Maintaining a Freshwater Tank Filled with Beautiful Tropical Fish

Proper setup and maintenance of a tropical freshwater aquarium is essential in order to keep the tank running efficiently and to help keep your fish healthy. You must:

avoid overstocking your tropical freshwater aquarium.

avoid over-feeding your fish.

observe your fish often, looking for signs of disease or illness.

do periodic water changes.

monitor the temperature of the tropical freshwater aquarium at least 1-2 times daily.

monitor pH, ammonia and nitrite on a regular basis.

Stocking Your Tropical Freshwater Aquarium Properly

When a tropical freshwater aquarium is overstocked, waste products such as ammonia and nitrite will build up in the water too rapidly. These waste products are a byproduct of the urine and feces of the fish entering the water as well as uneaten food spoiling on the bottom of the tank.

Normally, waste products produced in a healthy tropical freshwater aquarium are metabolized (used up) by bacteria which grow in the tank. These bacteria are beneficial to your aquarium and will not injure your fish.

Live aquatic plants can also be a big help in a tropical freshwater aquarium because the plants also help utilize the ammonia and lower the waste levels in the tank. The plants also give shy or frightened fish ample hiding places which reduces the amount of stress the fish experience and keeps them healthier. Planted tropical freshwater aquariums are often more stable and contain healthier, happier fish than non-planted aquariums.

The rule of thumb for aquariums containing small fish (guppies, mollies, platys, swordtails, etc) is that you should have no more than one inch of fish for each gallon of water in the tank. With larger fish, the rule to remember is that larger fish produce larger waste and need larger tanks.

Always know the adult size of any fish you purchase. Do not purchase a fish such as an arrowana or pacu which is expected to grow to a foot or more and expect it to live comfortably in a 20 gallon aquarium.

Avoid Overfeeding the Fish in Your Tropical Freshwater Aquarium

The most common mistake made by new fish-keepers is overfeeding. Fish need only small amounts of food to survive. Extra food will only serve to pollute their water and cause them harm.

Periodic Water Changes for Your Tropical Freshwater AquariumFeed no more than your fish are able to eat in a five minute period and remove any uneaten food from your aquarium promptly.

Periodic water changes are necessary to remove excess waste products from the water and prevent the tropical freshwater aquarium from becoming polluted.

Water changes are accomplished by removing part of the water from your tank and replacing it with an equal volume of new fresh water. Before adding the new fresh water to the tank, make certain that you have treated the water to remove any chlorine or chloramine present.

Changing small amounts of water frequently is preferable to changing large amounts of water on a less frequent basis. Water changes should be performed at least every 1-2 weeks, replacing approximately 1/4 of the water in the tank.

Monitoring the Temperature of Your Tropical Freshwater Aquarium

Ideally, the water in your tropical freshwater aquarium should be between 72-82 degrees (Fahrenheit). Check your aquarium’s water temperature often and adjust the heater as necessary

Monitoring pH, Ammonia and Nitrite Levels in Your Tropical Freshwater Aquarium

Ammonia and nitrite levels are indicators of the degree of pollution evident in your tank. A well-established tropical freshwater aquarium should have undetectable levels of both ammonia and nitrite.

pH is a measure of the acidity of the water in your tank. You should track the trends in the pH of your tank over time. pH levels will often start to decline if you are overfeeding your fish.

Measuring kits for ammonia, nitrite and pH are available in any pet store which carries fish products. You can also take a water sample to your local pet shop where they can test it for you.

If you notice that the ammonia or nitrite levels in your tropical freshwater aquarium are rising, you should immediately perform a water change. Also if you notice the pH starting to fall, you should do a water change immediately.

Lastly, don’t forget to sit back and enjoy your tank. That is why we establish these aquariums to begin with and the enjoyment is what makes the maintenance work worthwhile.

