Aquarium Care and EcoBio-Block

Aquariums are wonderful additions to any home, but problems can arise from the fact that essential life functions within the aquarium are facilitated by electricity - namely, oxygen and temperature regulation. Strong winds, lightning, falling tree branches and floods can all cause unexpected power outages, and in small towns or rural areas even automobile accidents that involve power poles can plunge households into darkness as the only means of electricity has to be shut down. Here are a few tips on how to safeguard your beloved aquarium in the event of a power outage.

The most important thing to keep going in the aquarium is the oxygen exchange. Beneficial bacteria in the tank require a lot of oxygen, so once a filter and aerator stop working the dissolved oxygen depletes very quickly. Once oxygen is depleted the bacteria colonies begin dying off or becoming inactive, allowing ammonia levels to rise. Hardy strains of bacteria such as the bacillus subtilis natto strain used in EcoBio-Block will mostly become inactive, but return to actively breaking down ammonia as soon as proper oxygen levels are restored. This can happen within an hour or two of losing power, depending on stocking levels. Additionally, a lot of beneficial bacteria lives in filter media so if you have a canister filter or HOB filter that keeps the media out of the main body of water a large portion of the aquarium’s bacteria may be unavailable instantly.

This is where planning ahead can be a real lifesaver…and back saver! If your power goes out and you don’t have a generator, having all your aquarium equipment plugged into an uninterrupted power supply is possibly one of the best ways to keep going for short-term outages. Battery-powered aerators are available online and in many pet stores as well and can be a great asset during outages or when travelling with fish. If none of these are available, you can manually facilitate oxygen exchange by filling a pitcher from the tank (here’s where the back comes in) and dumping the water back in, then repeating at regular intervals until power comes back.

Now for temperature control; in cold weather, a watertight container filled with boiling water (provided you have a gas range or access to a wood-burning stove) makes a great heater that will keep fish near it warm. In hot weather, a water-tight container or two or three ziplock baggies inside each other (to prevent leaks) with ice cubes in it will keep water near it cool enough for the fish.

If the power is out for extended periods of time you may have to watch the water parameters closely when the aquarium is functioning again as a lot of beneficial bacteria can die from oxygen deprivation, causing ammonia spikes. To control these you’ll either need to do water changes every day to keep ammonia levels down until the bacteria catches up again, or you can add some new bacteria from products such as EcoBio-Block or BioSpira. BioSpira is a bottled bacteria culture that works well, but has to be refrigerated and has a limited shelf life so it may not be the best for emergency preparation. EcoBio-Block is a water maintenance product that lasts about 1 1/2-2 years in the aquarium; this product introduces and promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria as well as keeps the water parameters healthy, which can reduce fish stress in an emergency. EcoBio-Block is a very valuable maintenance product that will keep the aquarium water healthy every day in addition to emergency uses, but it can take up to a couple of weeks to start working initially so it should already be in place to be effective in an emergency.

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Green water is a nasty problem in many aquariums; one day you have a gorgeous, crystal-clear tank and the next day you wake up to an aquarium of opaque green. This condition is caused by a free-floating algae bloom, and it really can go from no problem at all to being able to see absolutely nothing inside the aquarium overnight. So what do you do about it?

As with most things, the best cure is prevention. Green water occurs when an aquarium is overstocked or has too much decaying organic matter in it. This process creates an excess of nitrates and other nutrients that feed the algae. Once all the right environmental factors are in place, the algae takes over quickly and mercilessly. The key is to keep nitrates down and the water parameters healthy for the fish.

You can start by ensuring you’re not over-feeding your fish. A fish in the wild can never be certain where its next meal is coming from, so its metabolism has adapted into that of an opportunistic eater. Healthy fish will always be hungry, so you can not simply feed them until they stop eating. Give your fish just enough that it takes them about two minutes to eat all the food twice a day (three times if you have juveniles); if you see uneaten food get to the bottom, cut back a little.

Next, make sure you have good mechanical filtration and a well-aerated tank. For additional preventative, you can use a time-released water maintenance product such as EcoBio-Block. These blocks last up to two years apiece and ensure that the water in the aquarium stays perfectly balanced by breaking down the toxic ammonia and nitrites from waste and excess food, as well as re-supplying essential minerals in the water as they’re used up by the fish.

Many aquarists believe that direct sunlight is the main cause of green water and this is not true. While direct sunlight should be avoided because of its effects on the water temperature, algae can not bloom without quite a bit of excess nutrients in the water. It is true that algae can not grow without light as well, but the algae requires very little light for its photosynthesis; once it’s started, any tiny bit of natural light that reaches the aquarium will be sufficient to continue its growth.

