Aquarium and Pond Care with EcoBio-Block

One of the main concerns with having tropical fish is the diseases they can contract.  There are many different kinds of tropical fish diseases, most of which have treatments to remedy them.  It is certainly best to have your fish avoid the diseases in the first place, but even with good management, your fish may not always be able to avoid disease.

One type of tropical fish disease is ammonia poisoning.  As the name implies, there is too high a level of ammonia in your tank.  The main symptoms of ammonia poisoning are your fish turning a red-lilac color and they’re floating below the surface panting for air.

The remedy for ammonia poisoning is relatively simple to implement, but it’s important to do this right away or your fish’s health may be compromised on a long-term basis.  You need to understand the cycling process of a new tank to limit the ammonia level of the water, as well as to maintain the pH levels and water temperature of the tank.

An additional help is the EcoBio-Block, which can be very effective in keeping your tank from experiencing ammonia spikes that can cause harm to your fish.

Yet, another type of tropical fish disease is cataracts.  Eye-related infections are often caused by the level of waste in your tank.  Cataracts are usually just fungal growths covering the eyes.  Normal aquarium fungicide is usually a very effective form of treatment for cataracts.

To keep your fish from getting cataracts, it’s important to keep the levels of ammonia and nitrate at acceptable levels.  You can also use the EcoBio-Block products to effectively keep ammonia and nitrate levels at levels that are safe for your fish.

Corneybacteriosis is commonly referred to as bulging eyes because it looks like the fish who have corneybacteriosis have bulging eyes.  Additionally, these fish have swelling in their heads.

Corneybacteriosis is usually caused by a large amount of waste in the tank, which is often caused by having too many fish in the tank.  Keeping the level of waste at a low level is the best defense against your fish contracting corneybacteriosis.  Utilizing EcoBio-Blocks in your tank can establish the nitrogen cycle and keep your water clean and pure, thereby reducing the chances of your fish contracting corneybacteriosis.

Goldfish with dropsy

Another common tropical fish disease is dropsy.  Dropsy makes your fish look bloated and their scales appear to be bursting outward.  Dropsy is usually caused by an internal bacterial infection.

It is important to treat dropsy as quickly as possible; otherwise, further internal damage to your fish could be the result.  Anti-bacterial medication can help to treat the infection, along with raising the aquarium water temperature slightly over the next few weeks.

Ichthyophthiriasis, or what is commonly known as ich, ich is a type of tropical fish disease that is indicated by small white spots covering the fish’s body and fins.  A type of parasite is responsible for causing ich.

Cichlid with ich

Treatment for ich involves gradually raising the water temperature to prevent the spread of the parasites that cause ich.  Once the water becomes clear again, then lower the water temperature back to its previous level.  Anti-ich medication can also be helpful, as this will break the cycle of ich and treat the disease in the water.

As you can see, the main keys to preventing tropical fish diseases is paying attention to your fish and their normal appearances, keeping your aquarium’s ammonia and nitrate levels at acceptable levels, and keeping your water clear. Utilizing the line of Eco-Bio Block products (which need to be removed when using medications), can speed up the nitrogen cycle, minimize the number of times you need to change the aquarium water, and revitalize and clarify the water to avoid tropical fish diseases.

Healthy pond with aeration

To maintain a healthy pond, you need to make sure that your pond has good-quality aeration.  A lack of good aeration can lead to a green-colored, algae-filled pond, while good aeration can lead to a crystal-clear and thriving fish pond.

Many kinds of fish require clean, cool, well-oxygenated water.  Water that is not properly aerated will have a low level of dissolved oxygen and will often have stratified water columns, or water that varies in water quality depending on the depth and level of the water.

Finding out the proper level of aeration often takes a trial-and-error approach.  A commonly accepted method of finding the proper aeration is to pump the entire pond through the filter at least once per hour.  This does not guarantee sufficient aeration, however, as the shape, size, and structure of your fish pond could necessitate a different level of aeration in order for the pond to be properly aerated.

An external filter could have the flow returned to the pond using a stream or waterfall.  This can diffuse the current, which can lead to low-flow areas on the opposite side of the pond.  Adding an additional outlet to the flow can usually correct this problem.  Many people will add supplemental flow through an air pump or dedicated pump to ensure proper air flow throughout the entire pond.

