is no longer cloudy in appearance. Test the PH levels, make sure it is right. Continue checking it for at least a month after you’ve already added the fish.
When buying fish for the very first time, go for the types that are sure to have high survival rates. Some of them are gouramis, live bearers, danios and barbs. They are proven to endure ammonia and high nitrite levels, very perfect for your new aquarium. Additionally, stop your self from getting too carried away, start out with four or five fish at most. Before transferring them into your aquarium, float their bags first for ten to fifteen minutes. This way, your fishes will get adapted to the temperature of your aquarium. Also, when you are already moving in your fishes, try not to spill water from their bags into the aquarium as it may prose contamination or chemical imbalance.
And now that your aquarium is complete, the very last things you must attend to are observation and maintenance. Feed you fishes only with the amount that they can surely finish. Overfeeding leads to more unfinished food waste, and by extension, to heightening of the ammonia levels. In addition, keep monitoring your aquariums measurements in terms of the PH level and temperature. Change water and clean on a regular basis. And finally, keep a good watch over your fishes to know whether they are healthy or sick.
