Breeding aquarium fish is one of the most common hobbies in the whole world. It is not surprising, because the aquarium increases the humidity in the room, which is very important in modern large cities, and the fish allow you to calm down and relax after a hard working day. But in order to avoid unpleasant consequences, every novice amateur should know what water to fill in the aquarium.
Why is preparing aquarium water important?
Any water has certain characteristics: hardness, the presence of impurities and microorganisms. Some types of fish are able to adapt to almost any - in this case there is no difference what kind of water is poured into the aquarium. But still, most breeds have certain preferences.
Most people reading this article live in cities. It is very problematic to get river or well water here, and filling a cleaned bottled aquarium is troublesome and expensive. Therefore, there is only one way out - to use cold water from the tap. And there are problems.
To purify water from dangerous microorganisms, it is chlorinated. And chlorine is a real poison. True, it is added to water in very small quantities. The usual concentration of chlorine is 0.3 milligrams per liter. Even for humans, this is quite harmful, so it is recommended to boil water. And for fish, even very unpretentious, a concentration of 0.25 milligrams per liter is fatal. Chlorine will damage their gills and they will die a slow, painful death. Therefore, the question of what kind of water to fill in the aquarium for fish is not at all idle - you need to deal with it first of all.
We fill the aquarium for the first time
If you have just purchased an aquarium and have not yet launched fish there, have not planted algae, but are only going to fill it for the first time, especially carefully study this item.
To start, the aquarium should simply be rinsed from the inside - to get rid of dust and any possible contamination. You do not need to use detergents - an ordinary clean and damp sponge will do. After this, specially prepared soil can be laid. And after that - feel free to pour water, right from the tap. Then you need to leave it for several days to evaporate chlorine. Fortunately, it quickly evaporates from water at room temperature.
Water will certainly begin to “bloom” and become cloudy. Do not worry, this is quite natural - microorganisms that enter the aquarium multiply rapidly, but will soon die without a trace. Now you can plant algae and run the first fish.
Simple sucks
Another question is what kind of water is poured into the aquarium when the fish already live there. After all, chlorine still poses a serious threat to the inhabitants.
In this case, normal sedimentation is suitable. Take a suitable container with an enamel coating - its surface should be maximum so that chlorine evaporates faster. Therefore, five-liter bottles will not work - at least a few weeks will get rid of harmful substances. Of course, the ideal option is a metal basin. But it takes up a lot of space, it is inconvenient to work with it, and it holds such a capacity relatively little water. Because of this, experienced breeders use ordinary buckets.
After collecting water, just leave the bucket in a place where it will not disturb anyone. The ideal option is near a heating battery so that chlorine evaporates faster. In this case, before pouring water into the aquarium, cool it to room temperature.
Water for pregnant females and fry
Another important question that torments many beginners: "What kind of water can be poured into the aquarium, where pregnant females and young animals will live?" It is not as easy as it may seem. Ordinary water after sludge will not work - there are no habitual and vital microorganisms in it.
Therefore, the best solution is to use existing water from the aquarium. Just fill a small spawning aquarium from the main one, and restore the loss of water by pouring fresh, which settled in buckets.
This will immediately create a “living” atmosphere in the aquarium - it will be much more comfortable for the fish in it than in the fresh one.
We solve the problem of stiffness
Often people, wondering what water needs to be poured into the aquarium, mean rigidity. Indeed, this parameter seriously affects the fish, their health and lifespan. Too soft water leads to a deficiency of salts - fish grow slowly, females often die after childbirth. And the high content of calcium and magnesium salts often becomes the cause of numerous diseases, and the percentage of successfully hatched eggs decreases sharply. How to be in such a situation?
Fortunately, there is a solution. If the water flowing from the tap is too soft, dissolve in each bucket a small amount of chalk, which is used in schools. This is a natural limestone that is not hazardous and maintains water hardness at the proper level.
You can also put a few beautiful shells on the bottom of the aquarium - only real ones, not plastic or ceramic. Experienced aquarists do not put them at all because of their beauty - limestone is gradually washed out of them, increasing rigidity. Special additives are still on sale, but you can not always find them. As you can see, the question of what kind of water should be poured into the aquarium, if too rigid flows from the tap, is quite easily solved.
Increased rigidity is more difficult to fight. You can boil it, but this is a rather complicated process, especially if the volume of the aquarium is not 50-60 liters, but several hundred. But if you drop a hornwort, an elodea and a valyssneria in your aquarium, the problem will be partially solved. The fact is that these algae actively draw salts from the water, precipitating them on their leaves.
How much water to change at a time
Another important nuance. Some beginners think that when cleaning the aquarium, the water is completely removed and it refills. This is a huge mistake. A few of these substitutions, the fish will still survive, but will often hurt. And then they can begin to die en masse. Complete replacement of water is a huge stress. This should be remembered by every novice aquarist who wants his farm to please the eyes of friends and cause envy among ill-wishers.
In fact, no more than 20% of the water is removed during weekly cleaning. Using a hose with a metal nozzle, carefully walk along the bottom of the aquarium. Experienced aquarists even specially set it at an angle so that the undernourished food and waste products of the fish accumulate in one corner. Retract the water with the trash (while being careful and do not accidentally draw in a gapeous little fish) to collect a bucket or two. It should simply be poured or used for watering flowers - microorganisms and microelements contained in this water will only benefit green pets. Well, in the aquarium, fill in fresh water purified from chlorine by settling.
We take care of the Dutch type aquarium
Okay, we figured out what kind of water the fish need to fill in the aquarium. But what kind of water do algae need? The question is not funny at all, but a very serious one. The fact is that Dutch aquariums are quite common today - here the main inhabitants are algae, not fish. The latter either play a decorative function, or are generally absent.
And plants need carbon dioxide, which they process in the process of photosynthesis. If there are no fish, there is no gas. How to be? The problem is solved quite easily. Once a week, pour a couple glasses of sparkling water into the aquarium. Of course, not mineral and especially not sweet. Plain water with bubbles. It contains a large amount of carbon dioxide, which will provide plants with a comfortable existence and rapid growth.
Conclusion
We tried as much as possible to figure out what water to fill in the aquarium. Now you know not only about the preparation methods, but also figured out the Dutch aquariums and learned a little about cleaning. Surely this information will allow you to create a truly luxurious aquarium and maintain it in perfect order.