Fishkeeping is a fascinating and enjoyable hobby. With just a little hands-on maintenance, you can help your fish thrive in a healthy, comfortable aquarium environment! Here’s what you should keep in mind as you set up your fish’s new home.
Adding Water
One of the first things to know about acclimating your fish to their new tank is that the water in your aquarium must first be treated with aquarium water conditioner. Regular tap water contains high levels of chemicals, which can harm your fish’s protective slime coat, or even result in fish loss, if left untreated. Add the appropriate amount of aquarium water conditioner to make water safe for your fish, reduce stress, and enhance their slime coat for protection.
Establishing the Natural Aquarium Cycle
Establishing the aquarium cycle, also referred to as the biological filter, in your tank is simple! Your fish need the good bacteria that the natural aquarium cycle provides, but since your water will be completely fresh when starting out, you will need a treatment to add bacteria and quick start the aquarium cycle in your tank. This is essential to help keep fish waste, poisonous ammonia, and nitrite levels low, which you cannot see but can easily detect upon testing your water conditions.
Water Testing
By testing your aquarium water weekly, you can make sure it remains a safe and healthy home for your fish. Regular testing of pH, ammonia, and nitrite can help determine if overfeeding is occurring and alert you to any issues early. If your water tests show that any of the levels in your water are very high or very low, it is important to take steps to correct this for your fish’s health and wellbeing. Monitoring the water chemistry of the aquarium will allow you to catch problems before they occur.
Plants
For lush and vibrant aquatic plants, it is essential that they receive adequate lighting and absorb the necessary nutrients for growth. If you have live plants in your aquarium, add an aquatic plant fertilizer tablet to the gravel to nourish roots, along with a liquid treatment to ensure your plants get nutrients like Iron and Potash for healthy leaves. Additionally, using a treatment that contains carbon – a component of CO2 – will promote the photosynthetic process by turning light energy into new plant growth.
Any products you select for use should be safe for your fish and promote their overall health and wellbeing.
| Picture | Name | Price | Description |
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API Stress Coat Aquarium Water Conditioner | $8.08 | More |
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API Quick Start Freshwater and Saltwater Aquarium Nitrifying Bacteria | $15.67 | More |
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API TEST STRIPS Freshwater and Saltwater Aquarium Test Strips | $25.92 | More |
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API CO2 Booster | $10.24 | More |
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Seachem Flourish Excel Bioavailable Carbon for The Planted Aquarium | $10.22 | More |
