Starting a Small Aquarium
Starting a small aquarium can be an even harder task than starting a larger aquarium.
Keeping the water parameters stable in a small aquarium is no mean feat and relying on water changes is not an acceptable substitute for true knowledge.
In this short article I will outline the main steps and guidelines in order to help you understand the risks of smaller tanks and the techniques needed to keep them stable.
The first thing you must know is that the number of fish in your tank, their size and how much waste they each produce determines the volume of nitrogen that will be produced.
Overfeeding and decaying plant matter can also contribute to this.
All rotting matter will produce ammonia which is converted into nitrites and finally nitrates by bacteria in the aquarium, most of which live in the filter media.
It is therefore important to keep fish numbers down in small aquaria and avoid messy fish such as cichlids and goldfish.
When starting a new aquarium, you must monitor the progression of the nitrogen cycle, which typically requires 6 to 8 weeks before a tank can be considered as cycled.
this means that there is an established bacteria population in the aquarium environment capable to breaking down the ammonia and nitrites produced.
Failure to cycle a tank properly can result in ammonia stress, something capable of killing fish.
Signs of ammonia stress include fish gasping at the water surface or redness appearing around their gills, fins and bodies.
Performing water changes is an important part of the nitrogen cycle as it removes nitrates from the water.
Water changes should be carried out regularly every week with no more than 20% of the total aquarium volume being changed at any one time.
This is to ensure that the nitrogen cycle isn't severely interrupted by the water changes.
Chlorine remover should be added to any fresh water as chlorine is harmful to fish.
Ammonia removing products should be avoided as these also interfere with the cycling process.
After having cycled a tank, all other aspects such as the decorations and plants etc.
can be added.
Additional fish can be added slowly over time to ensure the filter isn't shocked by a suddenly increasing biological load.
Providing you cycle your new small aquarium, you should be able to create a healthy environment for you fish within 6 to 8 weeks of the first water being poured in.
Keeping the water parameters stable in a small aquarium is no mean feat and relying on water changes is not an acceptable substitute for true knowledge.
In this short article I will outline the main steps and guidelines in order to help you understand the risks of smaller tanks and the techniques needed to keep them stable.
The first thing you must know is that the number of fish in your tank, their size and how much waste they each produce determines the volume of nitrogen that will be produced.
Overfeeding and decaying plant matter can also contribute to this.
All rotting matter will produce ammonia which is converted into nitrites and finally nitrates by bacteria in the aquarium, most of which live in the filter media.
It is therefore important to keep fish numbers down in small aquaria and avoid messy fish such as cichlids and goldfish.
When starting a new aquarium, you must monitor the progression of the nitrogen cycle, which typically requires 6 to 8 weeks before a tank can be considered as cycled.
this means that there is an established bacteria population in the aquarium environment capable to breaking down the ammonia and nitrites produced.
Failure to cycle a tank properly can result in ammonia stress, something capable of killing fish.
Signs of ammonia stress include fish gasping at the water surface or redness appearing around their gills, fins and bodies.
Performing water changes is an important part of the nitrogen cycle as it removes nitrates from the water.
Water changes should be carried out regularly every week with no more than 20% of the total aquarium volume being changed at any one time.
This is to ensure that the nitrogen cycle isn't severely interrupted by the water changes.
Chlorine remover should be added to any fresh water as chlorine is harmful to fish.
Ammonia removing products should be avoided as these also interfere with the cycling process.
After having cycled a tank, all other aspects such as the decorations and plants etc.
can be added.
Additional fish can be added slowly over time to ensure the filter isn't shocked by a suddenly increasing biological load.
Providing you cycle your new small aquarium, you should be able to create a healthy environment for you fish within 6 to 8 weeks of the first water being poured in.