Live plants are great for helping get rid of excess nitrates and there are many hardy varieties that will use up a lot of the spare nitrates that algae blooms feed on. In most cases you’ll want to keep an eye on the plants so dead pieces can be removed before they start to decay, however this is not a problem if you have an EcoBio-Block or adult P. bridgesii (a type of apple snail commonly sold in pet stores), or “brigs”. Brigs grow to about the size of golf balls, lay their eggs above the water line so population control is easy, and as adults never eat healthy plants. Be certain you have an adult before you introduce it into a planted tank, though, because the juveniles are still able (and very willing!) to eat healthy plants. If you decide on snails, do a little research first. P. canaliculata, or “canas”, can look very similar to brigs if you aren’t familiar with them, and canas grow to the size of a softball and will always have a voracious appetite for live plants.

Regular partial water changes are required to keep the nitrates down and remove organic material from the aquarium. Again, if you have a time-released product such as EcoBio-Block this is not necessary, though occasionally stirring your substrate to get rid of potentially harmful gas pockets and to send organic materials through your mechanical filter is recommended. If the water is kept in pristine condition, you will not have a problem with green water.

Finally, once you have green water it is difficult and time-consuming to get rid of. You can begin by restricting light, even covering the outside of the aquarium with paper to keep additional light out, and do a partial water change to get rid of some of the excess nutrients. Note that the water changes in themselves will do nothing to get rid of the algae, it reproduces quickly and can only be gotten rid of through “starvation”. Cut back your fish’s food and leave the tank light off for the duration of the clearing time. It may take a couple of weeks to clear up.

As soon as the tank is clear, immediately take some of the preventative measures outlined above to avoid re-occurrence. I especially recommend ensuring that you have a good mechanical filter, plenty of aeration to keep beneficial bacteria healthy, and a time-released maintenance product to ensure the water is always as close to perfect as possible.

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The body of every fish is completely covered by a mucus layer known as the slime coat. A fish’s first - and best - defense against disease and parasites lies in the slime coat; it acts much like a human’s top layer of skin by keeping out harmful substances and regulating the fluids within the body. The problem is, this slime coat gets damaged very easily and many beginning aquarists have no idea how crucial it is to keeping fish healthy. While this coating can be somewhat protected and replenished by products that contain aloe, simple treatments will never be enough if you do not take care of the underlying cause of the damage.

The first major cause of damage is simple mechanical damage. Whenever you net a fish, or a fish gets it in its head to attack another fish or it brushes past an artificial plant, that is when the slime coat gets damaged. Often it is only minor scrapes that can heal easily provided no other slime coat hazards are present.

The second major cause is stress. This can be stress from moving, from water changes, or the worst kind…the stress of living in inappropriate water conditions. Make sure your temperature does not vary widely throughout the days and nights; ideally there will be no more fluctuation than about two degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that your tank is well-aerated; as long as the water surface is moving you have oxygen exchange, but if the fish are often seen at the top “gasping” for air you will need to find a way to further aerate the aquarium.

Of all the inappropriate water conditions, an improperly cycled tank is the most deadly. Coming in second place - an aquarium in which too many fish were added at once. The result: ammonia in the water. Ammonia is the extremely toxic by-product of fish waste and decaying uneaten food, and even at trace levels it will swiftly dissolve the slime coat and kill the fish. To avoid this, be sure to allow a full 36-day cycle to be completed before you add fish, use filter media or a handful of gravel from an established tank, or use a commercial product such as EcoBio-Block or BioSpira that will introduce the necessary beneficial bacteria to the aquarium.

Do regular partial water changes to keep nitrate levels down and remove waste and other organic material, as well as replenish essential minerals in the water that the fish need to survive. If you do not have the time or physical ability to do 2-4 water changes per month, a combination of a strong mechanical filter and an EcoBio-Block can significantly cut down the number of water changes needed. The EcoBio-Block leaches the necessary minerals into the water for up to two years in addition to adding in the beneficial bacteria, so be sure to keep it in the tank if you have one!

As long as you keep your water parameters within healthy limits, handle your fish with care (make sure to soak your nets before using them, dry fibers are much more damaging) and add an aloe-containing product to the aquarium after stressful events or whenever a fish is sick, your aquatic critters should keep a beautiful, healthy slime coat that will greatly reduce their risk of disease and parasites.

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