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Article by Garry Macdonald

There is literally tons of information available about freshwater aquariums for fish enthusiasts-in books, manuals, on the internet or in all sorts of other materials. Searching for informative materials offers solutions to your most pressing questions about your freshwater aquariums. These resources often give you the satisfaction of knowing you have the very best solution for your queries and ensure you to enjoy your hobby to the fullest extent.

Suggested materials you can use to find useful information about freshwater aquarium might include the following:

* Search the web. With the booming digital age, experts, fish enthusiasts and various individuals and organizations have put up websites to promote the maintenance of freshwater aquariums. Web sites are dedicated to help you find adequate information about freshwater aquariums. It is simple to browse for sites that provide information about setting up or maintaining your freshwater aquarium, keeping your fish healthy and providing solutions to your concerns. You can try searching for specific topics and keywords on any number of search engines to get answers to all your questions about your freshwater aquarium. The World Wide Web is very helpful on virtually any topic

* Ask your friends. If your friends are fish enthusiasts, ask them for any suggestions or pieces of advice regarding your freshwater aquarium. They can help you uncover valuable information about your passion for aquariums. You can also exchange ideas with your friends to keep both you and them informed about the very latest in freshwater aquariums. Ask your friends about the behavior and characteristics of the fish they own, so that you can get ideas if you purchase similar types of fish. Further, you can ask them about certain types of illnesses common to fish so that you may be ready when illness strikes your fish

* Go to the nearest bookstore. Several materials such as books and manuals about freshwater aquariums are available at your favorite bookstore. Before purchasing one, read carefully the title and general information provided on the back page and back cover so that you can determine if you need that particular type of information to help you with your concerns. If anything, you can ask the staff at the bookstore for any topic about freshwater aquariums. They can also recommend specific books and other types of material that can be found in the bookstore

* Visit an aquarium manufacturer. You can visit an aquarium manufacturer to enquire about your concerns. The manufacturer can provide you with information since they have a strong background in aquariums. Also, you can purchase manuals from the manufacturer on many varied topics about setting up and maintaining tanks. You can also visit a pet shop that sells fish so that you can acquire additional knowledge about freshwater aquariums. Ask them about specific types of plants that may or may not thrive well with your fish in the aquarium

Various printed materials and electronic forms of information are available for the fish hobbyist. All you need to know is what information you require, the usefulness of the materials and their effectiveness in providing you with new ideas.

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Creating an aquarium is like building your own house and assigning roles. It entails the planning of your own structure according to taste and functions, acquisition of materials, setting-up and management. Do you remember your childhood days when you played the game of building your own home at the attic, garden, veranda or wherever space you found abode, playing roles like grown-ups: cooking, cleaning and taking care of children as mother, father or a kid in the family? Such moment is considered one of the best of an individual’s younger years. One can actually relive such moment by setting up a freshwater aquarium, a hobby which has been proven beneficial to people’s health. As starter, it helps to have a checklist of basic materials for a successful set-up such as the house, appliances, decorations, inhabitants and cleaners among others.

Moments like these are considered one of the best of an individual’s younger years.

One can actually relive such memories with a freshwater aquarium set up. This is a hobby which has been proven beneficial to people’s health. Setting up an aquarium is like building your own house and playing roles.

It entails the planning of your own structure according to taste and functions, the acquisition of materials, the set-up and the management of the final product. You should start your adventure with a list of basic materials that you will need like the tank, the equipment, the decorations and the fish of your choice.

House

Your own aqua-house composes of a tank filled with water. The larger the tank is the better. The more inhabitants you wish to keep, the larger the tank you need. The larger the tank, the more water you need.

The more water, the more difficult it is for toxins to build-up and for water chemistry and temperature to change quickly, which will demand less time and effort from the owners. Note that small-size tanks that range from 2-15 gallons are more difficult to manage compared to mid-size tanks that range from 20-40 gallons and large-size tanks that range from 50-180 gallons.

