Aquarium and Pond Care with EcoBio-Block

Newly started fish tank

Even if you are new to the aquarium hobby you are probably familiar with the nitrogen cycle. Perhaps you have heard it referred to as the start-up cycle, the nitrification process or even new tank syndrome. Regardless what you call it, the nitrogen cycle is a very important process for the aquarium hobbyist to understand. Unless you understand  how this cycle works you may have trouble maintaining high water quality in your tank and your tank inhabitants could suffer as a result.

What is it?

Simply put, the nitrogen cycle is the biological process through which beneficial bacteria in your aquarium break down organic wastes and harmful substances like ammonia and nitrite, turning them into less harmful substances called nitrate. As your tank inhabitants eat and excrete waste, a layer of organic debris builds up in the substrate of your tank. This organic debris may include more than just excrement – it may also include uneaten fish food, decaying plant matter and even dead fish, if you do not clean your tank often enough. As this debris breaks down, a substance called ammonia is produced and released into your tank water. The nitrogen cycle, then, is the process by which aquatic bacteria convert that ammonia into a less harmful substance called nitrate.

The Three Stages

The first stage of the nitrogen cycle is the one in which ammonia is introduced into the tank by means of the breakdown of organic waste. As this organic waste breaks down, it forms either ionized ammonium (NH₄) or un-ionized ammonia (NH₃). While ammonium is not toxic to aquarium fish, ammonia is very harmful in high concentrations and it is especially problematic at pH levels above 7.0. In the second stage of the nitrogen cycle, bacteria called nitrosomonas oxidize the ammonia in the tank, thus eliminating it from the tank water. The byproduct of this process is nitrite which is just as toxic for aquarium fish as ammonia. In the third stage of the nitrogen cycle, bacteria called nitrobacter convert the nitrites into nitrates which are less harmful to aquarium fish but still toxic in high concentrations. The only way to remove nitrates from the tank, thus preventing a toxic concentration, is to perform weekly water changes.

Establishing the Nitrogen Cycle

When you first set up your aquarium it will take some time to establish a colony of beneficial bacteria sufficient to maintain the nitrogen cycle. Depending on the tank size and conditions, it generally takes one month or more for the nitrogen cycle to become fully established. The reason the nitrogen cycle is often referred to as “new tank syndrome” is because inexperienced aquarium hobbyists often  make the mistake of adding fish to their new tanks too quickly. Adding fish to a new tank before it has fully cycled can increase the biological load of the tank beyond the capacity of existing beneficial bacteria to handle – this can cause a number of problems including poor water quality and even the death of aquarium fish.

There are several ways to go about establishing the nitrogen cycle in your aquarium and there are also a few things you can do to speed the process along. One option is to add live bacteria cultures to your tank using substrate or filter media from an established tank. Another option is to install an EcoBio-Stone in your tank to introduce a colony of live beneficial bacteria that will jump start the biological processes in your tank. EcoBio-Stones are infused with live beneficial bacteria as well as the nutrients they need to multiply and maintain the nitrogen cycle in your tank. Once the nitrogen cycle has been established, the EcoBio-Stone will help to keep your tank water clean and clear for up to two years,  making your tank a healthier environment for your fish.

Whether you have a single fish that has grown too large for his tank or a group of fish that has multiplied, exceeding the capabilities of your current tank to support, it may be time to upgrade to a larger tank. While it may sound like a hassle, upgrading to a larger tank can actually be a relatively simple process and it is one that will benefit both you and your fish. If you try to keep a large fish, or a large number of fish in a tank too small, not only will your fish fail to thrive but you will find yourself performing ever more frequent water changes just to keep the water quality in the tank high. If you upgrade to a larger tank, the increased water capacity will provide your fish with the space they need to move and grow and it will also help to dilute toxins, thus reducing the need for frequent water changes.

Things to Consider When Upgrading

When it comes to upgrading your tank, of course, you need to think carefully about what size tank you want to upgrade to. Making the switch from a 20-gallon to a 29-gallon tank may be beneficial for your fish but if you are serious about the aquarium hobby you might want to go even larger – a 40- or 55-gallon tank might be a better choice. Once you have settled on a tank size, you need to take a look at your tank equipment to see whether it needs an upgrade as well. Even if your aquarium heater and filter are still in working order, they may be too small to accommodate your new tank size. Refer to the manual that came with your equipment to see what tank size it is recommended for – if your new tank falls within the recommended range you do not need to purchase new equipment.

