Each species of creatures needs its own water for an aquarium with certain special properties. Fish from cold European rivers will not like the conditions in which the inhabitants of the Ganga basin or the Mekong live, and the inhabitants of the seas who are accustomed to high salt content will quickly perish in fresh liquid from the tap.
What kind of water should be poured into an aquarium for fish?
If we take the main freshwater inhabitants, then for them most of the environmental parameters are not critical. Adult fish adapts well to life in captivity with stable conditions. To collect liquid for fans to fall in cranes or wells, so it is desirable to learn how to prepare water for the aquarium, so that it became safe and acquired the necessary qualities.
How to defend water for the aquarium?
Optimal for a clean, non-odorless water. Chimneys are always used in pipes, this substance is capable of killing microorganisms and other creatures, so you need to get rid of it as much as possible. The most accessible and simple method is to keep water for the aquarium. You will need enameled basins with barrels and a place where all this packaging will be stored for some time.
How to prepare water:
- Fill the sludge is desirable cold water, for a couple of days, she will independently dial the necessary temperature in the apartment.
- In the question of how much water should be defended for the aquarium, it is necessary to focus on the quality of the tap water. In most cases, a period of 1.5-3 days is enough to remove all harmful components by evaporation.
- Prepared water should be completely transparent, do not exude foreign smell.
- If necessary, the water before pouring into the aquarium is heated to a comfortable 22-24 degrees.
Water hardness in the aquarium
The formation of a layer of scale in teapots or pots indicates the presence of a high content of certain minerals in the liquid. Variable hardness salts are easily removed by boiling, lowering this parameter to acceptable values. In addition, there are still several ways in which tap water for the aquarium is brought into operation.
The main ways how to soften the water in the aquarium:
- Boiling tap water.
- Reducing stiffness by adding to the aquarium water the finished distillate.
- Freezing of the water to be replaced, when the home distillate is obtained from the ice obtained in the freezer.
- The addition of melt water or rain water to the tank is suitable for rural areas only in ecologically clean areas.
- Electrolysis is an expensive and technically difficult method for simple aquarists to reduce stiffness.
Up to 2 ° F, water is considered to be soft, at 2-10 ° F a medium hardness fluid, if the test shows more than 10 ° F, then we are dealing with hard water. Snails do not live well in a soft environment, they have a shell that spoils. Viviparous aquatic creatures need a fluid with a stiffness of about 10, and neon - about 6 ° F. It is advisable to read information about future wards to prepare a solution of optimal concentration.
Sometimes this parameter has to be artificially raised to normal, if the parameters of the liquid from the tap to exotic fish is not suitable. Water for the aquarium can become stiffer when adding bicarbonate or calcium carbonate. Syping soda should be carefully in a separate container of water, stirring the solution and periodically monitoring its chemical composition purchased in pet stores tests.
Acidity of water in the aquarium
The acidity parameter indicates the concentration of positive hydrogen ions and is denoted by the lettering of pH. For each fish or algae, there are optimal indicators. At pH 7, water for the aquarium at home is called neutral. The most common and popular living organisms offered to amateurs in pet stores, prefer to live in conditions with acidity of 5.5-7.5. Concentration of pH from 1 to 6 water is considered weakly acidic or acidic, above pH 7 to pH 14 the medium becomes slightly alkaline and strongly alkaline.
Strong acidity jumps in the tank with any water inhabitants are undesirable. A sharp drop in pH is easy to notice, at first fish reduce activity, and then begin to mass die. At night, living organisms release carbon dioxide, and in the daytime - actively absorb, its concentration varies from 0.5 to 1 units per day. It has been observed that peat infusion can significantly acidify the medium, and when alkali is added to the baking soda liquid, alkalinity is enhanced.
The water temperature in the aquarium for fish
Most popular fish and underwater plants love to be in an environment that is heated to a comfortable 22-26 ° C. An exception can be called inhabitants of cold expanses or residents of tropical regions. For example, discs need liquid at 30-31 ° C, and goldfish - from 18 to 23 ° C. In the question, what is the temperature of the water should be in the aquarium, you need to focus on what specific living beings it is inhabited.
Fluctuations in the water temperature for the aquarium to 4 ° C are considered more critical, they cause infection and death of organisms. Often this affects the inhabitants of small aquariums, cooling at night faster. Overheating is dangerous because the concentration of oxygen in a warm liquid decreases. Installing the aquarium near batteries or in direct sunlight is prohibited. It is recommended to purchase thermometers and automatic heaters with regulators for control.
Aquarium with sea water - features
The sea underwater world is more difficult to launch, for it a simple tap water that flows from the faucets is not suitable. Preparing water for the aquarium is the most important stage of the launch, it can not pass without adding salt to the habitat. In different seas, its concentration ranges from 10g to 40g per liter, so consider this parameter when buying new inhabitants.
First, water is put on sludge, and then the appropriate components are introduced into it. It is desirable to purchase a mixture of salts for the marine aquarium, which is easily dissolved in water, the past preparation period. Improves the state of the environment by aeration for up to 2 weeks. This process is monitored by tables with an air meter, showing the slightest change in density.
Aeration of water in the aquarium
All creatures need oxygen and carbon dioxide, but their percentage after the launch of the underwater world can spontaneously change. If the optimal concentration of these substances is violated, destructive processes that affect the vital activity of pets and plants begin. Water for fish in the aquarium is maintained in the right state by means of aeration - an artificial purge with oxygen.
For aeration, you need to buy pumps, pumps, filters with diffusers. It is not uncommon to saturate the water with oxygen by means of a compressor delivering a stream of air, broken into microscopic bubbles, into the thickness of the liquid through a system of hose and sprayers. It is good to install this system near a heating device for better gas exchange and mixing of water layers.
Cleaning the water in the aquarium
There are external and internal systems for cleaning the environment. An external water filter in the aquarium saves space and less spoils the view of the underwater world. It is convenient to disassemble and clean, with preventive measures fish are not disturbed, reducing the likelihood of stress. The internal filter is simpler and cheaper, it is advisable to buy it for a capacity of up to 100 liters. The simplest models consist of a pump and foam rubber, in complex devices, filtration of contaminated liquid occurs through several layers of a special substance.
How often should I change the water in the aquarium?
In the question of how to change the water in an aquarium, it is necessary to observe the following periodicity:
- New aquarium - the first 2 months no substitution is made.
- A young aquarium - substitution of 20% of the liquid with an interval of 2 weeks or in an amount of 10% of water after 7 days.
- A mature aquarium (the underwater world exists for more than 6 months) - substitution of 20% of the environment once a month with cleaning of the glass and soil from debris.
How do I change the water in the aquarium?
To make a complete replacement of water without the need is undesirable, it is done only with the appearance of infections. Fish are deposited in a temporary tank, the liquid is drained by a hose, the tank is washed, dried, disinfection of the space is carried out. After the restart, the ecosystem takes time to normalize, possibly turbidity of the liquid. Fish are launched inside a week after filling the tank with fresh water and planting the plants. Partial replacement of water in the aquarium is made easier, here it is necessary to change up to 20% of the environment.