Without proper aeration, there will be low dissolved oxygen levels in the water.  If the dissolved oxygen levels are too low, it can cause many problems, with the most dangerous problem being that fish can die if a certain parts per million (ppm) of dissolved oxygen is not maintained.

Additionally, noxious odors can come from the pond when there are low levels of dissolved oxygen in the water.  This is due to the breakdown of organic waste shifting from an aerobic process to a slower anaerobic process, which results in the formation of hydrogen sulfide (that produces the odor).  If the pond is deeper, the lack of oxygen will also create an unusable layer at the bottom of the pond, a place where fish cannot inhabit.  As a result, their living space is reduced and the oxygenated water in that living space is stressed even more because it alone has to sustain the fish.

The most common cause of low oxygen levels is an overabundance of aquatic plants, especially algae.  A moderate number of aquatic plants can be beneficial to the pond because they do release water into the pond.  Planktonic algae are the first step in the food chain of a pond, so their presence is also critical.  However, having too many of them will harm the pond’s environment; while planktonic algae do provide oxygen to the pond during the day, they will also consume oxygen at night.  As a result, heavy algae blooms or thick aquatic vegetation can lead to dangerous low levels of oxygen for the fish, often leading to their deaths.

Poor dissolved oxygen levels also come from high organic waste loads.  Dead vegetation, fertilizer run-off, fish food, and fish waste can all contribute to the amount of organic waste load.  These elements can be naturally broken down in a pond due to the presence of beneficial bacteria, but like most things, that bacteria needs oxygen in order to do it, which is why it is critical that you keep the oxygen levels at acceptable levels or higher.

To do this, you need to consider the two main types of aeration systems:  surface aeration and bottom based aeration.  To decide which would be more beneficial for your pond, consider the depth of your pond.  If your pond is less than six feet deep, a surface aeration system is likely best, while deeper ponds should utilize a bottom based aeration system.

The main difference between the two types of aeration systems is that surface aerators are usually floating aeration units that pull in water from the top foot or two of the pond and splash it into the air.  As the water falls back to the pond, oxygen transfer and the venting of gases occur.  This means that the aeration is taking place just at the surface, which is why this method of aeration works best for smaller ponds.

Conversely, bottom based aeration systems or diffused aeration involves pushing air down to the bottom of the pond or lake and allowing the bubbles to rise naturally to the surface of the water.  The bubbles provide the bulk of the aeration, which makes bottom based aeration systems the ideal choice for larger ponds and lakes.  As the bubbles rise, they de-stratify the water, which eliminates that oxygen-poor zone down at the bottom of the pond or lake.  The oxygen rich water helps to create a healthier water column.

Proper aeration will not only keep your fish alive, but will also stimulate beneficial pond bacteria that can break down waste and reduce the bottom muck layer.  Aerobic bacteria will also be more numerous than anaerobic bacteria, which will reduce the odor that your pond produces.  Phosphates, which algae thrive on, are eliminated, preventing the algae from accumulating in your pond.  Your overall water quality will also be improved.  Gasses like carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide can be easily vented.  Quality aeration systems can also keep fish from dying in ponds in northern states during the winter, as the pond’s surface will not freeze over, allowing gasses to be vented during the winter, which is critical to the survival of your fish.

To further aid the presence and growth of aerobic bacteria, you should utilize EcoBio-Block nsM and/or EcoBio-Block Wave.  These products have been shown to increase the presence of nitrifying bacteria and decrease the time it takes to establish the denitrification cycle in your pond.  This will help to reduce the odor emanating from your pond and it has been established as safe for all fish and plants.

As you can see, pond aeration is critical to the survival of your fish and to the presence of aerobic bacteria, which can break down waste more quickly and with less odor than anaerobic bacteria.  There are two main types of aeration:  surface aeration and bottom based aeration.  Surface aeration is best for ponds that are less than six feet, as aeration only occurs at the surface.  For deeper ponds and lakes, bottom based aeration is best, since this keeps the bottom part of the pond/lake enriched with oxygen, critical to the water level remaining high and allowing your fish to live throughout the whole area.  By carefully considering and implementing the proper aeration system, your fish can remain healthy and add to the landscape of your pond.