Aquarium and Pond Care with EcoBio-Block

Starting a new fish tank can be exciting, but that excitement could quickly fade if we failed to do a crucial first step the right way, and some or all of our fish were to die. In order to keep this from happening, the person who wants a freshwater fish tank in their home or office needs to learn the correct way of getting a new tank set up and ready for a few fishy inhabitants.

We will assume you already have your aquarium, the aquarium gravel, filter, heater, decorations, test kits, and fish food. Did we leave something out? Does this look like it is just about everything you would need to start a new fish tank? Almost, but you are forgetting a few important items. You need an aquarium vacuum, an aquarium glass scrubber, a good-sized fish net, and several five-gallon buckets.

Why do you need to worry about all this stuff when you are starting up a new fish tank? That nice, clean tank is not going to stay that way by itself! It is up to the aquarium owner to do the maintenance on his or her tank, and keep it looking and smelling clean and nice. It can be a lot of work to adhere to a schedule in order to keep a fish tank clean, and this discourages some people from ever owning a nice aquarium.

That’s a shame, because there are products out on the market now that can really help even someone with very little freshwater aquarium fish experience to keep a sparkling tank and healthy fish. One such product is from the EcoBio-Block family of products for your aquarium, and it goes by the name of EcoBio-Stone. The EcoBio-Stone-M is the size that is best for a mid-sized aquarium.

You can also purchase EcoBio-Block in other forms, such as the Pebbles or EcoBio-Stone S for smaller tanks that could go up to twenty gallons in size. An EcoBio-Stone L is the size you would need for an aquarium that could range from forty gallons all the way up to one hundred gallons.

Just what do these products do? The EcoBio products contain an inventive mixture of volcanic rock and cement with a good portion of beneficial bacteria mixed in with some nutrients for the bacteria. This bacteria is the same type that the Japanese favorite known as “Natto” has in it. All these friendly little bacteria are sealed into the EcoBio-Block; all they need to grow and prosper is a little water.

When added to aquarium water, these bacteria begin to multiply, and it won’t be long before they have taken over much of the routine maintenance work in your aquarium.
These beneficial bacteria proliferate quickly. Their job is to erode and do away with the organic matter that falls to the bottom of the tank, the mulm that you siphon up with your aquarium vacuum. Your tank water stays cleaner and of better quality without having to vacuum the substrate once a week or so.

Your aquarium will be clear, have no odor, and the bacteria will oxidize ammonia and nitrites into safer by-products. The lava rock will slowly add trace minerals and a little calcium to the tank water to balance it. An EcoBio-Block can last for up to two years. Shouldn’t you use one when starting a new fish tank?

gravel siphone

One of the first tidbits of information many new aquarium owners get, often has to do with partial water changes. It is important to be aware of the importance of partial water changes for your freshwater aquarium. However, doing this tank maintenance the wrong way can be just as bad, or worse, than not doing anything at all about changing the water.

Many beginners think tank maintenance means that twice a month, you take out the fish, drain the water, take out the gravel and anything else in the tank, and wash everything except the fish thoroughly! This is rather extreme, and unfortunately, anyone who practices this method will be out of the fish hobby very quickly.

A partial water change takes place when you change a part of the water in your aquarium on a regular basis. The key word here is part. So many novice owners will take out half of the water or more, add back fresh water, and not bother to add any sort of water conditioner. Then they wonder why they usually have a fish death or two after each water change! Novices have been known to exclaim knowingly to others that changing the water in an aquarium will kill your fish!

Nothing could be further from the truth, but unless you know how to change the water properly, it could seem to be true. Your fish may seem to thrive without regular water changes and proper tank maintenance, but they will more than likely be very stressed due to the poor conditions they must live in.

How do you know when it is time to perform this sort of maintenance on your aquarium? Generally, aquarium hobbyists to prevent a drop in the water’s pH, or a spike of the nitrate values will change the water every week or so. If the sides of your tank have started to collect algae, this is another sign that a partial water change is needed. By paying close attention to the appearance of your aquarium, subtle changes are more easily seen.

So, how do we do these partial water changes, and do them correctly? You will need certain equipment to do this job. It is best to have a tool called a gravel siphon to help to drain the water and clean up part of the substrate at the same time. You will also need a couple of buckets, water conditioner, and a scrubbing pad made just for aquarium use.

How much water should be taken from the tank during a partial water change? Most of those who have experience in maintaining fish tanks will say that no more than one-fourth of the total amount of water in the aquarium should be removed. Of course, if you have gone too long between water changes, you may well have to remove more than this amount. This is why it is important to do these changes on a regular basis. Removing too much water stresses out the fish, and also upsets the bacterial balance of the water, which contributes to the stress felt by the fish.

That is why the addition of an EcoBio-Block to your aquarium is one of the best things you can do. The EcoBio-Block not only keeps the tank water crystal clear, but also establishes a friendly and beneficial bacterium that will multiply freely for about two years. Other nutrients and minerals are added to the water as well. You do not have to worry about the bacterial balance with an EcoBio-Block product! This product also dramatically decreases the number of times you will need to do a partial water change and vacuum the gravel. The water stays clean and clear, with no discernable odor, and you have saved both time and money. Using the EcoBio-Block can give the novice to the world of aquariums a good feeling about his new hobby.