As a beginner, plan your space for a mid-size to large tank. Make sure also to get a strong stand for the tank and position it in a part of your home or office where there is no direct sunlight. Of course, the stand should be sturdy enough to hold the weight of the tank in the same manner that the floor where your aquarium will be set-up is solid and stable. Popular tanks can be glass or acrylic.

Glass tanks are heavier than acrylic but more prone to breakage than the acrylic tanks. Acrylic tanks are best for children because they are lighter than glass tanks. Short and horizontal tanks are better than tall and vertical tanks because the fish get more swimming space and easier oxygen flow from the surface.

Equipments and Decorations

These include the light, lid or hood, the water filtration system, the heater and the decor. Light comes in the form of incandescent, halogen, fluorescent, mercury vapor and metal halide. Fluorescent light is the least complicated so it is best for starters. The lid is a tank cover to prevent inhabitants from jumping out of the tank that would cause their most likely demise. It also serves in the decrease of evaporation while protecting the light from getting wet. In some shops, the lid comes with light and such is known as a hood. The hood is lighter because it is made of plastic, cost less than a glass lid and is lighter and easier to manuever. It is still best however to get a glass lid because they allow more of natural light to enter.

There are three main filtration systems: Biological, Mechanical and Chemical. A Biological Aquarium Filtration provides stability and detoxification of the tanks water. This is done through regular water change and use of sponge filter, undergravel filter and a canister filter. This method is good in preventing the proliferation of poisonous waste ammonia. Mechanical Filtration System on the other hand provides clear water freed of small debris by pumping the water through fine materials. This is done through the use of canister filter, standard power filter, wet or dry filters and so-called floss or pleated cartridge. By trapping debris in the gravel, undergravel filters can also act as mechanical filters but the gravel will need regular siphoning to remove the trapped particles.

Chemical filtration provides the reduction of microscopic elements and compounds in water that causes it to become yellowish over time. Some particles dissolved in water cannot be removed by mechanical filters. Activated carbon filters and power filters can isolate elements that you want to be removed from your fish tanks water and help purify the tank, but start with a simple filter to be sure like a mechanical filter. Nowadays, there are available filters built with all these three methods. The filter in your fish tank is one of the most improtant pieces of equipment because it cleans the water of toxins and should have a flow rate of 4 to 1 meaning 4 times per hour.

A heater is required when the aquarium does not have a temperature of about 77 degrees Fahrenheit that may be needed by the tank inhabitants. Models of aquarium heaters can be hang-on-the-tank or submersible. The latter is more expensive but is the best choice among many aquarium owners.

There are many different types of decorations but organic decors can be fossilised versions of the living objects like real rocks, driftwood, gravel, sand and corals. The type of decors that appear to be as real as possible but are fake and not alive (inorganic) like manufactured plants and rocks are an alternative. These are composed of plastic, silk for smooth movement and clay in its rustic aura. Of course, some people like the use live plants while others combine live plants with manufactured ones. It is best to combine creativity for beauty and health of the fish in the tank.

Inhabitants

Your aquarium may house fish, turtles, snails and snakes among many other water creatures. There is a vast number of freshwater fish species to choose from. You may consider what you eventually will buy, according to size (as small as 1.5 inch to as big 35 inches), according to character, according to colour or according to demand (popularity or rarity). Some fish are low maintenance while others are a bit more work.

Of course, the more fish you place in the tank, the bigger the tank must be so that the ecosystem is balanced and disease prevented. The estimate is roughly about one fish per gallon of water is your maximum! Try not to excede this estimate or it may cause you problems with your aquarium.

You will also need to include substrate to line the bottom of your new fish tank, a net, some water conditioner, some test kits, a thermometer, a aquarium siphon, an algae scrubber and a large water bucket. Setting-up an aquarium is really fun and very easy. after a few months that you have observed everything working as it should, you can try out other accessories on your aquarium to get the most production out of it.

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