Regular Aquarium Maintenance

Freshwater

When we set up our aquarium for the first time, (or empty it to begin again) we learn about the Nitrogen Cycle. Often referred to as simply, "the cycle" many people fail to understand what it is, and why it's so important. At the end of "the cycle" a water exchange is needed, but this is needed regularly to keep things stable and healthy in your aquarium.

We start with a "box" of water, we add a filter with carbon, and we plug it in. That's all we need to do, right? Or is it? What purpose does the carbon serve? What purpose does the sponge serve, if there is one? What is the function of "the wheels"? Read below to learn about how the filter works, what the carbon does, and the purpose of the sponge.

The Job of the Filter

There are many forms of filters available to today's fish hobbyist. In this section we will discuss filtration as a whole, referring to a "hang on" type of filtration unit and why we use them.

Following the diagram, water is taken into the box of the filter through the intake tube, which hangs into the tank below the water level. As it travels through the filter, water passes through a sponge or filter pad, through the carbon, and then back into the tank to be cycled again. The "cleaning" process takes place inside the filter box, where it catches floating debris via the sponge or filter pad, then the water is detoxified by passing through the carbon, and is then released back into the tank.

Today, installing a filtration unit is standard on most aquariums. For most, it is the "easy way to be successful". To fully understand why the use for a filtration unit, we must first explore the 3 different types of filtration.

Biological Filtration

Chemical Filtration

Mechanical Filtration

In the day before artificial filtration was invented, biological filtration was the only type of filtration available to fish keepers. This is "Mother Nature's Way" of keeping the environment clean and healthy. Today we have hang on filters, which elaborates on this by adding chemical and mechanical filtration to our list of availability. Why the change? As we evolve, as we make what is called "progress" and live in this world of technology, we find we have less time to invest in the things we enjoy doing. We would like to think that a true lover of the hobby invented the first filter so as to make time for his fish keeping amidst a growing schedule of things to do.

The "natural aquarium" is based on biological filtration set up to mimic Mother Nature's Way. Much more attention to detail, less fish, more live plants, all are requirements of a natural aquarium. Understanding of the nitrogen cycle and biological filtration is a must to be successful. Which is the better way? That depends on how much time and commitment each person has to give to fish keeping.

The sponge


The Wheels

(The information above is for the basic "hang on" filtration units that have become so popular in the hobby today. A more in depth look at filtration and the many types available will be discussed further if you follow the links given for "The job of the filter".)

Regular Maintenance for Freshwater Aquariums

* Once each week 20% water exchange. This means we need to REMOVE 20% and replace it with clean water. Do NOT just top off the tank. The pollution or "remaining waste" in the water does not evaporate, therefore if you top off your tank without removing more of the water, you can and will make the pollution problem worse.

* Water Conditioner should be used to treat the CLEAN water. Be careful when doing water exchanges to only treat the amount of water being exchanged, not the entire tank repeatedly. This can greatly alter your water chemistry and harm your fish, and is difficult to resolve.

* Once each month a gravel vacuum is needed to remove the dirt and particles that fall to the bottom and create harmful ammonia. If the gravel is not kept clean, the ammonia levels in the tank will rise faster than the bacteria can break them down, and cause lethal conditions for the tank's inhabitants. Be careful NOT to do the gravel vacuum in the same week as the filter cartridge change so as not to deplete too much of the bacteria culture at once.

* Once each month the carbon in your filter must be replaced. If an under gravel filter is being used, this carbon must also be replaced. If a hang on filter is being used, the carbon can be found in the form of a pouch, a pad, or a filter bag with carbon inside.

Fish respond in specific ways when water quality is not maintained properly. Much as your family doctor will perform a string of tests to diagnose a problem, so the water test is but one way for us to determine fish illness, and to catch it early enough to cure it, and possibly prevent it from happening again.

Here in Joe's Fish Room we recommend the purchase of test kits to monitor your own water quality. When something just "doesn't seem right", usually the first answers will come from water test results. When something is found to be "not right" and medications need to be given, water quality plays a large part in how effective or dangerous any given medication can be. Medicating an aquarium with poor water quality can be lethal.

There are a few good places online to go for advice, and we can lend advice over the phone. This is most easily done if you can read the test results over the phone or post them on a message board or even insert them into an email.

When keeping some of the larger fishes, such as Oscars, Jack Dempsey's, Red Devils, and piranha, (to name just a few) it's most important to monitor water quality closely. When feeding a partial diet of live fish, (feeder fish) we have to be aware that each feeder fish is increasing the load of waste being passed in that aquarium. This is important to take into account when purchasing a filter for your tank. Be sure to get a size/model powerful enough to handle the job it will need to do.

DID YOU KNOW?

The staff here at Hoffer's is trained to help you select the proper, most effective, cost efficient filter for your aquarium based on your individual needs.

Partially eaten feeder fish, unconsumed food, (pellets, etc.) will also accumulate over a period of time, but some fish are known as "messy eaters". It is your responsibility as a fish keeper/hobbyist to know if your chosen fish is on this list. We, here at Hoffer's can help guide you and teach you about your pet, and we can help provide you with books and internet sites known to contain ACCURATE information about your pets. As these fish grow, gravel vacuuming should be performed more frequently until a larger aquarium is possible. If you find floating feeder fish, or parts of them, it is important to remove them from the tank as soon as possible. The bodies will break down quickly, further polluting your water at a fast rate.