Freshwater Aquarium - The Proper Way To Replace Your Water

Introduction

If you have a freshwater aquarium, you know that you need to replace 10% of the water every week to remove debris and keep nitrates down. You also need to remove other chemicals, such as phosphates. Without water replacement your water will become dirty, even though it looks crystal clear, and will hold less oxygen.

There is a choice you can make. You can either replace part of the water daily, so you have replaced 10% by the end of the week, or replace the total amount every seven days.

It may surprise you, but replacing 10% of the water at one time is more effective than replacing a small amount everyday. Not only is it less work to replace the water weekly, but it is more effective. You remove more of the debris and chemicals using a weekly replacement regime.

Using nitrates as an example, here is the proof.

The Equation

The equation I will use to prove my point is:

C1 V1 C2 V2C1

Freshwater Aquarium - Why Perform Water Replacement

Introduction

Water replacement is necessary to keep a healthy and happy aquarium. You are probably wondering what benefits are there in replacing the water in your aquarium. There are several beneficial benefits to replacing part of your freshwater aquarium water periodically.

How Much And When To Replace Your Water

When you read various articles on maintaining a freshwater aquarium, you will read about Aquarist who have different routines on how much water to replace and how often. Some Aquarist replace 20% of their water once every two weeks. I find this a little too much, to late.

I find that replacing 10% of my freshwater aquarium's water weekly is fine for my 75-gallon freshwater aquarium. Keeping to this routine has kept my fish healthy and happy.

Why Replace Your Water

There are several reasons why you will want to replace the water in your aquarium.

Remove Chemicals- One of the sayings used by people who follow the hobby of aquariums is "dilution is the solution to pollution". The most common chemical concentration you will want to dilute is nitrates that can only be removed by dilution or plants. If you have high levels of ammonia and nitrites you will want to do a water replacement of 40% immediately and check your bacteria colony to make sure it is working properly.Debris- Since you have an enclosed eco-system you will also need to remove any waste that builds up in your aquarium. In nature, tides and currents sweep the debris away, but with an aquarium you become the tides and the currents to remove this waste.Fertilizer- Another reason you will want to replace the water, especially if you are a gardening nut like me, is you can use the water in your plants or garden. This water is full of phosphates, nitrates and fish poop, just what your plants and vegetables love.Salton Sea- Without water replacement you aquarium becomes a mini Salton Sea. Salton Sea is a synthetic sea in Southern California, formed when water was brought to the Imperial Valley in California from the Colorado River. This lake has no outlets and was initially hailed as a lush resort in the 1950s. But because there is no outlet, just evaporation, salt has built up in this land locked lake. Today the place is abandoned and nothing lives in the water because of the high salt content. Your aquarium would turn into a mini Salton Sea if you did not offer an outlet by performing water replacement.

If you want more information on how to keep an aquarium, download a free eBook, titled "15 Tips On Building And Maintaining An Aquarium", at http://www.squidoo.com/homefreshwateraquariums or at Your Home Freshwater Aquarium.

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Freshwater Aquarium - Monitor Your PH When Replacing Your Water

Introduction

One of the chemical parameters you will have to measure when you have an aquarium with fish is pH. PH is a measurement of how acidic or alkaline your water is, and freshwater fish like various pH levels.

Some fish like it as low as 5.5 or as high as 8.5. So when you select the fish for your aquarium, make sure they like the same range.

What Is pH

As I mentioned before, pH is a measurement to determine how alkaline (basic) or acidic your water is. A pH of 7.0, found in distilled water, is neutral; it is neither acidic nor basic.

Water that has a pH lower than 7.0 is acidic, while water with a pH greater than 7.0 is basic.

The pH of the tap water where I live is 7.4, or slightly basic. When I let this water sit overnight, the pH drops to 7.0 because the chemicals dissipate and the water reacts with the air (carbon dioxide in the air will lower the pH).

Adjusting pH

Before adding replacement water to your aquarium you will want to know what the pH is. Usually when you sample your tap water for pH, it will be slightly basic but when you let it sit overnight the pH will drop to where it is neutral or 7.0.

If it is not at the desired level you need for your aquarium, you can buy chemicals that can lower or raise the pH for you. But make sure you follow the directions carefully or you might end up chasing pH.

If your pH is not that far away from what is in your aquariums water, you should consider adjusting the pH after you add your replacement water. If you are like most good Aquarist, you will replace 10% of your water every week.

As an example on how little the pH will change we will use my aquarium as an example. I have a 75-gallon aquarium and replace 10 gallons of water every week.

