Keeping a home aquarium is relatively straight forward if you have done plenty of research and obtained the correct advice on your new hobby. It does require some maintenance such as water changes and regular tests to ensure the water balance is correct but this is not time consuming. There are some must-have accessories that you will also need to consider before building a new aquarium and some accessories you may wish to add to make the tank aesthetically pleasing. Be sure to include these extras in your budget before you decide to build an aquarium.
Adding fish should be done after a few days of setting up the tank to allow the water to achieve its balance. Good fish to start with include Livebearers, Tetras and Danios. These are easy to take care of, do not harass other fish and do not produce much waste. Beware of fish which may grow to a large size or fish that may eat or nip the fins of the other fish. There are also fish which have thin fins and care must be taken to ensure they are not torn by the other fish or the plants.
Snails can be a useful addition in an aquarium provided they are added on purpose and do not become pests. They prefer hard water over soft water so ensure that the fish are able to survive in this type of water. The most common aquarium snail is the Ramshorn and can be many different colours. They are helpful as they eat the algae which populate the surface of the glass in the tank.
When considering keeping aquatic insects in your tank, it is probably not best to do so when keeping fish as they have a tendency to eat the fish food. Some may bite or sting so some research is required before keeping insect life. Water beetles and water scorpions can be quite interesting additions to an aquarium.
Real plants are a useful addition to any aquarium. They oxygenise the water helping the fish to breathe and a well-planted aquarium is aesthetically pleasing. They also compete with algae for nutrients meaning that there is less chance of algae clogging up the water. Plants will need light, nutrients and carbon dioxide to grow. Some plants grow in hard water, some in soft water therefore you will need to make sure you have a suitable environment for them to grow in.
Do not make the mistake of planting land based plants as they will not be able to withstand being submerged in water for long periods of time and will die. There are also some species of fish which may eat plants so check this first before adding fish. Plants will need around 10 to 12 hours of light a day and the addition of a white tube light will be sufficient. Some lights work on a timer which is helpful if you will be away from home for any length of time. Two watts of light per gallon of water is an ideal rule to follow to ensure that the plants (and the fish) are not over-exposed. Adding some rocks and other decorations can help the fish feel secure as they have places to hide.
The tank needs to be maintained to ensure the water balance is kept constant. Testing kits are available which should be used regularly to ensure this is the case. This is also important if you put real plants in the aquarium. One kit is the pH testing kit which can be purchased from aquarium retailers. The water should be at a neutral pH which is as close to pH 7 as possible. These kits check that the water is not too acidic (below pH 7) or alkaline (above pH 7).
Ammonia and nitrate testing kits are available which check that your filtration system is filtering out these harmful chemicals effectively. Nitrate tests should be carried out regularly as it is a useful indicator that there is a build-up of other chemicals and harmful substances in the water. Changing water regularly and making partial water changes should prevent the build-up so if there is too much nitrate this indicates that you should carry out more regular water changes. A GH testing kit will check levels of calcium and magnesium which indicate the hardness of the water.
Other beneficial kits include an iron testing kit which is helpful when using plant fertilisers if you have real plants in your tank.
Aquatic salt is a useful addition to your fish tank. This prevents harmful bacteria from growing in the tank and on the fish. Some species of fish may not be able to tolerate salt so it is a good idea to make sure they can before adding. A small amount of aquatic salt helps promote a healthy tank and healthy fish as it soaks up nitrates which can be toxic to the fish. It also helps fish grow healthy gills and replaces any electrolytes lost from your fish (e.g. sodium).
The addition of a sponge filter is also a good idea as this soaks up any harmful bacteria which can produce nitrates and it traps any particles which may cause cloudy water. A good biological filtration system is necessary in a tank to ensure that the good bacteria are kept to natural levels as they break down nitrates.
Also, the addition of a protein skimmer is beneficial as it removes proteins which can be broken down to produce harmful ammonia. They can be water or air powered and are also known as foam fractionators. Ozonisers are particularly beneficial as they produce ozone gas which soaks up UV rays and also kill harmful bacteria. It also reduces nitrate levels.
An air pump will produce bubble which carry oxygen in them and, when released into the water, help the fish to breathe. Also, a thermostat in the water will ensure the correct temperature is reached for your fish. Adding a thermometer will help you keep track of the temperature of the water.
Copyright © 2012 Aquatics - Home Aquariums, Fish, Insects & Water Life. All rights reserved.