Becoming an aquarium expert

 

​To enable you enjoy your aquarium and also to make things easier for us, we believe you should observe the routine given below RIGIDLY.



​LIGHTS

​ALWAYS- SWITCH ON THE LIGHTS FOR AT LEAST 10 HOURS EVERY DAY

The live plants grow best if your aquarium is placed facing a window or to the side, since natural sunlight is the best plant food.



​FOOD

​ALWAYS- FEED VERY VERY LITTLE FOOD

This is important during the first three months, because at this time the population of the bacteria that converts excess food and fish waste (into harmless fertilizer for plant use) is still gradually increasing, but not at a high enough level to tolerate careless overfeeding.


​NEVER- Overfeed your fishes. Feed by pouring a little of the food on the food jar cover, and then place some between your thumb and forefinger. Dip your hand a little into the water and release the food very slowly by rubbing the fingers against one another.

Repeat until all fishes are satisfied.


​NEVER- Allow waste food to drop on the bottom

Unless you have bottom-feeders like the Catfish and Kribensis in your aquarium.


​ALWAYS- Check that all fish are present at feeding time.

ALWAYS- Keep your tank as clean as possible by removing any uneaten food and buy as many varieties of fish food as possible so as to increase fish appetite.




WATER ​ALWAYS- Change one-third (1/3) of the water in the tank with "aged" tap water (i.e. water stored for about 48 hours) weekly during the first three months during which period the gravel are likely to release most of their chemical component.

​ALWAYS- USE LIVE STRUCTURED OR ENERGISED WATER BY RESTRUCTURING THE WATER USING THE BIODISC. This will enhance the welling of your fish and stimulate plant growth.

​NEVER- Use hard water (water that would not form lather with soap) e.g. Borehole or well water in a limestone area. This could kill plants and affect fish life.

​ALWAYS- Be aware of the following early indications of fouling in the water:

  • ​Frothing at the water surface
  • ​Water becoming cloudy
  • ​Fishes breathing more rapidly than normal
  • ​Water producing fetid odour.

​PLANTS ​ALWAYS- Prune and trim your plants once they are overgrown by uprooting and cutting off the lower stem in the case of the bunch plants e.g. Elodea and Myriophyllum, and by cutting off the canopy head in the case of rooted plants like Hygrophila difformis.

​ALWAYS- Replant any floating plant part by dipping your hand into the water and thrusting its base into the sand.


​FISHES

​NEVER- Add small fishes to an aquarium that already contains large and well-established fishes, unless you have expert knowledge of the nature of both the resident fishes and the new additions.

​NEVER- Overcrowd the aquarium, it's better to have a few fishes in radiant health than many gulping fishes, battle-scarred through fighting over inadequate territory.



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