Here are the numbers used in my calculation to see how much pH changes by replacing 10 gallons of water, with a pH of 7.0, in my 75-gallon aquarium with which has a pH of 6.8.

10 gallons of replacement water with a pH of 7.065 gallons of water in tank with a pH of 6.8pH change in aquarium after adding replacement water is 6.862.

Using a free calculator I found on the Internet calculate the amount of pH change, you can see that the pH in your aquarium is only changed by 0.062. This amount of change should not stress your fish.

If your calculations show that the change in pH will be greater than 0.1, adjust your replacement water so that the change in pH in your aquarium will be less than 0.1.

Conclusion

If your aquariums replacement water is higher or lower than the pH in you aquarium, perform a calculation to determine the amount of change. If the change will be less than 0.1, then go ahead and add the water. If greater than 0.1 then adjust the pH in the replacement water so that the change will be less than 0.1.

Minimizing the pH change to less than 0.1 will decrease the stress of your fish.

If you want more information on how to keep an aquarium, download a free eBook, titled "15 Tips On Building And Maintaining An Aquarium", at http://www.squidoo.com/homefreshwateraquariums or at Your Home Freshwater Aquarium.

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Freshwater Aquarium - The Improper Method Of Doing Water Replacement

Keep Your Aquarium Water Clean With Reverse Osmosis and Protein Skimmers

ByFerenda Quispe

One of the most important things for a well-functioning aquarium is clean water. Given that the aquarium water is standing still, waste from the fish and food accumulates easily and this provides an environment for harmful bacteria and toxic material to develop. The wastes also tamper with the PH level of the water by increasing the nitrates concentration in the water. This is why regular aquarium maintenance is necessary and crucial for the health of the fish. You can be able to detect this using the aquarium test kits but since you cannot keep on changing the water and to avoid any such incidence occurring, you will have to use reverse osmosis filters and protein skimmers.

These two are effective ways of keeping your aquarium clean and safe without you having to constantly be there checking and unsettling the fish. Starting with reverse osmosis, this is a basic filtering method that uses simple technology yet very effective. It works by having the water passed through different layers of barriers, which remove impurities and bacteria. From large particles to the smallest of impurities, this method provides clean pure water yet retains the most essential minerals. It also helps control the PH of the water in the tank. The aquarium water is thus ridden of the bacteria and viruses and the food particles and other wastes thus clearing up the water from cloudiness. The great part about the device is that it is affordable.

There are several such filtering devices in the market and you will have to select one that fits your budget, and also depending on the impurities you will be dealing with. When it comes to protein skimmers, these have the role of ridding your aquarium of organics, oils, and proteins, which facilitate the outbreak of algae and also harm the coral hindering their growth. The skimmers also have other functions in the aquarium, these include improving water clarity, improving dissolved oxygen, preventing the buildup of carbon dioxide, and lowering nutrients loads, which if unchecked could turn toxic. They thus save you much effort in aquarium maintenance, as you do not have to keep on cleaning the water. The skimmers function 24/7 and the only work you have to do is clean them at least once a week for improved performance.

The working of the skimmers depends on the bubble size and contact time. The smaller the bubble size the larger the surface area that can be cleaned meaning much of the waste is removed. On the other hand, the longer the contact time the skimmers have with incoming water, the more the waste and harmful organic matter is removed. The aquarium has to be kept clean yet too much physical maintenance unsettles the fish and also interferes with your time making the exercise tedious and unwelcome. However, with reverse osmosis, aquarium filters and protein skimmers, you can avoid this problem yet keep the aquarium clean. It is important to keep in mind that the larger part of maintenance is in getting the right quality accessories.

Ferenda Quispe is the author of this article on Aquarium Air Pumps.
Find more information, about Dosing Pumps here

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How to Choose the Right Pond Supplies for Your Koi Pond or Water Garden

Many hobbyists first get the idea to build a Koi pond of their own after seeing their first pond in person. The idea of coming home after a long hard day to hear the sounds of a beautiful flowing waterfall and the beauty of colorful Koi fish swimming in crystal clear water sounds almost too good to be true. What could be better than coming home to paradise, your own private oasis in the privacy of your own backyard? This is the very thought process many new pond owners go through when they first catch the "pond bug" and decide to begin digging a lagoon in their yard.

Any pond owner will tell you that owning a pond can be an incredibly rewarding experience. The countless hours spent relaxing in your favorite lounge chair on your back porch, doing absolutely nothing but enjoying the tranquil environment you have created can be a definite stress reliever. Purchasing some small inexpensive Koi fish at your local pet store and watching them grow over the years, perhaps teaching them to eat from the palm of your hand. These moments are the fruits of your labor, the joy that can come from building the outdoor water feature you've always dreamt of.

Unfortunately, building a pond or water garden is simple as it may appear. There is definitely more to it than simply digging a hole and filling it with water. Every pond, every water garden exists as its own ecosystem. This ecosystem must provide a healthy living environment for Koi fish, goldfish, and other pond inhabitants. The water in your pond must be constantly filtered, and care must be taken to avoid green water -- the dreaded "pea soup" syndrome common to newer ponds. The purpose of this article is to help new pond owners avoid some of the costly mistakes when constructing their own pond.

The biggest regret many pond owners have after building their first pond is they wish they had made it bigger. Koi keeping can be an addicting hobby, and it is not uncommon for many pond owners to add dozens, if not hundreds of Koi fish to their ponds. Unlike common goldfish, Koi fish are available in several different varieties and an easily exceed two feet in length within a few years if given proper care. Many koi collectors become Koi Kichi, which means "crazy for Koi." Not unlike someone who collects postage stamps or baseball cards, many Koi keepers collect Koi.

The term "Koi" is actually short for Nishikigoi, which are ornamental carp often kept as pets in outdoor ponds. Koi are incredibly hardy species and survive through a wide range of temperatures. Many new pond owners take this hardiness for granted; however, and are not exactly diligent when it comes to pond filtration and other required steps to help ensure clean, healthy pond water. This lack of effort often results in consistent parasite infestations resulting from poor water quality. Left unchecked, this commonly leads to Koi illnesses and ultimate fish death.

There are basically two different types on water features commonly found in backyards. These water features include water gardens, which are commonly filled with a variety of aquatic plants, and proper Koi ponds, which are specifically designed to provide suitable home for Japanese Koi fish. The differences between these water features are significant. Water gardens are primarily designed for plants and often feature a lot of rocks in the water to help create a more natural appearance. While many water gardens are very beautiful to look at, they are not suitable for Koi keeping.

A proper Koi pond should include several important features which require you to choose the best pond supplies possible. First and foremost, a proper Koi pond must ensure healthy clean water. Outstanding water quality can be accomplished by any number of commercially available pond filter systems on the market. It is important to understand the goal of pond filtration is to provide healthy water and this does not necessarily equate to clear water as well. Healthy water can still be green, which is a major issue for many pond owners wishing to actually view the beautiful fish swimming in their ponds.

The addition of an ultraviolet sterilizer can help achieve clear water in even the murkiest of Koi ponds. Also known as UV clarifiers, these units effectively kill green free floating algae commonly found in pond water, causing it to sink to your pond floor where it is removed by your filter. Most commercially available UV sterilizers are designed to clear your pond water within three days, and require minimal maintenance. For best results, it is recommended to replace the UV lamp in your ultraviolet clarifier once every two years.

The heart of any backyard water feature is a reliable circulation pump. Because a Koi pond is a living ecosystem unto itself, it is recommended to leave all equipment running on a continuous basis. This means the pond pump you choose must offer energy efficiency, reliability, and be properly sized for your specific needs. There are two basic categories when it comes to selecting a water circulation pump. Depending on your pond design, a pond owner can choose between a submersible pump and an external pump. Which pond pump type is best varies based on your specific needs.

External pond pumps are designed for out of pond installations. In general, external pumps are available in larger sizes than submersibles and offer superior energy savings. It is also far easier to repair most external pumps, as replacement components are readily available. External pumps are ideal for use in Koi ponds and water gardens of all sizes. If using a pressurized bead filter or if you have a waterfall more than four feet tall, an external pump is also highly recommended as these units perform far better under these conditions than to most submersible pumps.

Submersible pond pumps are also available in a variety of sizes. Since a submersible pump is designed to run while under water, it is generally easier to install a submersible pump on most water features. Many popular submersible pumps for Koi ponds feature an oil-free design, which is important because this eliminates the danger of oil leaking into your pond water, creating potentially unsafe conditions for pond life. In general, submersible pumps are ideal for most water gardens and small ponds which do not have bead filters installed.

The phrase "garbage in garbage out" definitely applies when it comes to selecting the right pond equipment for your outdoor water feature. Quality definitely counts. Quality products may cost a bit more, but usually pay for themselves over time by providing lower maintenance workload and a longer useful life. The questions addressed in this article are only a small fraction of those required to build a proper Koi pond or beautiful water garden that your entire family will enjoy for years to come.

