Aquarium and Pond Care with EcoBio-Block

The health of your saltwater aquarium is critical to the survival of your fish and corals. While feeding your fish, some tasks like observing the quality of the water, topping off the water, and checking the water temperature should be done on a daily basis. There are also other tasks you must do on a regular basis to ensure the health of your saltwater aquarium.

How often you will need to perform extensive cleaning will depend on what type of filter system you have.  Filter systems such as Jaubert/Plenum and true Berlin Live Rock don’t require much maintenance, but systems such as canister filters and Wet-Dry Trickle require much more attention.  The specific factors that will determine how often you need to clean your aquarium tank include the following:

• The amount and type of food you feed to your fish.
• The type of filtration that you use.
• The biological load that is on your filtration system.
• Whether you use tank janitors or not.
• How often you use toxin-reducing products like phosphate and nitrate.

Monitoring weekly water tests will also help you determine whether you need to perform cleaning tasks on your tank more often or less often. One way to simplify your maintenance needs is to use EcoBio-Block products. Made of natural zeolite, the blocks contain beneficial bacteria which live and multiply in the block. Dispersing into the water, they break down organic waste and keep your tank clear and healthy. Then all you need to do is observe and take note of certain conditions in your tank to determine how often you need to clean it.

In regards to your fish, you should observe the following:

• Their color, eyes, and fins.
• Their movements in the tank.
• How much food they are consuming.
• Whether they appear to have parasites or not.

In regards to your invertebrates, observe the following:

• Their movements in the tank.
• How much food they are consuming.

Observe the following when it comes to your corals:

• Their color.
• Whether they are open or not.

Here is what to note about the water in your tank:

• The movement of the water.
• The clearness of the water.

In regards to the tank janitors:

• Their effectiveness in cleaning the aquarium
• Their activity.

When observing the substrate:

• Check for the presence of algae.
• See if there is debris, such as uneaten food and detritus.

You should be testing your water parameters at least once per week.  If you notice slight changes in some of your tests, that is usually normal, but keep an eye on them to make sure that they are not the start of some trends that could affect the health of your aquarium.

What are the water parameters you should be keeping track of?

• Temperature
• pH
• Alkalinity
• Salinity
• Ammonia
• Nitrite
• Nitrate
• Calcium
• Iodine
• Phosphate

You should know what the Normal Sea Water (NSW) values are (consult a table that lists these, such as the one found here:  http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/planasystem/ig/Guide-Charts–Tables–Diagrams/Major-Elements-in-Saltwater-.htm) and what the target water test levels (again, consult a table that lists these, such as the one found here:  http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/planasystem/ig/Guide-Charts–Tables–Diagrams/Target-Water-Values.htm).

There might be times when you decide that a major cleaning of your aquarium must be done. It takes a fair amount of time to do it properly, but after you’ve done it a few times, you’ll be able to lessen the time it takes to do it each time.

You should start from the inside of your tank and work outwards. Place some towels on the floor so that any water that spills out does not damage your floor (remember that the water is saltwater, not freshwater, which can increase the chances of the water damaging your floor). Scrub the algae from the submerged equipment and tank walls.  Siphon the clean substrate. Change the water. Top off the new water with new (pre-mixed) saltwater. Test the parameters that were not normal originally and record the new results.  Add supplements if necessary to adjust the levels to appropriate readings.Next, you should deal with your filtration system. Remove debris from the bottom of your sump. Either clean or change the material of the mechanical filter. Check your adsorbents and see if they need to be cleaned or even changed. You should clean your biological filter material by rinsing it in saltwater. Empty your protein skimmer’s collection cup and adjust the water and air flow as needed. You should clean around your light bulbs and fixtures. Replace old bulbs as necessary.

You should make sure that your pumps are free of blockages, cleaning the filters as necessary. You should also check the hose connections to make sure that they are operating at their full capabilities. You should also clean the salt creep (or salt crystals that are behind when saltwater is spilled somewhere and the fresh water evaporates).

Check the amount of debris in your mechanical filter to get a better idea of whether you need to do major cleanings more or less often. When a mechanical filter becomes clogged and overworked, contaminants will either go around the filter material or be forced through the filter, which will only further decrease the effectiveness of your filter.

By keeping a record of your observations, you can adjust how often you perform major maintenance tasks on your saltwater aquarium tank. By following the advice in this article and keeping a regular maintenance schedule, you can have and maintain a healthy saltwater aquarium tank.

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.

Waterlily

Did you know that plants are an essential element of the ecological system of your pond? Water plants are also an important part of the maintenance of your pond. If you haven’t planned to have plants in your pond, you might want to rethink that decision.

Many people do prefer the rather stark look in pond design, and are very happy with a no-live-plant pond. However, if you do not have plants in your pond, it will soon become full of algae, which is not a pretty sight. The reason for this is that algae vie with the plants for all of the different nutrients that are in the water.

Plants are beautiful, and they can do even more for your pond if you do decide to use them. A varied selection of plants in your pond will help to filter the water by turning the fish waste into food for the plants. Plants will also provide oxygen for your fish, and by covering the surface of the water, will protect your plants from predators. By having plants in your pond, your fish will have a perfect habitat for spawning.

Aquatic plants perform many essential jobs while at the same time adding beauty to your pond. In the daytime, the plants in your pond take in carbon dioxide, and then release oxygen into the air. At night, water plants do the exact opposite, and take in oxygen, then release carbon dioxide into the air.

Mother Nature has her own system for making pond water that has become cloudy clear again, and for purifying water in general. This is done in nature via the use of beneficial bacteria. The bacteria break down the organic waste that any pond naturally will have, and then returns it back from whence it came. You can give Mother Nature a boost by using EcoBio-Block nsM, a product that makes use of this system of nature. The beneficial bacteria live and multiply in the block, and keep your pond populated with beneficial bacteria that will make your pond‘s environment clear and healthy.

The EcoBio-Block nsM and EcoBio-Block Wave does not take the place of plants. Nor does it take the place of proper pond maintenance. What it will do is cut down on the amount of maintenance that your pond will need. The block decomposes organic matter, which clarifies the water in your pond so that it is beautiful and clear, while eliminating odors . The nitrifying bacteria in the Eco-Bio Block nsM establishes itself quickly in new pond setups as well as in ponds that have been in place for some time.

You’ll find that the Eco-Bio Block nsM is easy to use. All you must do is rinse the block well and soak it in a container overnight, then place it in your pond near anywhere the water is flowing. An Eco-Bio Block nsM will give you more than 2 years of improved water quality in your pond. Since the Eco-Bio Block nsM was originally used in Japan to clear up pollution in rivers, canals, and even the ocean, it will do an amazing job for you in your backyard pond.