An aquarium is a closed biological system, the stability of which depends on the compatibility and well-being of the fish, plants and microorganisms inhabiting the aquarium. When maintaining an aquarium, it should be borne in mind that most fish live and reproduce well only when the conditions in it are as similar as possible to the conditions of their natural habitat.
Instructions
Step 1
Prepare the water
The life and health of fish depends primarily on the quality of their habitat - water. You should know that before pouring water into the aquarium, you must let it settle for at least 3-4 days. This is necessary so that the chlorine used in the water supply system for disinfection is completely released from the water. Before placing the "tenants" in their new "home", it is necessary to thoroughly rinse the aquarium and fill it with water for several days. This is done so that all harmful substances come out of the glue that holds the glass of the aquarium. It is recommended to change the water several times.
Step 2
Pick up and plant plants
Lay down the soil. Fill the aquarium about 1/3 full with settled water. Taller plants should be placed at the back of the aquarium, shorter plants in front. When planting plants, it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of the behavior of the fish. The inhabitants of the aquarium should have enough room to move freely. For fry, floating plants are useful - in them they can hide from adult fish. In addition to higher plants, there must be algae in the aquarium. To prevent algae from growing too much and interfering with the normal respiration and nutrition of other plants, the lighting in the aquarium should not be too bright. For example, a 40 W fluorescent lamp is enough for an aquarium with a volume of 200-300 liters. It is recommended to place algae such as nitella, hara and egagropila in the aquarium. They enrich the water with oxygen. In addition, they can be used to judge the well-being of the entire biological system of the aquarium, because in the case of heavy pollution, these algae die quickly.
Step 3
Pick up the fish
When selecting new "tenants" it is necessary to take into account their "taste preferences" and life needs. For example, predatory fish will perceive small inhabitants as prey. Also, do not plant small schooling fish one by one. It is unacceptable to place fish with different environmental requirements in the same aquarium. To dispose of excess feed, it is recommended to "add" Melania snails to the aquarium - they will perfectly cope with this problem.
Step 4
Aquarium care
One of the most common mistakes novice aquarists make is changing the water completely in an aquarium. For most fish, it is enough to top up the water in the aquarium once every 8-10 days. To do this, it is necessary to remove debris and food residues from the bottom of the aquarium using a special hose. Drain some water from the aquarium, and then add the same amount of previously settled water.
Step 5
Feeding fish
It should be remembered that in an aquarium, fish have a lack of movement. Therefore, it is necessary to feed the fish often, but in small portions. Be aware that healthy fish can easily go without food for 15-20 days. In addition, short-term fasting stimulates the reproduction function in fish.
