Aquarium Water pH Levels

Understanding aquarium water pH levels is important, not only to have an idea of what it is but also to compare later with the tank water to judge how things are functioning in the tank. 

A simple aquarium water test kit will provide a reasonably accurate reading of the pH. The pH scale runs from 0 to 14, and for monitoring aquarium water, you need to work in increments of tenths.  

A pH value of 7 is the midpoint, which means the water is neutral. As the pH values go down from this midpoint, the water is increasingly acidic; as the value goes up from the midpoint, the water is increasingly alkaline.

A change of one whole number (i.e., 7.5 to 6.5) actually represents a change in acidity or alkalinity of 100 times. Many aquarium fish that originate from South America prefer softer, more acidic water, whereas fish from East Africa do best in hard, alkaline water. These are just two examples.

 

Unless you intend to breed a species that is very particular about water chemistry, you will find that the stability of the pH in an aquarium is far more important than the exact value. Large, rapid changes in pH are often fatal to fish. Any change greater than 0.2 in a 24-hour period will cause physical stress for most fish.

Hard and Soft Aquarium Water

You should know if your tap water is hard or soft so you can adjust it if necessary for your aquarium. Hard water has a high content of certain minerals -- magnesium, calcium and iron salts -- and soft water does not.

The biggest concern with tap water, though, is what the city water department puts in it. Most municipal water companies add chlorine or chloramine to the water to kill certain bacteria that are harmful to people. Unfortunately, these chemicals are themselves harmful to fish and must be removed from the water.

Every pet store has a selection of chemicals that will easily dechlorinate the water. For dealing with chloramine, however, you need something a little different. Chloramine is a combination of chlorine and ammonia. When a normal dechlorinator is used at double the recommended amount, it will break the bond between these two compounds, neutralizing the chlorine but releasing the ammonia. The added ammonia may be more than the nitrifying bacteria in your tank's biological filter can handle.

The only way to handle this problem is to use a one-step water conditioner designed to handle chloramine. This product will break the bond between chlorine and ammonia and neutralize both.

Aquarium Aquascaping Tips

The first consideration when decorating an aquarium, or aquarium aquascaping, is the gravel. The size of the individual pieces of gravel is particularly important if the tank has an undergravel filter. If the gravel is too large, there won't be as much total surface area for the nitrifying bacteria. On the other hand, if the gravel is too small, it will clog with particles easily and restrict the flow of water through the gravel bed.

The best gravel sizes are #2 or #3, which are two and three millimeters in diameter respectively. Although the color of gravel is a matter of personal choice, neutral colors are more natural and do not compete with the fish for attention. They also help to make the fish more comfortable.

You may notice that many fish are dark on top and lighter on the bottom. This is a form of camouflage called counter-shading. The fish will be less visible to predators when viewed from above against the dark bottom of a stream or pond, or when viewed from below against the light color of the sky. For this reason, fish feel more secure over dark gravel.

Other Important Aquarium Items

There is a large variety of other aquarium items and accessories available for aquarists to choose from, but only some are absolutely necessary. You will want to have enough air line tubing to run between the air pump and the air stones, as well as some extra air stones. Over time, air stones begin to clog, which reduces their efficiency and causes unnecessary wear on the air pump.

You should also have an extra set of replacement diaphragms on hand for the air pump. If not, your dealer can replace them for you when they wear out. Some hobbyists like to be prepared for larger problems. If you are willing to make the investment, a back-up pump and even an extra heater or filter provides insurance against equipment failure.

How to Care Your Aquarium Fish

New hobbyists, who have had problems keeping fish alive for even a few months are always shocked to find out that, the normal life span of the typical aquarium fish is measured not in months but in years,.

Although it varies from species to species, aquarium fish should live anywhere from three to seven years, or longer. Goldfish can live for 20 years or more. Fish can actually live longer, healthier lives and sometimes even grow larger in an aquarium than they do in the wild.

In nature, a fish's food supplies come and go with the changing of the seasons and unusual weather patterns. The amount of food may be limited, and it often takes a lot of energy to find enough to survive.

Predators, including other fish, will keep nearly all the young of any species from reaching adulthood. Few fish get to die of old age in the wild. Fish that are too weak or slow will quickly become dinner.

Although aquariums have limitations, they can be an environment where fish are able to flourish.