Cal Ponds is a leading pond and water garden supply retailer committed to providing exceptional customer service. Specializing in pond filtration solutions, Cal Ponds offers free pond design assistance and discount pond and water garden products to customers worldwide. Learn more about Cal Ponds by visiting their website at http://www.calponds.com or make an appointment to visit their retail showroom in Victorville, CA by calling (760) 951-7776.

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How To Choose The Right Pressurized Bead Filter for Your Backyard Koi Pond or Water Garden

Manufacturers:

Advantage Bead Filters are manufactured by Sacramento Koi, based in Rocklin, California. The President of Sacramento Koi, Steve Walker is also the designer of the Advantage Bead Filtration System. AlphaONE Filters are manufactured by Oklahoma-based Grand Champion Technologies, commonly known as GCTek. In addition to designing the AlphaONE line of filters, Gary Cryer, President of GCTek, also designed the best-selling line of AquaBead Filters.

Maximum Pond Size:

AlphaONE Filters are available in a wide variety of sizes and are designed for Koi ponds up to 35,000 gallons. Advantage Bead Filters are available in three sizes and provide complete biological and mechanical filtration for Koi ponds up to 15,000 gallons. For ponds over 15,000 gallons, many Advantage owners choose to install multiple Advantage Bead Filters.

Pre-Filter Recommendations:

Because Advantage Bead Filters do such an amazing job at both mechanical and biological filtration, the manufacturer does not believe a pre-filter is necessary for most ponds. If you wish to add a pre-filter to your Advantage Filter, Sacramento Koi recommends the Advantage Settlement Chamber. AlphaONE Filters also function extremely well as stand-alone filters and do not generally require a pre-filter. If a pre-filter is desired; however, GCTek recommends the Vortek SS Delux.

Bio Media:

Advantage Bead Filters utilize a proprietary Advantage bio media, which is not offered with any other filter on the market. This media is not sold separately and is included with the purchase of any Advantage Bead Filter. Thanks to its unique design, Advantage bio media provides exceptional mechanical filtration and fines removal while also providing maximum surface area for beneficial bacteria growth. Advantage filter media also resists channeling. AlphaONE Filters utilize proprietary AlphaONE bio media. This unique filter is provides exceptional mechanical filtration while also providing high surface area for beneficial bacteria growth. Thanks to its unique shape, AlphaONE media produces less head resistance than comparable filter media types on the market, allowing for high flow rates.

Clear Dome Lid:

Both Advantage Bead Filters and AlphaONE Filters feature a clear dome lid, which allows the pond owner to visually see when it is time to backwash the filter.

Media Agitator:

AlphaONE Filters include a powerful 1.5HP media agitator, which aids in backwashing. The agitator included with Advantage Filters is actually 2 HP, making it the most powerful media agitator offered with any commercial bead filter system on the market today.

Head Pressure:

Advantage Bead Filters and AlphaONE Filters produce comparable levels of total dynamic head, and can be used with today's energy efficient pumps. For maximum performance, both respective manufacturers recommend their filters to be used with PerformancePro Artesian2 Pumps.

Maintenance:

To ensure optimal water quality, it is recommended that both Advantage Bead Filters and AlphaONE Filters be backwashed on a regular basis. In general, it is recommended to perform routine maintenance on a weekly basis. The actual maintenance process for both filter systems takes less than 5 minutes to complete.

Available Upgrades:

AlphaONE Filters are available in low head versions, which allow you to achieve high flow rates while using a much smaller, more energy efficient pump. The low head version of Advantage Filters, commonly known as the Advantage Pro Series, has been discontinued by the manufacturer and is no longer available - making AlphaONE LH Filters the only low head bead filter systems commercially available in the USA..

Available All-In-One Systems:

Advantage Bead Filters are available as part of the Advantage Plug and Play, these complete all-in-one filtration systems include an Advantage Bead Filter, PerformancePro Artesian2 Pumps, and high output Emperor Aquatics SMART UV Sterilizer. AlphaONE Filters are available as part of both AlphaONE Plus Systems and Mashimizu Systems. AlphaONE Systems include an AlphaONE Filter, Pentair Pump, and Zapp Pure UV Sterilizer, one of the best ultraviolet clarifiers on the market today. The word Mashimizu means "clear water" in Japan. Mashimizu Filters are are quite popular among experienced koi keepers, and include AlphaONE Filter, WunderFlo Pump, Vortek SS Delux Pre-Filter, and Zapp Pure UV Clarifier all pre-plumbed on a durable, all weather pad.

