Habitat Management Info

Overview

When caring for the fish tank, it is important to remember that we are almost entirely responsible for creating and managing the environment and habitat that the fish live in day to day. Many of the natural processes which occur out and about in rivers and streams also occur in the aquarium, and the most notable is decay. There are some exceptions to this, and our primary concern with these is the lack of cycling chemicals and nutrients, which becomes a concern when paired with decay.

Nitrogen Cycle

The best way for us to track the Nitrogen cycle in an aquarium is by measuring the levels of ammonia in the water. The primary sources of ammonia in an aquarium such as ours are:

• • Extra or left-over food

  • Natural waste (Urine, feces, etc)

  • Dead fish

Decaying matter and the fish themselves will naturally create Ammonia, which is very toxic to the fish. Ammonia is broken down by beneficial bacteria (Nitrosomonas, Nitrospira, Nitrobacter) into Nitrite ( which is just as toxic as ammonia) and then finally into Nitrate (not as toxic, but can be at high levels). These necessary bacteria live in the water as well as in the bio-ceramic rings placed at the top of the filter.

Managing Fish Water

When doing any kind of work or care in an aquarium, it's important to remember that you are changing many facets of their habitat environment, perhaps more than one may intend to affect. Let's consider water changes, which are likely the most common maintenance done in the tank. When you remove 25% of the water, you remove 25% of the ammonia present in the tank. You also remove 25% of those bacteria that are, in a very literal sense, keeping the fish alive. Changing too much water at a time, or doing changes too often, can be detrimental to the chemical and bacterial balance. As a general rule, do not remove more than 3 buckets, or 10-12 gallons, from the tank in a single given week.

Water Quality Testing and Fish/Plant Purchases

Before acquiring new fish or plants, make sure to test for Temperature, pH, Ammonia, Nitrate, and Nitrate. Since we don't test Nitrite or Nitrate here at KidSpirit, a water sample from the tank needs to be taken to Animal House, a pet store on 4th street. Stay for the results of their tests and take their advice on how to adjust levels to normal if needed. Consider bringing them another sample in a week if water conditions are not optimal.

These tests should be performed during the first week of every other month, starting in January, and before acquiring new fish so Animal House can help us determine what will work best for our tank in regard to fish ecosystem functions.

Optimal Values:

The temperature should be between 75 and 80 degrees.

The pH really needs to be between 7.0 and 7.2, but because that may be difficult, 6.8 to 7.3 is acceptable.

The Ammonia should be as close to zero as possible. If there appears to be any reading on the test, do a water change just to be safe.

Fish Varieties: