Aquarium and Pond Care with EcoBio-Block

Even if you make sure to perform regular water changes and keep your aquarium filter running properly, it is likely that your fish will contract a disease at some point. Keeping your tank clean and feeding your fish a healthy diet are two of the most effective ways to prevent disease, but you cannot completely protect your fish. Aquarium fish diseases fall into four different categories and if you understand the basics about these diseases you will be better equipped to deal with them. Knowledge is the key to quickly diagnosing and treating aquarium fish diseases and the more quickly you are able to do so, the greater the chances are that your fish will recover.

Bacterial Diseases

Goldfish with Popeye

Poor water quality is the most common cause of bacterial infections and fish that are already stressed due to poor tank conditions or prior injury have an increased susceptibility to bacterial diseases. Bacterial infections may be either external or internal but external infections are the most common. External bacterial infections often produce symptoms like ragged or rotting fins, lethargy, reddening of the skin and ulcers. Internal infections may result in hemorrhaging and fluid build-up. Some of the most common bacterial infections include fin rot, dropsy, tuberculosis and red pest. Salt baths are a common treatment for bacterial infections, though medications such as potassium permanganate and chloramine-T are also effective.

Fungal Diseases

Fungal diseases are some of the most common among freshwater fish and examples of fungal diseases include cotton mouth, egg fungus and gill rot. Because fungal spores are already present in most aquariums, it only takes a decline in water quality for the disease to spread. Fish that are already stressed or injured are much more likely to contract fungal infections. Common symptoms of fungal diseases include white cottony growths, excessive mucus production and difficulty breathing or eating. Fungal infections are most often treated with antifungal agents such as phenoxyethanol and Malachite Green, though salt baths are also known to be effective.

Parasite Diseases

Parasite infections are caused by microscopic organisms which enter the bodies of fish and feed off of them, often killing the fish in the process. Common parasite infections include Ich, Hexamita, Chilodonella and Velvet. These diseases often produce symptoms such as ulcers, visible cysts or spots, loss of appetite and rubbing against tank objects. Increasing tank temperature can sometimes help to speed up the life cycle of the parasite but more common treatments include potassium permanganate, formalin and acriflavine.

Viral Diseases

Viral infections are some of the most difficult to diagnose and to treat because they are largely internal and cannot be treated directly. The most recognizable symptom of viral disease is wart-like growths, though red streaks or bruises on the skin and fins are also common. Some viral diseases may result in bloating, hemorrhaging, anorexia and lethargy. Fish pox, Lymphocystis and viral hemorrhagic septicemia are some of the most common viral infections. Most viral infections have no cure and even if the infected fish survives it may be a lifelong carrier of the disease.

Tips for Keeping Fish Healthy

You already know that keeping your fish tank clean is the key to keeping your fish healthy. What you may not realize, however, is that something as simple as adding an EcoBio-Stone to your tank can make a big difference in maintaining high water quality. EcoBio-Stones are made from porous volcanic cement and infused with beneficial bacteria. When the stone is immersed in water, the beneficial bacteria multiply to form a colony in your tank that will help maintain the nitrogen cycle and clarify the water. When combined with routine water changes and adequate filtration, an EcoBio-Stone can help to keep your aquarium clean and clear which will lower the chances of your fish contracting a disease.

Typical Aqurium Tank

There are several common misconceptions surrounding aquarium size. One of the most common mistakes a novice aquarium hobbyist can make is to think that a larger tank is more work to maintain than a smaller tank. In many cases, the opposite is true. When choosing the right size aquarium there are a variety of factors to consider including the level of maintenance you are willing to perform, the space you have available in your home and the types of fish you want to raise.

Tank Maintenance

If you set up your tank with the right equipment there should be relatively little maintenance involved, regardless of your tank size. Your aquarium filter will do most of the work in keeping your tank water clear by filtering out waste and toxic substances. Larger water volumes equate to a greater level of forgiveness for mistakes on the part of the aquarium hobbyist because higher water volumes dilute toxins better than small volumes. The water in smaller tanks must be changed more frequently than that in large tanks to prevent it from becoming too hard.

How to Choose the Right Size Aquarium Tank

The size and location of the space you have available in your home should be one of the major factors in considering the right size for your aquarium. You need to be able to place your tank in a low-traffic area out of direct sunlight in order to prevent accidents and excess algae growth. Before you shop for your tank, measure the space where you intend to install it and be sure you have a sturdy cabinet or stand large enough to accommodate the tank size you want. You should also keep in mind, when selecting a location for your tank, that you need to be able to access it easily in order to perform routine maintenance tasks.

Type of Fish

It may seem counterintuitive to select your aquarium fish before purchasing a tank, but doing so will help you to determine the right tank size. If you plan to fill your tank with small community fish like tetras and guppies you probably will not need anything larger than a 20- or 30- gallon tank. Larger fish, however, such as cichlids and many saltwater fish require upwards of 50 gallons of tank volume. When determining the proper size for your tank, consider the full-grown size of your fish – not the size at which you plan to purchase them. If you are just starting out, stick to the rule of purchasing one inch of fish per one gallon of tank capacity. This rule will help to prevent overcrowding in your tank.

Other Tips for Maintaining Your Tank

Choosing the right size tank for your fish is one of the simplest ways to ensure that they are able to enjoy a healthy environment. The larger the tank you select, the less you will have to worry about toxicity and overcrowding but not every hobbyist has room for a large tank. No matter what size tank you choose there are a few simple things you can do to keep it clean and healthy. Introducing an EcoBio-Stone, for example, is an easy way to boost the nitrogen cycle in your tank, ensuring that the water stays clean and clear. EcoBio-Stones are made from natural volcanic cement and infused with special beneficial bacteria. Once introduced into your tank, these bacteria will multiply and establish a colony of beneficial bacteria that will work to revitalize your tank water, remove odors and reduce the amount of necessary maintenance you have to perform.

Planted freshwater aquarium

Live plants perform two essential roles in the freshwater aquarium. First, live plants enhance the appearance of your aquarium in a way that artificial plants cannot. Fake aquarium plants often look rigid and unrealistic whereas live plants bloom and grow, filling your aquarium with natural beauty. Second, live aquarium plants improve the water quality in your tank by removing nitrates and by oxygenating the water. Some aquarium plants even help to reduce algae growth.

Before you begin cultivating a planted aquarium, make sure you have adequate tank space to accommodate the growth of live aquarium plants. A tank height between 12 and 18 inches is sufficient along with a volume between 15 and 50 gallons. In addition to providing your live plants with plenty of space to grow, adequate filtration is necessary in order to circulate the water and to remove toxins and waste. Undergravel filters may hamper the spread of plant roots and are not recommended for planted tanks. The best filter for a planted aquarium is a power filter that provides both mechanical and chemical filtration.

Lighting is one of the most important aspects in keeping live aquarium plants healthy. Aquarium plants require at least 2 watts of fluorescent lighting per gallon of tank capacity in order to grow properly. Special plant-friendly fluorescent lights are available at most pet supply stores but regular full spectrum and daylight varieties work just as well and are much less expensive. Leave the lights on in your tank for 10 to 12 hours a day to maximize plant growth and replace the bulbs every few months to ensure the maximum efficacy.

Though many aquarium plants do well in regular gravel or sand, substrates designed with aquarium plants in mind are best for optimal plant growth. Plants need a supply of iron in order to grow properly so substrates like Fluorite and Eco-Complete which provide plants with this nutrient are recommended for planted tanks. If you do not want to purchase a planting substrate, consider at least putting down a 1-inch layer of peat moss or laterite under your gravel to fertilize your plants. Providing your plants with the right substrate will enhance their growth, ensuring that they will be able to do the work of improving the water quality in your tank.

To maximize the water quality-enhancing effects of live aquarium plants, pot one or two of them in an EcoBio-Planter. The EcoBio-Planter is made from natural zeolite and crushed stone, making it the perfect environment to cultivate the microbes and beneficial bacteria that help aquarium plants to thrive. If you choose to use the planter, place a fertilizer tablet in the planter before adding your plant because it will not have access to any fertilizer you add to the substrate in your tank. EcoBio-Block products help to improve water quality by establishing a colony of nitrifying bacteria that clear cloudy water, making it a healthier environment for live plants.

Cultivating a planted freshwater tank is not as difficult as it may seem to the novice aquarium hobbyist. Aside from providing the right substrate, lighting and nutrients there is little else that must be done on a day to day basis to keep your aquarium plants thriving. In order to ensure the success of your planted aquarium, purchase an aquarium water test kit to check the CO2 and nitrogen levels in your tank on a weekly basis and make adjustments when necessary. If you provide your plants with the right environment they will grow well and repay you by keeping your freshwater aquarium clear and healthy.

Variety of aquarium filters

Many people are choosing to have aquariums with many different types of fish in them. Certainly, they are beautiful and relaxing to look at, but it takes some knowledge and work to ensure that your fish remain healthy and that your aquarium looks as good as you envision it will. One of the ways to ensure that it does is by choosing the best aquarium filter for your fish.

Even before deciding upon the filter, you need to decide what type of aquarium you will have. If this will be your first aquarium, it’s advisable that you start with a small aquarium first, as they are a little easier to maintain. Plus, you can always upgrade to a larger aquarium if the need and desire arise later.

Second, you need to carefully consider what filter will work best with your chosen aquarium. The filter is vital equipment, as it removes impurities from the water of your aquarium either via fine physical obstacles or via chemical processes. Choosing the right type of filter now can save you from hours of backbreaking maintenance work later on.

You should consider all three types of filters: biological, chemical, and mechanical.