Even if your current equipment still works, you might want to think of your tank upgrade as an opportunity to upgrade your aquarium equipment as well. Aquarium supply companies are constantly coming out with new and improved models so you may find that some of the newer aquarium heaters and filters have features that your current models lack. Think about whether these additional features will enhance the quality of your tank environment and if they will make your life easier in regard to maintenance – if both of these things seem to apply, it may be worth it to upgrade your equipment as well. After all, it never hurts to have a back-up filter and an aquarium heater that still works in the event that your new equipment suffers a malfunction.

Tips for Keeping Your New Tank Healthy

Once you have gone through the process of selecting and setting up your new, upgraded aquarium there are a few simple things you can do to keep it running properly. Be sure to keep up with your routine maintenance tasks by performing weekly water changes and by replacing your filter media every three to four weeks. You might also consider installing an EcoBio-Planter in your new tank to help keep the water clean and clear. EcoBio-Planters are made from natural zeolite and crushed stone, formed in the shape of a planter so they will fit seamlessly into your aquarium décor. These planters are infused with beneficial bacteria as well as the nutrients they need to survive. As soon as you add the planter to your tank, those bacteria will immediately begin working to maintain the nitrogen cycle in your tank, thus helping to keep the water clear and odor-free.

Setting up a new tank

After purchasing an aquarium and bringing it home, many novice aquarium hobbyists mistakenly believe that the most difficult task is behind them. It can be very hard, after all, to choose just one tank from among a wide variety of choices in aquarium sizes and shapes. Once you get your new aquarium home, however, the real work begins. If you take time to make the necessary preparations and research the proper procedure, setting up your first freshwater aquarium will be less of a hassle and your job will be much easier down the line when it comes to routine care and maintenance.

Selecting a Location

Place your aquarium on top of a sturdy cabinet or aquarium stand and position it somewhere you will be able to enjoy it. When selecting a location for your tank, keep in mind that if you place it in direct sunlight you will have problems with algae growth. It is also important to consider accessibility when selecting a location for your tank so that routine cleaning and maintenance does not become difficult.

Basic Set-Up Tips

1. Rinse the aquarium along with any gravel, plants and decorations in warm tap water. When rinsing gravel or substrate, stir the gravel well and flush it with water until the overflow runs clear.

2. Attach your aquarium background to the back of the tank using clear tape.

3. Pour the clean gravel into the tank then fill it about 2/3 full with warm tap water. Place a flat rock in the center of the tank and pour the water in over the rock to avoid scattering the gravel.

4. Check the water temperature in the tank as you fill it using an in-tank thermometer, adding warmer or cooler water as needed to keep the temperature between 70° and 76° Fahrenheit.

5. Set up your power filter according to the manufacturer’s instruction, but do not plug it in.

6. Mount your submersible aquarium heater on the wall of the tank, but do not plug it in. Leave adequate space around the heater to ensure even distribution of heated water and do not rest any decorations up against the heater itself.

7. Install your decorations and plants in the aquarium. Position the tallest plants near the back of the aquarium and place smaller plants up front.

8. Fill the tank the rest of the way with warm tap water and add your choice of dechlorinating solution, following the instructions on the bottle to determine how much to use.

9. Plug in your heater and filter and adjust them to the appropriate settings. Read the instructions included with your filter to determine whether you need to fill the filter with water before plugging it in.

10. Wait at least 24 hours before adding any fish to your aquarium. This will give the tank temperature time to stabilize and the nitrogen cycling process time to begin.

Other Tips for a Healthy Aquarium

In order to keep your aquarium running properly you need to establish a base of beneficial bacteria – a process often referred to as cycling the tank. Adding a few fish to the tank at a time is one of the most common ways to begin building a colony of beneficial bacteria but installing an EcoBio-Stone to your tank can help you to jumpstart the process. EcoBio-Block products are made of porous volcanic cement block infused with beneficial bacteria that will multiply upon being introduced into your tank. These bacteria help to speed up the nitrogen cycle, keeping the water in your tank clean and clear for your fish to enjoy and reduce the frequency of necessary water changes.

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.

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 M is the size you would need for an aquarium that could range from eight gallons all the way up to sixty 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 Products; 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?