Aquarium water: what can you fill in and how to do it?

Before purchasing fish, it is extremely important for novice aquarists to clarify the question of what kind of water will fill the tank. Lack of attention to this aspect can even lead to the death of pets.

Experts believe that the choice of water is very important for the life of the inhabitants of the aquarium. Most often, tap water is taken for the aquarium. It should not be poured into the vessel right away - first, it must be allowed to brew in a fairly spacious container so that the chlorine will evaporate (it is advisable to leave the water overnight). This is especially important when the aquarium is filled for the first time. In order to get rid of chlorine, you can also purchase special dechlorinators.which are available at the pet store, as well as activated carbon. However, it is impossible to fill the tank even with settled tap water in the case when there are a lot of metals in it - here you will need the preliminary use of additives that bind these elements.

The purchase of other water is recommended in cases where the level of acidity and hardness of tap water is not suitable for specific specimens. Distilled water can become a component of the aquarium contents, but it is not allowed to keep fish in it, since it is completely purified. For example, it is better to mix it with tap water to reduce the level of hardness, and you should also add some salt. Store such bottled water in the refrigerator. It is not prohibited to use rainwater, as well as filtered through peat.

There are several parameters that are equally important for the life of underwater inhabitants, but their optimal indicators differ when it comes to different fish. First of all, we are talking about acidity. For most common fish, such as zebrafish and barbs, it should be just adequate, and this value is easy to find in a specialized table. However, more outlandish creatures, for example, cichlids, require alkaline water, which, of course, radically changes the allowable values. The pH level can be changed with his own hand by adding certain substances. In general, for neutral water, the pH level is 7, in acidic it turns out to be less than 7, and in alkaline, on the contrary, more than 7.

The life of the creatures in the aquarium over time leads to the formation of acids, which helps to lower the pH level. Therefore, if you do not regularly add clean water, then you can achieve an unacceptable environment for pets. Most fish feel comfortable at pH levels from 6.5 to 8. In the event that the acidity level changes sharply, the fish experience severe stress or even get sick. For example, when a pet is moved to a tank with a lower pH, it stops swimming and then dies.

Even with a decrease in acidity, you cannot try to restore it dramatically - chemicals should be added slowly. If a new fish should appear in the aquarium, then it should first be quarantined in a separate container, where water from the main aquarium will be poured in portions. You can always measure the pH level with a special tester.

An equally important parameter is the hardness of water, which depends on the amount and composition of minerals dissolved in it: calcium and magnesium salts. The state of the liquid in this case has several options: very soft, soft, medium hard, moderate hard and hard. For different fish, completely different hardness is suitable, since in nature this indicator is determined depending on the soil, climate and season.

It is customary to use baking soda to increase the hardness, and to use rainwater or commercially available distilled water to decrease it. It is strictly forbidden to use condensation formed during the operation of the air conditioner, as it is saturated with salts, bacteria and metal oxides. It is much more correct to use liquids filtered through special filters or various resins. The most useful is water filtered through peat. In addition to the two main parameters of water, experts also take into account its conductivity, oxidation potential, and more.

It should be noted that water contains oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide, and the absorption of carbon dioxide is the fastest. Nitrogen does not have a significant effect on the inhabitants of the underwater world and interaction with it is carried out only in blue-green algae. Oxygen and carbon dioxide are involved in processes such as fish respiration and plant respiration and photosynthesis. Fish consume oxygen and produce carbon dioxide, while plants consume and produce both, depending on the process taking place. In addition, bacteria consume oxygen, and when the soil decays, hydrogen sulfide appears in the tank, which needs oxygen for oxidation.

The amount of oxygen required depends on the type of fish, its size, structure and even lifestyle. For example, active and large creatures require more volume.As the temperature in the tank rises, the amount of oxygen consumed also increases. Some species of fish, for example, labyrinth fish, are able to absorb it from the surface, and therefore can quite calmly exist even in waters poor in elements. But cichlids survive only in oxygen-rich liquid.

On average, experts recommend maintaining an oxygen level of 7 mg / l. With a lack of oxygen, pets will begin to suffocate, try to get air from the surface and die from an overdose of carbon dioxide. The excess content of carbon dioxide in the tank leads to the same ending. In order to maintain these components in balance, you will have to immediately purchase an aerator, which is responsible for mixing the water.

Aquarists advise avoiding excessively high temperatures in the tank, as they reduce the solubility of oxygen, but increase the need for it. In addition, it makes sense to consider planting additional oxygen-producing plants. It should be definitely mentioned that heavy metals present in tap water are dangerous for fish, even in minimal quantities. Copper and zinc are considered the most dangerous. The toxicity of metals increases in acidic and soft water. In addition, the problem is aggravated by organic matter dissolving in water, which is formed, for example, due to rotting algae. To counteract metals, experts recommend planting fast-growing plants in the aquarium that can absorb metals from the water.

When filling the aquarium at home, it is necessary to carry out a series of water tests. The aquarist evaluates the color, smell, taste of the liquid and checks the temperature, which should be in the range of 22-26 degrees Celsius. Next, you need to check the rigidity, for example, using litmus paper, after which you can pour water into another container through a filter that cleans from mechanical impurities. At the next stage, the aquarium water remains to settle for at least half a day or for a day in the case of the initial filling of the aquarium.

If the container was empty before, then there are no problems - it is simply filled the next day with settled water. If you have to top up the substance, then first you have to carefully drain about three quarters of the total volume, and then add a new one. If the liquid needs to be salted, then a tablespoon of salt is dissolved in half a liter of water, and then the hypertonic solution formed above the submerged spray is added to the aquarium. Softeners, antiseptics, or fresheners can also be added to the water as needed.

If everything is more or less clear to novice aquarists with the choice of water for a tank, then the question of when and in what quantity to fill in fresh water sometimes turns out to be a problem. Experts believe that it is often not necessary to pour new liquid, although its exact amount is calculated depending on the underwater inhabitants and their vital activity. In addition, the frequency of changing the contents depends largely on how large the aquarium is. In large containers, the need for fresh water is much less frequent. In principle, nothing will happen to the fish if the water used for replacement is not settled, but only if one-fifth of the total is used. However, such a deviation from the rules is not welcome.

If the aquarist replaces the water, and it becomes cloudy, it means that the balance of biological components in the tank has been imbalanced. It's not worth worrying about - everything should go away by itself in 3-5 days. If the water in the aquarium begins to turn green, looks dirty or cloudy, then filtering agents, for example, aquarium charcoal, are needed. The water change is done after cleaning the aquarium, and not vice versa.

You will learn how to prepare replacement water in your aquarium below.