Wet-dry filters actually employ all three types of filtration systems mentioned above, leading to less maintenance requirements than other types of filters. Wet-dry filters are more expensive, however, so they may not be the best choice for people who have an aquarium for the first time and/or are on a limited budget.

The three types of filters use different types of processes in order to eliminate the impurities in the water and to make the water cleaner and safer for your fish. Biological filters use bacteria to crack ammonia and nitrites.  Chemical filters use activated charcoal in order to eliminate unwanted dissolved wastes from the water. Mechanical filters use filtering particles and filter floss in order to remove impurities from the water.

If you choose to use a biological filter, it’s important to add the filter to the aquarium BEFORE you add the fish. You should also NOT add too many fish to the aquarium too soon, as the bacteria from the biological filter needs time to reduce the ammonia and nitrate levels. Too many fish in the water will cause the biological filter to work overtime, and the bacteria won’t be able to keep up with the increased demand, leading to high ammonia levels and the deaths of your fish.

You can help to make sure that there are enough bacteria in the water by using EcoBio-Block® products, which regularly adds nitrifying bacteria to new aquariums so that the water in your aquarium is safer and more beneficial for your fish. This will keep your water clear and healthy and reduce maintenance work.

One of the best choices of aquarium filters, especially for new and inexperienced aquarium owners, is an undergravel filter. This type of filter is inexpensive and totally keeps out debris from the aquarium. It also pulls water that is rich in oxygen through the gravel to help make the aquarium environment more livable for your fish.

One other type of filtration for you to consider is a sponge filter.  This filter is one that provides both mechanical and biological filtration. It has a large foam rubber (like a sponge) block that is connected to a lift tube or small power head. Water is drawn through the sponge to remove small particles from the water and to help grow bacteria that will keep your pond in great condition for your fish and plants.

Having your own aquarium tank can be a wonderful experience, as the beautiful fish can mesmerize you and your guests for hours. Maintaining the health of your aquarium does take some work, but by choosing the proper filter for your aquarium, you are well on your way to creating a hospitable and beneficial environment for your fish so that they can mesmerize you for hours on end.

Using an aquarium vacuum for partial water change

Using an aquarium vacuum for partial water change

One of the first things a novice aquarium owner hears from fish-keeping friends and/or pet store personnel is the need for partial water changes of about 20 percent every few weeks, preferably on the same day of the week so as to have a set interval each time. This news may cause the new owner of an aquarium some apprehension, as they look at the size of their tank and try to figure out just how they are going to change the water without making a big mess.

You have tank owners who do this the hard way. They catch their fish, which can often take a while, and place them in a bucket already filled with water from the tank. Next, they dip out all the water by hand, using a bucket or some other container to do so. They then remove all of the wet, often smelly gravel by hand as well.

By the time the inside walls of the aquarium are spotless, the filter has been cleaned, the gravel rinsed clean, and the water replaced either by walking back and forth from the nearest faucet with a heavy bucket of water, splashing it here and there, or by pulling a garden hose inside, the typical aquarium owner is exhausted.

Other tank owners take a shortcut, which eliminates a good portion of the tank maintenance work. They make use of an aquarium vacuum when they take care of their partial water changes every 21 days or so. The typical aquarium vacuum attaches to a faucet indoors or out, and removes the water with the help of the water pressure from the faucet.

A tube is attached to one end of the aquarium vacuum, and can be pushed into deep gravel to suck out all the mulm waste and uneaten food, leaving cleaner gravel behind. Typically, the entire gravel bed is cleaned in this manner, then the filter medium is changed, and water is re-added to the aquarium.

There are some people who are new to the hobby of keeping fish that assume if taking 20 percent of the water out of the tank, then doing a partial water change of 50 percent or more would be even better. Unfortunately, these folks learn the hard way that removing too much water from an aquarium is not a good thing to do.

Aquarium water has a different chemistry after fish have lived in it for a period of time. Uneaten fish food and the waste products excreted by the fish cause these changes. The fish get used to the water chemistry. When too much of this ìlived inî water is removed, the fish cannot cope with the change, and become quite stressed. The weaker fish will die, often just a short time after they are placed back into the freshly cleaned aquarium. Hardier fish will live longer, perhaps for a few weeks or a couple of months before they also die.

Those uninitiated in fish keeping will swear that their partial water change killed their fish, and harbor the belief that doing partial water changes is not a good thing. They firmly believe that partial water changes should not be done at all if you want your fish to stay alive!

A much easier solution for solving the problem is to make use of the EcoBio-Block family of products. The EcoBio-Block is made from a distinctive type of volcanic rock that has been populated with live, friendly bacteria. These bacteria will grow and reproduce for a two-year period of time as they feed on the uneaten food and fish waste. This helps to keep the water crystal clear and free from odor, and makes frequent water changes unnecessary. You will have much more free time to enjoy the antics of your fish in your beautifully clean aquarium when you use an EcoBio-Block.