Warranty:

Both Advantage Bead Bio-Filters and AlphaONE pond filtration are covered by a limited lifetime warranty against defects. Sacramento Koi also offers an unconditional satisfaction guarantee on all Advantage Bead Filters. This means you can purchase an Advantage Filter, install it on your pond and use it for up to a year. If you are not 100% satisfied, you may return your Advantage Filter for a complete refund and the manufacturer will even absorb return shipping costs! No other filter manufacturer offers this iron clad guarantee of quality.

Shipping Cost:

Due to their dimensions and weight, most Advantage and AlphaONE systems are shipped exclusively via common carrier. Shipping cost for AlphaONE Filters is generally absorbed by dealers for AlphaONE units for orders within the contiguous USA. Due to manufacturer restrictions; however, it is not generally possible to avoid shipping costs on Advantage systems.

Will-Call Pickups:

California Ponds and Water Gardens, based in Victorville, CA is the only stocking dealer for Advantage Bead Filters in North America. Cal Ponds also maintains a stock inventory of AlphaONE Filtration systems for local customers. Will-call pickups for Advantage Filters can also be arranged at the manufacturer in Rocklin, CA.

If you have been doing research on pressurized bead filters for your Koi pond, chances are you have come to realize that two bead filters on the market stand above the rest. The Advantage Bead Filter, manufactured by Sacramento Koi, and the AlphaONE Filter by GCTek, are often regarded as the "Lamborghini and Ferrari of the pond filtration industry" by experienced pond builders worldwide. These top quality pond filtration systems are renowned for offering superior performance while requiring significantly less maintenance time than competitor pond filters. This article is intended to provide pond owners a high-level comparison of some of the key features distinguishing these filters to help them make an informed purchasing decision.

Learn more about Cal Ponds by visiting their website at http://www.calponds.com or make an appointment to visit their retail showroom in Victorville, CA by calling (760) 951-7776. Cal Ponds is a leading pond and water garden supply retailer committed to providing exceptional customer service. Specializing in pond filtration solutions, Cal Ponds offers free pond design assistance and discount pond and water garden products to customers worldwide.

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Discover The Correct Betta Fish Water Temperature

Here is the question of the day for you betta lovers. What do you think your betta fish water temperature should be in their tank? 70 degrees? after all, they are tough fighting fish. 75 degrees? that's where we keep the temperature of our houses. How about 80 degrees? Well, if you guessed 80 degrees, your were correct and your betta loves you for it.

Does it surprise you that your betta should have water temperature at 80 degrees? Think about it for a second, they are tropical fish, tropical fish live where the temperatures are almost always above 80 degrees. If the temperature drops below 80, the water they are in, holds the higher temperature until the sun comes out and it warms up again.

The urban legend of a little betta living in mud puddles and jumping from one to the other, is just that, an urban legend. These fish live in rice paddies, rivers and ponds that usually maintain a fairly high temperature.

Thinking of your betta as a fish that needs no special treatment or care is pretty much going to doom your betta to an early grave or whatever.

My wife and I got a beautiful blue betta for our anniversary about 4 years ago. For two years we were at home most of the time and the house stayed at 75 degrees. During the summer we set the temperature at 80 degrees. We noticed a marked increase in activity from our betta when the house was at 80 degrees as opposed to 73 or 75 degrees. It never dawned on us that this was due to the difference in temperatures. We just figured he was lazy one day and not the other.

During the winter we took a week long trip and had one of our neighbors look in and feed our fish. We set the house temperature at 65 degrees.

When we returned from the trip, our beautiful little betta was on the floor of his tank and appeared to be dead. The house temperature was 66 degrees. We both thought the little guy was a goner. We left him until we unpacked and the house warmed up. After about an hour he began to swim around and when the house temperature reached 75 degrees, he was swimming around in his normal manner.

It was at this point that the light came on for my wife and I. Maybe betta fish should not be in cold water. Remember, tropical fish!

My wife jumped on the internet and started doing some research. Sure enough, almost all the sights made it clear that bettas should be kept in tanks that were heated and kept around 80 degrees. I wonder how many poor little bettas have died from hypothemia when the waters in their tanks got very cold.

So what's the answer to this problem? and why don't the employees in the fish depratment at the pet store tell us about this? It's as simple as buying a tank heater for your betta's tank. Could it be any simplier than that! How many people have had their fish die and wonder what the cause might have been. A few words at the pet store would have taken care of the problem.

