Fish cannot survive without water. Tap water is the best type to use when filling an aquarium as drinking water is regularly checked. However, a water conditioner first needs to be used to remove added substances such as chlorine, which are required for clean drinking water but harmful to fish. Furthermore, heavy metals from pipes can often get into the water. These are poisonous to the gill-breathing fish and again have to be neutralised with a water conditioner.
- Plants
Aquatic plants give your tropical freshwater aquarium the appearance you desire. The greenery brings out the colours of the fish and the variety of plant forms is equally as important for your aquarium’s ecosystem as the diverse range of fish. However, the aquatic plants also have important biological functions. They provide places to hide, act as natural territorial boundaries and create a near-natural habitat for the creatures in your aquarium. Additionally, the process of photosynthesis supplies oxygen for all creatures living in the tank.
Choosing the right plants and enabling their healthy growth through good care and fertilisation are therefore key to providing optimum living conditions in your aquarium. When setting up an aquarium, fast-growing plants can make a great choice. If they grow quickly and healthily, this is an indication of good water quality and a balanced nutrient ratio in the aquarium.
- Lighting
Fish do not generally need additional light, but plants require the artificial light to grow! With freshwater fishkeeping, a differentiation is made between fluorescent lights/hood lights (fluorescent tubes with a cover) and LED lights. Pure white daylight is the best solution for the plants’ photosynthesis. LED bulbs use very little power and have a long service life. Fluorescent lights should be replaced after about a year.
For optimum growth conditions, plants in aquariums need about 12 hours’ light a day, plenty of nutrients and trace elements by adding liquid fertiliser to the water, enough carbon dioxide (which can also be specially added), the right water temperature and well-fertilised substrate.
- Water parameters
All you are now missing are your aquarium inhabitants: the fish and/or invertebrates like shrimps and crayfish. However, before these can move into their new home, the water parameters have to be tested.
Fish and plants are not the only life forms in aquariums. A huge number of microorganisms settle in all areas of an aquarium, especially on the filter. Without these bacteria, the uneaten fish food and fish waste would quickly poison the aquarium water and therefore the fish. As a newly set up aquarium does not yet contain many bacteria, it has to be ‘run in’.
The table below provides an overview of the recommended values for the water parameters and the corrective measures you can take if a parameter is not within the optimum range.
|
|
Recommended values |
Corrective measures |
|
General hardness (GH) |
6° – 16°dH |
If the GH is too high, osmosis or clean rain water can be used |
|
Carbonate hardness (KH) |
3° – 10°dH |
The KH can be adapted with pH/KH Minus and pH/KH Plus |
|
pH value |
pH 6.5 – 8.5 |
The pH value can be addapted with pH/KH Minus and pH/KH Plus |
|
Ammonium (NH3)/ ammonia (NH4) Poisonous to fish! |
0 mg/L |
A rapid and major partial water change reduces the ammonia level. This can be permanently lowered by adding SafeStart |
|
Nitrite (NO2) Poisonous to fish! |
Less than 0.3 mg/L |
A rapid and major partial water change and the addition of SafeStart reduce the nitrite level |
If the water parameters are as they should be, you can add the animals. If you want to introduce several species of fish, take care to respect their needs.
Source: Tetra
