Home
Koi
Goldfish
Arowana
Filtration
|
Filtration systems are one of the most important factors in a successful tank. If you get your filtration setup and techniques correct, you will keep your fish in a healthy and happy state.
Why you need Filtration
Sometimes we forget that fish kept in an aquarium are confined to a very small quantity of water as compared to their natural habitats in the wild. In the wild, fish wastes are instantly diluted. But in an aquarium, waste products can quickly build up to toxic levels.
These waste products include ammonia released from your fishes' gills, fish poop, and scraps of uneaten food. The food and the poop will also eventually decay, releasing ammonia. Even small amounts of ammonia will kill your fish.
Obviously, the more sources of fish waste, the quicker and greater the ammonia problem. A small heavily-fed tank with lots of large fish will have much more ammonia than a large tank with one seldom-fed small fish. But for both these cases you need some form of aquarium filtration to control the toxic ammonia.
Some aquarists try to control ammonia levels exclusively by changing the water. This is helpful, but impractical because of the frequency and size of the water changes required.
Fortunately, there is an easier way! In fact, the world is full of bacteria that want nothing more than to consume the ammonia and convert it into less toxic substances. For many an aquarist, this process occurs without their knowledge or help. However, the smart aquarist will learn how to take advantage of this beneficial bacteria by maximizing its growth.
When you start a new fish tank, colonies of beneficial bacteria have not yet had the chance to grow. For a period of several weeks this is hazardous to fish. You must gradually build up the source of ammonia (i.e., start with only one or two small fish) to allow time for the beneficial bacteria to grow. This is called ``cycling'' your tank. Read more about this in the BEGINNER FAQ.
Remember that the bacteria break down the ammonia into substances (first nitrite, then eventually nitrate) that are merely less toxic, rather than non-toxic. Many fish can tolerate reasonably high levels of nitrates, but over time the nitrates will accumulate until they, too, become toxic. Also, because nitrate is a fertilizer, high nitrate levels can lead to excess algae growth.
Water changes
Although there are many ways to remove excess nitrate, the most effective way is to regularly change part of the water. This is one of the most neglected and important parts of aquarium maintenance!
How often and how much you need to change depends a lot on the waste load in your tank, and the sensitivity of your fish. You don't want to change ALL of the water at any point in time because the change in water chemistry will be stressful to your fish. The best way to decide how often and how much to change your water is to monitor your water quality with water tests. As a minimum, if your tank is new, you should test for ammonia and perhaps nitrite. In established tanks you should monitor for nitrate accumulation. Read more about water tests in the TEST KIT SECTION of the BEGINNER FAQ. Water tests are the most reliable way to know how well your aquarium filtration works.
For an average tank, you should change no more than one third of the water in 24 hours. Many aquarists with average aquariums change a quarter of the water every two weeks. Your aquarium is probably not average, and you really should measure nitrate levels to determine your water change schedule. |
RELATED ARTICLES:
Different types of Filtration
|