Freshwater Aquarium Maintenance

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The Importance of Water Changes in any freshwater aquarium maintenance regime

In any tropical aquarium it is essential to change the tank water regularly to avoid a build up of toxic ammonia and nitrite as well as nitrates. 25% of the tank water should be replaced every two weeks. The table below illustrates the ‘cycling’ that goes on in the tank

When the tank is new and there are insufficient bacteria, ammonia from decomposing organic matter is toxic to fish and can build up to dangerous levels very quickly. Eventually the bacteria increase sufficiently to convert the ammonia to nitrite which is only slightly less toxic than ammonia. This too will then rise to high levels until a second kind of bacteria increases and converts the nitrite to much less toxic nitrate. The process can take several weeks and in the small world of the aquarium the ‘cycle’ never completes and the nitrate has to be removed from the aquarium by water changes. Preferably this should be done from the bottom of the aquarium by vacuuming and partial water changes as mentioned above.

The process of converting ammonia to nitrite and then nitrite into nitrates is by biological filtration. Because this takes time to be set up, it is important to know that in a new tropical tank you should add only a few hardy fish and only lightly feed them to minimize wastes. You should also test the water regularly and perform water changes as necessary.

Algae Control

Algae is not necessarily bad but it can look unsightly and will detract from the appearance of the tank. Algae growth depends upon the amount of light falling on the tank and the nutrients available for its growth. So, to minimise algae growth you should:

• Avoid direct sunlight falling on the tank
• Leave the lighting on for no more than 10 – 12 hours a day
• Minimise nutrient levels with frequent water changes
• Consider adding algae eating fish like catfish and mollies

Freshwater Aquarium Maintenance and Cloudy Water

Cloudy water has four main causes:

• New Substrate debris – wash it first
• Bacterial bloom – Usually appears as a greyish haze and is due to an explosive growth of bacteria in a new tank. This will usually disappear after a few weeks but it will go more quickly with partial water changes and by avoiding any overfeeding.
• Chemical imbalance – Appears as a greyish-white haze and is usually caused by minerals in hard water. It is best to take a sample of water to your fish supplier for analysis.
• Green water – This is not normally harmful to fish but can be controlled in the same way as for algae growth.

Snails

These are usually accidentally introduced into aquariums when new plants are added. Large colonies of snails will produce a lot of waste which will quickly cause the water quality to deteriorate. The best way to deal with them is to prevent them in the first place.

Freshwater aquarium maintenance is easy provided you follow these simple steps. It is not enough to provide filters driven by powerheads and water pumps because these will only at best remove ammonia and nitrite. The only way to remove nitrates is by partial water changes. Knowing this you will avoid the biggest beginners mistake.