In the last post i discussed some basic things to think about when setting up an aquarium in the home. Choosing a proper sized aquarium for your livestock, where to put it, time and money investment. Today's post will focus on some more basics for keeping your fish alive, healthy, and happy. I will discuss filtration, substrate, lighting and decoration. While lightly touching on plants.
Filtration
This is an incredibly important aspect to any aquarium. It removes ammonia/ammonium (a waste produced by fish through their gills) from the water and turns it into less harmful (but still deadly) nitrite, and then converts nitrite into nitrate. Nitrate is less harmful than both its predecessors, but still fatal in large amounts (>40ppm.)
This process is called the nitrogen cycle. This process is vital to the survival of the inhabitants of the tank. If too many of these harmful compounds accumulate in the tank, it could kill your fish. It is orchestrated by a group of bacteria that consume ammonia/ammonium, which produce nitrite. Another bacteria then converts the nitrite into nitrate, and there are even anaerobic bacteria that colonize low oxygen areas of the substrate (or lavarock) that remove nitrates and convert them into harmless nitrogen gas. There are many types of filtration that perform this process. Starting at the most simple sponge filter, hang on back, canister, moving bed and sump. The sump having multiple ways to be set up and run for different types of filtration.
This process is called the nitrogen cycle. This process is vital to the survival of the inhabitants of the tank. If too many of these harmful compounds accumulate in the tank, it could kill your fish. It is orchestrated by a group of bacteria that consume ammonia/ammonium, which produce nitrite. Another bacteria then converts the nitrite into nitrate, and there are even anaerobic bacteria that colonize low oxygen areas of the substrate (or lavarock) that remove nitrates and convert them into harmless nitrogen gas. There are many types of filtration that perform this process. Starting at the most simple sponge filter, hang on back, canister, moving bed and sump. The sump having multiple ways to be set up and run for different types of filtration.
- Sponge filters consist of a sponge on a plastic tube with holes in it. An airline is then inserted into the tube and the air creates a flow of water, lifting up in the tube, creating a flow through the sponge. The beneficial bacteria colonizing the sponge. The cheapest of the filters.
- Hang on back filters are (arguably) more efficient than sponge filters. They do a greater degree of mechanical filtration than sponge filters do. They also can use a greater diversity of filter media such as coarse and fine sponges, ceramic bio rings, and charcoal for chemical filtration. You must be careful with activated carbon as it will release harmful contaminates back into the water if you do not change it once per month. Cheap initial cost, but expensive in the long run having to change the cartridges or media every month.
- Canister filters are a bit more efficient than hang on back filters as they have more gallon per hour flow and can house more filter media. They are much more expensive than hang on back or sponge filters though. They require a light washing in tank water once a month (during a water change in a separate container.)
- Moving bed filters can be set up for use with different types of media. Such as sand, K1 Kaldness, and even media, in media reactors, that remove phosphates, ammonia, or nitrates.
- The sump filter is a filter that is set up below your tank and may contain a number of types of filtration. Including a wet/dry filter, a large moving bed filter or a refugium. All of which has their own ups and downs.
Substrate
The substrate you choose is (like everything else) completely up to you. But there are multiple kinds that are better for certain situations than others. You would not want to use a substrate like crushed coral, for example, in a tank housing fish native to the amazon river. As it causes the pH and GH to rise, where Amazonian fish need soft acidic water (water with a lower pH and GH than crushed coal can maintain.) The best way to keep Amazonian type fish is with a small amount of peat moss in either the substrate (if it is a planted type tank), or the filter.
For a non planted tank you can use any commercially available substrate, although be careful. You must rinse any substrate that you get with water from the tap very thoroughly. There will be a fine dust on the rocks from shipping which must be rinsed. Beware of poor quality substrate though! Although rare, it may leach toxic chemicals into the water. I suggest finding something natural, even if it cost more initially. It will save in replacement cost in the future.
Now, as for a planted tank, you would want a substrate that is made for, you guessed it, planted tanks. These are tailored for plants to have access to nutrients. Although not all equal, the brands offered out there will all be sufficient to grow easy plants. Along with a proper substrate for plants, proper lighting will also be required.
For a non planted tank you can use any commercially available substrate, although be careful. You must rinse any substrate that you get with water from the tap very thoroughly. There will be a fine dust on the rocks from shipping which must be rinsed. Beware of poor quality substrate though! Although rare, it may leach toxic chemicals into the water. I suggest finding something natural, even if it cost more initially. It will save in replacement cost in the future.
Now, as for a planted tank, you would want a substrate that is made for, you guessed it, planted tanks. These are tailored for plants to have access to nutrients. Although not all equal, the brands offered out there will all be sufficient to grow easy plants. Along with a proper substrate for plants, proper lighting will also be required.
Lighting
Lighting for a non-planted than does not have to be anything special. It is mostly for viewing pleasure. But for a planted tank it is a bit more important. Even though the plants are growing underwater they still need the proper light to perform photosynthesis. There are special types of bulbs for planted tanks and they are highly recommended for them. To use a regular type bulb, that would be okay for a non planted tank, on a planted aquarium could kill the plants and cause water quality issues. The proper light to use for a planted aquarium would be in the temperature range of 5000K-7000k and peak in the 420nm and 650nm wavelengths (or somewhere close to them.)
Decorations
The basics discussed here are something to consider and research before setting up your new tank. There are many different brands of filters out there, substrate, lights, and decorations. A lot of them have been reviewed by people and their opinions posted online. What will work best for you, depends on what you choose based on available space, time, and money. Do your research carefully, as there are some cheap brands that are just that, cheap, and other cheap brands, that may outperform some of the more expensive brands.
Questions, comments, criticism are all welcome but PLEASE no flamming.
Happy fish keeping!
Questions, comments, criticism are all welcome but PLEASE no flamming.
Happy fish keeping!
Decorating your tank can be done many ways. You can use plastic, silk, or real plants. Plastic decorations like castles and treasure chests, clay pots, inert rocks, and for hospital or quarantine tanks they can even be left bare. How you decorate and what you use is up to how you want it to look. You can keep it simple, or you can create graceful masterpieces that reflect where you fish would live in the wild.