Many aquariums and fish tanks come equipped with tank heaters or can easily have one installed in the tank.

The SIZE of the heater will depend on the SIZE of your betta tank.

In my view, the smallest size for a betta should be a 2 gallon tank, which would require about a 10 watt heater.

It is best to get one that is fully submersible and is safe even if run while dry. A heater this size can raise the water temperature by approximately 5 degrees. Cost for one this size would be around $13.

As you get into the larger tanks, such as a 5 gallon, a 40 to 50 watt heater would be required. Price on one such as this would be about $25.

Now that you have decided to get a heater, the next question is, where do you get one? How about the pet store where you bought your fish. Most pet stores carry a variety of fish tanks and heaters. Many tanks come with heaters made especially for that size aquarium. If not, just go by the previous guidelines, ask the Department Manager for help and read the information on the heater packaging.

Don't forget that thing called the World Wide Web. There are hundreds of sites where you can purchase a betta tank heater.

One other thing you should consider getting, is a thermometer to test the temperature of the water. This is the only accurate way of knowing the actual temperature of your bettas water. The cost of a thermometer will be under $10.

Your betta fish will live a happy, healthy life (about 5 years) if you make a little effort to help it. One of the best things you can do, is to make certain that the water in their tank is kept at the correct temperature. A tank heater and a thermometer will make this a very easy task for you.

If you are a betta fish lover, who wants to keep their fish happy and healthy, then Robert D Schroeder, would like to invite you to join him at http://myhealthybetta.info Learn the correct water temperature, how to improve tank conditions, how to handle betta diseases and many more secrets to improve the lifespan of your betta.

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How To Prepare Water for Betta Fish

Fish experts always seem to be talking about how the water for a Betta fish has a profound effect on their overall health. Poor water conditions are the most often cited culprit of Betta health problems, and it makes good sense. This is where they live 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Changing the water on a regular basis is of the utmost importance. If you are keeping your Betta fish in a small bowl, the water will have to be changed at least twice a week, or fish waste and uneaten fish food could accumulate and cause health problems. Besides "how often" you change the water, it is just as important to know "how" to clean and change the water.

Always adjust the new water that your Betta will be living in BEFORE you add the fish to the water. Otherwise you will run the risk of harming your pet with the chemicals you will be adding to get the water just right.

This is especially true when you are preparing tap water for your Betta. Since the pH level of tap water is usually higher than 7.0 - 7.5, you will normally add pH Down to the water to get it in that range. By adjusting the pH levels of the water, you will be neutralizing the chlorine in the water. If you do this with the fish in the water, and you add too much pH Down, it could easily kill it (since just one or two drops could be too much).

Changing the water in a Betta fish bowl or aquarium is easy if you get a pH test kit. All you have to do is use regular tap water, then adjust the pH level of the water to get it as close to 7.0 (neutral) as you can. Betta fish can survive in lower pH levels of at least 6.5, but it can burn their skin, so it is better for the pH to be a little higher than 7.0 (up to 7.5 maximum) if you can't get it perfect. This will take careful monitoring at first, but after a week or two it will be much easier for you to gauge.

Other important additives to add to the water before it is ready for your Betta to live in are Novaqua, Amquel, and aquarium salt. Always ask someone with experience keeping fish how much of each is right for your fish bowl/tank, and never use table salt.

Another important thing to keep in mind is to allow the tap water to warm up to room temperature, or it may cause your Betta to go into shock, and it may not survive.

To learn all of the little known secrets about how to prepare water for betta fish, be sure to visit http://thebettafishbowl.com/ to keep your Betta healthy and happy.

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Can You Overdose Chlorine Remover? - Tip 8 in the Water Series

It is extremely difficult to overdose chlorine remover. The active ingredient for most chlorine removers is sodium thiosulphate. It is a chemical that, when used in a reasonable manner, will not cause any damage to the fish or other living organisms in the aquarium. This is true especially when using a commercial preparation to remove the chlorine from the water before it is added to the tank. In cases such as these, ten or even more times the dosage will not cause any harm. Although sodium thiosulphate can be purchased in bulk, we do not recommend trying to add the pure chemical to the water. The dosage would be quite high in this concentrated form. But, even in circumstances such as these, it rare to experience any problems from overdosage when used for the removal of chlorine.

