Aquarium and Pond Care with EcoBio-Block

Clear and healthy pond

In order to maintain a pond of healthy fish, it is essential that you keep your pond water healthy and clear.  There are several factors you must pay attention to and maintain in order to achieve this.

Many people make the mistake of overfeeding their fish.  It is suggested that you only feed your fish twice a day for 3-5 minutes, whatever they can eat in that amount of time.  Any food that they do not eat should be removed immediately afterwards.  Leaving leftover food in the pond will lead to the accumulation of bacteria, which will lead to an explosion of algae, which results in the pond water turning green and a depletion of the oxygen in the water, which can endanger the lives of your fish.

You should add oxygenating plants or submerged plants to your pond.  These plants act as natural filters and remove nutrients from the pond. Algae need nutrients, specifically nitrates and phosphates, in order to reproduce.  Therefore, if there is a higher level of nutrients in the water, there will be more algae.  That is why it would be advantageous for you to have as many oxygenating and submerged plants in the water as possible to keep the nutrient level low, and as a result, the algae level of your pond.  It’s also important to have as many submerged plants as possible because many types of fish tend to eat the submerged plants, but provided there aren’t too many fish, the plants should be able to reproduce faster than the fish are able to eat them.

Adding floating plants to your pond, such as water lettuce, water hyacinths, and water lilies will provide shade for your pond.  This is important because algae need sunlight in order to reproduce.  The shade will inhibit the algae from producing in your pond and turning the water green and cloudy.  Additionally, floating plants will compete with the algae for nutrients in the water, further inhibiting the algae from taking over your pond and endangering your fish.

It is critical that you have the proper equipment to maintain the health of your pond.  You must have a pump and filter that is able to work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week continuously.  It is important that you obtain the right size for your pond.  The pump you obtain should at least be able to move the full volume of the water of the pond each hour.

It is a good idea to fill the bottom of your pond with smooth river gravel or pebbles, as beneficial and helpful bacteria will grow on the gravel and pebbles.  You want these bacteria to be present, as they help to digest fish waste and plant matter that settles to the bottom of the pond and decays.  Fish waste can throw off the delicate pH balance of your pond due to the ammonia that it gives off, making the water more basic (i.e. pH level rises), which allows algae to flourish in your pond more easily and harder for your fish to survive.

In addition, EcoBio-Block nsM and/or EcoBio-Block Wave can help to clear your pond of cloudy pond water and fill your pond with helpful bacteria that will maintain the health of your pond and fish.  Its special formula maintains clear pond water, decomposes organic matter, reduces the need for water changing, quickly establishes nitrifying bacteria, removes odors, is easy to use, safe for your fish, and produces results in as little as 2-6 weeks.

Maintaining a clear and healthy pond is essential for the long-term survival of your fish.  Algae is the primary nemesis to the long-term survival of your fish, as they take up most of the nutrients and the space in the ponds.  The best ways to combat the growth of algae is through reducing the nutrients in the water with floating plants and submerged plants, only feeding your fish a few times a day and removing any excess food, having the right pump and filter for your pond, and utilizing EcoBio-Block products to increase the number of nitrifying bacteria and maintaining the healthy pH levels of your pond.  By doing these things, you can have a beautiful looking pond with a healthy complement of fish in it for a long time to come.

Vacuuming Aquarium Gravel

Okay, aquarium newbies, here is a question for you! Do you vacuum the substrate of your freshwater aquarium? For a healthy tank, vacuuming the gravel or other substrate that you have placed in the bottom of the aquarium is a head start on making sure that your fish stay healthy, and your aquarium water stays crystal clear and clean.

This is because the aquarium gravel and substrate is where all the fish waste matter and any extra food you placed in your tank ends up settling after it floats around the tank for a little while. To keep fish from living in the unhealthy conditions that this excess waste can cause, most fish owners will use a gravel vacuum hose to siphon the putrid matter out of the substrate once a week or so.

If a tank were to go for a time without having this kind of tank maintenance, it would be a sight to see. Tank vacuuming keeps the water in an aquarium clear and spotless. Most aquarium owners will do a partial water change at the same time they are cleaning the substrate of gravel. It’s a timesaver, which can be important to new tank owners. Many of them claim that they are spending an inordinate amount of time doing water changes and vacuuming gravel – and do they really have to do this so often to have healthy fish?

Most of these new owners will eventually hit on some type of schedule for their own tank cleaning. Some of these owners may well spend a lot less time keeping their aquarium substrate and aquarium water clean and clear than other tank owners will. It is not because they don’t appreciate and/or care for their fish any more than the owners who do more cleaning and fussing with their aquariums, yet still seem to have problems with cloudy tank water and/or tank water that smells bad. It is because they have learned of and taken to heart a new method of keeping their aquariums beautifully clear and biologically sound and safe for freshwater fish. A different and innovative product has come along that allows them to spend less time on a cleaning and maintenance schedule, and more time enjoying the beauty of their fish. That method is the purchase and then the proper use of an EcoBio-Block.

The EcoBio-Block family of products are not like some of the other products that are sold in order to help those who know the joy of fish keeping maintain their stock in a safe and healthy manner. EcoBio-Blocks are simple to use, and only need replacing every two years are so. While some aquariums will still need to have their gravel or substrate vacuumed, it will be on a far less frequent basis after the use of the EcoBio-Block.

EcoBio-Blocks are made of a distinctive volcanic rock fusion with live beneficial bacteria. This combination produces live bacteria and releases them into your tank water for up to two years. You will not have to vacuum and do water changes as often, thanks to these bacteria who neatly dispose of the fish poop and extra fish food so that your tank stays clear.  If you think that you are one of those people who vacuum the substrate of your freshwater aquarium too often, you should try one of the EcoBio-Blocks in your tank so you can see the difference for yourself!

Saltwater or Freshwater Aquqrium?

You are interested in the hobby of keeping fish, but you cannot make up your mind between a freshwater and a saltwater aquarium. You have heard that saltwater tank care can be difficult, but if your heart is set on owning a few of those bright blue and yellow fish you saw in a magazine, you will want to consider a saltwater tank. If you have had a freshwater tank for a few years, and want a new challenge, then a saltwater tank may be just what you are looking for.

The two main considerations should be the amount of money you wish to spend on your new hobby, and the amount of time you have to spend maintaining your tank. Saltwater tank care is very different from the care required of a freshwater tank, but it does not have to be difficult.

A freshwater tank costs less to set up and to maintain. On average, you can set up a 10-gallon tank and stock it with a few fish for a minimum of $75.00. The fish that will live happily in a freshwater tank are less expensive than saltwater fish. Once you have a freshwater tank up and running with your fish added to it, the maintenance is not all that time consuming. At a minimum, you can expect to keep the water level topped up, add water conditioner, and perform partial water changes on a weekly basis with a freshwater tank. Plan to vacuum the bottom of the freshwater tank and change the filter material once a month. The cost to maintain a freshwater tank for a month, counting fish food and the occasional replacement fish, is probably $20.00 or less.

A saltwater tank can range from being a little expensive all the way up to the “money is no object” range, depending on what you put inside it. The live rocks that go into saltwater tanks can cost you from around $25.00 all the way up to several thousand dollars. It all depends on their size, and on where the live rock originated. Compare these prices to a few bags of aquarium gravel for a freshwater tank, and you can begin to get a better idea of the cost differences.

However, setting up a saltwater tank takes more than just live rocks. You still may want some form of substrate for the tank bottom, a few live plants, a hydrometer to tell you how much salt is in the tank water, and a good filtration system that was made for salt water. A sturdy tank heater and a thermometer that can take the punishment that salt water can dish out are also required.

You will want a powerhead for water movement, a protein skimmer to remove any sort of organic trash from the tank water, and an air pump and external water pump for the protein skimmer. You will also need a couple of boxes of aquarium salt, depending on the size of your tank, and a few various test kits to keep a check on the water. Yes, some of these same accessories are needed for a freshwater tank, but a marine tank generally requires a more heavy-duty form of the chosen item.

Saltwater tank care can take you several hours per week. The water must be tested for salt content every day. The temperature of the tank must be monitored, as well as the water quality. Your live rocks must also be cared for, or they will die. They need a particular form of lighting, and it must be balanced for them to be healthy.

If you want to simplify maintenance, the use of products from the EcoBio-Block family Products can help you to keep the water in any tank, whether saltwater or freshwater, clean and clear. Users of the EcoBio-Block have noticed less trouble with excess nitrates and ammonia spikes as well.

Saltwater tank care seems like a lot of work compared to a freshwater tank. However, a well-maintained saltwater tank is visually stunning, and well worth the time and attention you give to it. Saltwater tank care can be made easier when the proper bacteria and nutrients are added to the water, and the EcoBio-Block can do all this for you.

In the end, the decision between freshwater and saltwater is up to you.