General Aquarium Information

 

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this handout. We trust that it will serve to answer many of your questions as they arise.


Take a few moments each day to observe that everything in the aquarium is functioning properly, evaluate the overall condition and appearance of the fish, remove any water spotting on the glass or aquarium trim.
The result of following this simple process will be a trouble free, long term,and successful maintenance free aquatic experience. ENJOY!



Fish Acting Abnormally
1) If the fish are behaving strangely, make the appropriate water tests to insure healthy water quality and look closely to see if there are any visible signs of fish disease.

2) Always test the water first, If the water tests high in ammonia and/or nitrites, do the following... TOTALLY STOP FEEDING THE FISH! And perform a 10% water change every 12 hours, (never more than 10% at a time) until the ammonia and/or nitrites test at zero, when the ammonia and/or nitrites test at zero, you can resume feeding the fish. Ammonia and Nitrites are very dangerous to fish, and can easily cause their death.

3) When/If the water tests fine, then give us a call to be advised on how to treat for disease.


Nitrification Process

Fish respiration, fish digestion and the decay of uneaten food generate three nitrogenous compounds; ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. The first two, ammonia and nitrite, are very toxic to fish and extended exposure to these compounds will result in disease and/or death. Nitrate is considered to be virtually harmless to most fresh water species. In an established (cycled) Maintenance Free Aquarium there are nitrifying bacteria present which will convert ammonia and nitrite into a virtually non toxic compound (nitrate).



IMPORTANT: To preserve existing nitrifying bacteria, always rinse filter media with water taken from the aquarium.


Aquarium Glass
1) Clean the exterior glass with a white vinegar/water solution and paper towels. Spray the white vinegar/water solution onto the paper towel rather than onto the glass itself to prevent over spray into the aquarium. Never use glass cleaners, they contain chemicals that are toxic to fish.

2) If algae (green or brown) is visible, clean the interior glass with an algae scrubber pad.

3) Glass lids should be cleaned regularly to provide maximum penetration of light.


Fluorescent Aquarium Lighting
• Fluorescent bulbs should be replaced every twelve months to provide maximum lighting quality. The gases inside fluorescent tubes lose about half of their lighting ability after twelve months.


Artificial Plants, Rocks and Other Decorations
Surface algae and dirt can be removed by soaking in a solution of unscented household bleach and water (5% bleach). Rinse thoroughly before returning to the aquarium. After soaking in the bleach solution, porous rock and porous decorations (such as cloth plants) should be rinsed with tap water, then soaked in a water/dechlorinator solution, prior to being put back into the aquarium. DO NOT soak driftwood in bleach. The surface can be cleaned by scrubbing with a soft brush.


Feeding
DO NOT OVERFEED! Two or three times weekly feed your fish ONLY “Super Food” at a rate of one piece of food for each two square inches of fish. Example: One piece of food will feed two fish that are two inches long and one inch tall. Uneaten food should always be removed from the aquarium after twenty minutes. Overfeeding may result in cloudy water, excessive algae growth, deteriorating water quality, and possible fish death. While your aquarium is going through nitrification (cycling), we suggest you feed your fish only once a week to limit the amount of waste introduced into your new aquarium, until the biological colonies can be fully established.


-CAUTION- Water stability is as important as water quality. Adjustments to existing water chemistry MUST be made very gradually.