The use of this chlorine remover results in a chemical reaction, the chlorine is neutralized and a white precipitate is formed. In most cases normal water maintenance with a gravel cleaner will pull this precipitate out of the tank and there is no chance of any further reactions and prevent any overdose chlorine remover from occurring. There is one case, however, where the use of chlorine remover has been seen to cause serious problems within the habitat. It is extremely rare; and requires some very specific conditions. When they are met, however, the chemical reaction reverses and chlorine is freed back into the aquarium, often killing the fish in the process.

The problem I am discussing requires an aquarium situated in a location where the water supply is treated with chloramine - not chlorine, since this requires at least a double dose of chlorine remover to break the original chlorine-ammonia bond.

The second condition needed for a reverse reaction is that the tank is poorly maintained, if at all. This is where partial water changes are non-existant, and water replaced only when the level of evaporation becomes too great.

The third condition is that the chlorine remover is heavily overdosed whenever new water is added. The need for chloramine removal often results in strongly overdosing the replacement water with the chlorine remover. Over time the precipitate will build up in the substrate, since regular gravel cleaning is not done to groom it.

After about a year or two of this neglect, and strong overdosage of chlorine remover, the phenomenon where the chemical reaction suddenly reverses may occur. Instead of chlorine being neutralized by the addition of a water conditioner, chlorine is actually released. In this extraordinary case, chlorine accumulates rather than dissipates and no amount of chlorine treatment will eliminate it.

At this point, it most often best to do some serious maintenance in the aquarium, before it will once again support life.

Steve Pond
Blueram Group

Visit our website, http://www.freshwater-tropical-fish-tanks.com for our extensive Aquarium Tips and FAQ section to view the video versions of these tips on water and other topics designed to help any aquarist understand the environment that you have created. Freshwater Tropical Fish Tanks is dedicated to providing the information required to be a successful novice aquarist.

Keep tropical fish alive and thriving in your first aquarium through the critical first six week period after installation and beyond. Visit the BlueRam Group's website Freshwater Tropical Fish Tanks for detailed information on all aspects of the beginning and advanced aquarium.

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Controlling Changes in Water - Tip 10 in the Water Series

Controlling the gradual changes in water of both its chemistry and characteristics in the aquarium water as time goes by is important. This entire series of tips on the water used in the aquarium is meant to heighten your awareness of the ever changing qualities of water. It is a liquid that is not stable or steady,it changes as time goes by. Since it is the universal solvent, it is continuously dissolving compounds in the aquarium and changing its characteristics over time. The amount of life that it supports also changes the compounds and characteristics over time as well.

Most life processes will create acid by-products, creating some large changes in water. These compounds are also added to the chemical soup that fish find themselves kept in. The bacteria responsible for decay and which work on all organic material also create more acids as they do their work.

Gradually, over time, if there is nothing done to prevent it, the water will tend to get more and more acid in nature. If there are compounds that can be dissolved by this acid in the substrate or decorations; alkalinity is created which may help to balance those acidifying effects - but you should never count on that. In most cases the aquarium pH will be gradually lowered over time

The removal and replacement of water (NOT the simple replacement of evaporated loss) will help greatly in maintaining an even and safe level of pH and hardness over time. If evaporation only is replaced, the water will continue to concentrate many hardening elements and nitrate and acidifying agents will not be diluted. As time goes by, any new water added will be more and more different from the water in the tank, especially as the set-up matures and ages. Regular maintenance of the water through partial contents removal using a gravel cleaner, and replacement with conditioned tap water helps to dilute a lot of compounds, most notably nitrate, which doesn't go away any other way.

Standard maintenance also keeps the tank from getting too hard or losing its buffer which could allow sudden varying of pH in wide swings. Regular water changes stably maintain a number of the characteristics that fish require for their ongoing good health.

Without even and consistent water characteristics, the fish will become severely stressed and lose their ability to ward off the effects of changes, even gradual changes, in their habitat.

Steve Pond
Blueram Group

Visit our website, http://www.freshwater-tropical-fish-tanks.com for our extensive Aquarium Tips and FAQ section to view the video versions of these tips on water and other topics designed to help any aquarist understand the environment that you have created. Freshwater Tropical Fish Tanks is dedicated to providing the information required to be a successful novice aquarist.

Keep tropical fish alive and thriving in your first aquarium through the critical first six week period after installation and beyond. Visit the BlueRam Group's website Freshwater Tropical Fish Tanks for detailed information on all aspects of the beginning and advanced aquarium.

