For the fish-lover, there is nothing as beautiful and peaceful as an aquarium. It brightens up any room in which it is placed, as well as giving the owner a low-maintenance pet. However, not everyone has the space for a large tank. For these people, there is the option of purchasing a smaller aquarium, anywhere from 1 to 15 gallons. Although this size of tank, otherwise known as a “nano aquarium”, is harder to maintain, it is still a good choice for many people. They just need to remember a few simple things. The most important thing to keep in mind about a small aquarium is not to let it get overcrowded. Keep the fish small and don’t put too many in the tank. Otherwise, it will be difficult to maintain the water quality. Also, take into account the fact that smaller amounts of water change temperature more quickly, which can be stressful for fish. Therefore, try to place your nano aquarium somewhere that keeps a constant temperature year round. And remember that even a small tank can weigh a lot when full, so put it somewhere where it won’t need to be moved. In a small tank, water quality can decrease very quickly. It is therefore important to test it every day and change 10-20% of the water as often as twice a week. While doing these changes, vacuum a section of the gravel. If you are busy or just don’t want the hassle of changing your water so often, you could try EcoBio-Stone S. Simply place the stone in the water and it will keep your water clear and healthy for years with beneficial bacteria, which keep the water in the aquarium perfectly balanced by breaking down the toxic ammonia and nitrite from fish waste and uneaten food, and re-supplying trace minerals from the stone. Additionally, be sure to change your filter regularly or else it may leak toxins into the water. If you do notice an issue, attend to it quickly. In a nano aquarium, small problems multiply rapidly. If you wait even one day to take care of them, you may find that your entire system has crashed Another important factor to be considered with a small tank is the oxygen level. One way to keep it high is to agitate the surface of the water with a small filter. For even more oxygen, put live plants in your tank instead of artificial ones. However, be sure to choose ones that don’t require a lot of light or you may find your water temperature increasing too much. Finally, do not overfeed the fish in your nano aquarium. This can cause poor water quality and place stress on your fish. If you remember to do all of these things and use a time-released water maintenance product such as EcoBio-Stone you will be able to enjoy keeping fish even if you have limited space.
Many pet owners refer to their animal companions as their children because just like youngsters, pets require care that can sometimes be tough and time-consuming. And just like other pets, aquarium fish demand and deserve considerable attention in terms of feeding, maintaining optimum habitats, and addressing health concerns.
Maintaining aquariums, however, does not have to be tedious. With a little foresight, the right equipment, and some helpful water quality innovations, fishkeeping can be a wonderful and rewarding experience. Here are tips on how to keep a low maintenance aquarium:
Bigger is better. Small aquariums are harder to maintain than large aquariums for the simple reason that a small quantity of water is much easier to pollute. This means a small tank must be monitored constantly and quickly attended to as soon as water quality is even slightly compromised
Location, location, location. The best place for an aquarium is where it does not receive direct sunlight, is not exposed to drafts or heating/cooling appliances, and is close to a water source. Sunlight promotes algae bloom; therefore, additional maintenance. Exposure to drafts and proximity to heating or cooling appliances can affect the temperature integrity of the aquarium and cause illness and death to the fish community. The ideal location keeps the tank stable and trouble-free. And being close to a water source minimizes the effort of lugging buckets of water across the living room or down the hall, and ruining carpet or wood floors in the process.
The right tools for the job. A stable aquarium environment relies on the efficiency of its support equipment—the overhead lights, filtration systems, heaters, and aerators. Sufficient lighting should automatically turn on and off at designated time intervals to optimize plant growth and the fish’s day/night cycles. Filtration systems should have adequate flow rates and filter media to handle the bio-load. Heaters and aeration systems should provide the right temperature and oxygenation levels in the tank. Efficient and adequate support systems are tools that help optimize habitat quality and avoid emergency and extraneous maintenance routines.
Compatibility is key. Compatibility is about fish living harmoniously together. It’s also about fish living in the appropriate size and type of environment. Keeping fish, that are not compatible with their tank parameters or their tank mates, upsets not just the health of the fishes but also the stability and integrity of the aquarium, leading to serious maintenance issues.
The invisible component: Bacteria. The success of fishkeeping is highly dependent on the nitrifying bacteria that process the fish’s waste matter into non-toxic form to keep a healthy aquarium environment. An innovative aquarium product that ensures the prolific growth of large colonies of beneficial bacteria is called EcoBio-Block Family Products. Mineral-rich volcanic stones from Japan, EcoBio-Blocks are embedded with the “bacillus subtilis natto”, beneficial bacteria that actively multiply every half hour, degrading organic matter and keeping the aquarium clear and odor-free for years.
Aquariums can be relatively low maintenance if the right conditions are in place. Keeping fish, or any pet for the matter, can occasionally be demanding, but with the help of the right equipment and novel solutions like EcoBio-Block, taking care of finned friends can always be fun and fulfilling.