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Betta Fish Water - Improve Your Siamese Fighting Fish's Water Conditions

ByJohnathan Thomas

Does your betta fish water quality really matter? Will using tap water for your Siamese fighting fish affect its health in any good or bad ways? How do you do water changes for your Siamese fighting fish? These are common questions about betta fish water that people ask on a regular basis! Today we're going to work on answering them in an easy to understand matter!

Betta fish really do depend on high quality water parameters. The main reason for this is that bettas are all too often kept in small jars or containers without the proper amount of water changes being done on a regular basis. In small betta tanks the toxins from fish wastes can quickly add up to levels that will harm your fish. It doesn't take very high levels of ammonia or nitrites to kill or harm your betta fish. Even small amounts over longer periods of time can weaken your fish's overall health and reduce the life expectancy of a previously healthy Siamese fighter.

When it comes to tap water being safe for bettas, it's not always a simple yes/no answer. The major problem with tap water is that many communities add chlorine and chloramines to the water to kill off bacteria. Unfortunately these can be harmful to the health of bettas as well. Betta fish water should have no chlorine or chloramine in it! One way to get rid of chlorine is to store the water you will use for your betta fish in an open jar with an aquarium pump in it. This drives off the chlorine in the bubbles that rise to the surface. For the chloramine, you can buy inexpensive bottles of betta fish water conditioner either online or in your local pet store. These conditioners break down or stop the chloramine from being able to harm fish. To find out if your city uses chlorine or chloramine, you can contact the water department as they should know the answer right away.

Water changes are easy to deal with when these fish are concerned. For betta jars, changing approximately 80% of the water every few days should be enough to stop toxins from building up. If your betta lives in an aquarium you can replace about 20% of the water every week since the good bacteria help break down toxic ammonia into less toxic nitrites and nitrates. You will quickly see that as you get used to doing these suggestions you can make them part of your routine without them taking much time from your busy schedule!

For more tips on how to keep your betta fish healthy, and how to properly change betta water, you are invited to visit http://www.fishbetta.org.

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The Importance of Water - Tip 1 of the Water Series

Always remember that any tropical freshwater fish in your keeping live in a totally different environment - one that is absolutely alien to people. We breathe air. Our fish must obtain the oxygen that they require from the gas dissolved in the water they are swimming. Because of this fact, at least a rudimentary understanding of this liquid is vital for success in keeping your aquarium fish alive.

In nature, fish do not exist in pure (distilled) water - H2O. The water has a number of very important characteristics that often make it unique for any given habitat where a particular species may be found. Pure water, H20 is not able to support fish. Rather; each species habitat can be very different from every other one depending on the geography and geology of the region. Because of the importance of water in their existence, the fish often have carefully adapted to a specific set of stable characteristics over many years. When a fish is confronted with radically different conditions in an aquarium using local water from what is has evolved to withstand, severe stress can occur. If they are too altered, the stress can lead to death.

Even though the actual conditions of the environment the fish are kept may vary radically, the water is also responsible for supporting life on many different levels. These other organisms dependent on the water in the habitat include such diverse life as bacteria and plants, besides the fish which are the original reason an aquarium is being maintained. Without it, no life would be possible in our seas, lakes, rivers and aquariums.

The water where life is supported can be very different in different parts of the world, both native habitat as well as the local municipal water supply. This means that mixing fish from different parts of the world can result in serious stress to some inhabitants, but not others, depending how close their natural requirements are to the water in the aquarium set up. It is important to try to create a community where the general conditions are similar for all fish, or there will be problems that are unavoidable and often destructive to some of the occupants.

The tap water can create widely varying conditions for native fish, and may be radically different in the aquarium where they are being kept from the what the fish require as their natural adaptation. Either fish must learn to live with these deviations, or the conditions must be custom tailored to them by the aquarist using chemicals and active water modification techniques. Seek the professional help of local live fish stores to ensure the mix of fish you are keeping are all comfortable with the water they find themselves living in. If they are stressed, they can be weakened to the point where they will not survive.

Steve Pond
Blueram Group

Visit our website, http://www.freshwater-tropical-fish-tanks.com for our extensive Aquarium Tips and FAQ section on water and many other topics designed to help any aquarist understand the environment that you have created. Freshwater Tropical Fish Tanks is dedicated to providing the information required to be a successful novice aquarist.

Keep tropical fish alive and thriving in your first aquarium through the critical first six week period after installation and beyond. Visit the BlueRam Group's website Freshwater Tropical Fish Tanks for detailed information on all aspects of the beginning and advanced aquarium.

Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert