How often to change the water in the aquarium and how to do it right
Miscellaneous / / April 05, 2023
Follow these instructions if you want the inhabitants of the aquarium to be healthy.
Why change the water in the aquarium
Gradually, the water becomes polluted with waste products of fish, snails and turtles, food residues, dying parts of plants and other organic matter. All this serves as food for the bacteria living in the aquarium, and they process such food into nitrates - nitrogen compounds. In fact, this component does not pose a threat if its content is not more than 40 mg / l.
But when the concentration of nitrates in the water rises greatly, the inhabitants of the aquarium begin to suffer. Not only the test will tell about the problem, but also their behavior. The fish become lethargic and slow in growth, their appetite decreases, the color fades, and spawning stops. Just like snails, they can simply die.
Turtles are carnivorous and kept separate from fish and snails. But the water in their aquariums needs to be changed regularly for the same reasons: contaminated liquid has a bad effect on the immunity of animals.
An excess of nitrogenous compounds also affects plants. They noticeably increase in growth, become covered with fungi and become a source of unpleasant odors.
Another important indicator is pH, or the acid-base balance of water. Normally, it should be in the range from 6.8 to 7.2. Raising or lowering the level leads to the death of all living things in the aquarium.
Timely replacement of water in the aquarium helps to maintain the normal development and immunity of its inhabitants.
How to know when it's time to change the water in the aquarium
You can use special rapid tests that are sold in pet stores. It is worth considering changing the water if the nitrate concentration exceeds 40 mg / l or the pH does not fit into the range from 6.8 to 7.2 (or both).
But you can also focus on the eye. Polluted water becomes cloudy or yellowish, fish behave passively or, conversely, too actively, become stained, the color turns pale, and plants and algae multiply rapidly. In advanced cases, the walls of the aquarium and the decorative elements inside it are covered with mucus.
How often to change the water in the aquarium
In the first two months after you first filled the aquarium and populated it with fish or snails, you should not change the water so as not to interfere with the normal formation of the ecosystem. And then you need to add liquid monthly, that is, carry out the so-called partial replacement. When the home pond is one year old, the procedure is carried out more often - about once every 2 weeks. At the same time, no more than 20% of the total volume of water in the aquarium is replaced.
But these are approximate dates. The frequency of replacement depends on various factors: the number and type of inhabitants and plants, the quality of the filter and the volume of the aquarium. The smaller the container, the faster the moisture will evaporate, especially if the protective cover is not installed. There are such general recommendations for updating water, depending on the volume of the aquarium:
- 10 l - once every 3-4 days;
- 20 l - once every 5-7 days;
- 30 l - once every 7-10 days;
- 50 l - once every 10-15 days;
- 100 l - once every 2-3 weeks;
- 200 liters - once a month.
And a partial replacement should be carried out if foreign objects accidentally got into the aquarium.
But a complete fluid change is carried out in emergency cases. For example, when the water begins to bloom or acquires a putrid smell, the fish get sick or die, and regular partial replacement does not get rid of the reproduction of fungi and the formation of mucus. Also, a signal for action will be the appearance of silt in the ground.
Turtles are a little different. The water in the aquarium should be partially changed at least once a week. If you skip the procedure, at best, the liquid will become cloudy and smell unpleasant, and at worst, waste turtles will cause infection and disease for her. And once a month you need to carry out a complete replacement in the water in the turtle house.
What kind of water to pour into the aquarium
Using untreated tap water is a bad idea. It can be too hard and contain a lot of chlorine. But this problem is easy to solve with a little patience. Pour cold tap water into a container where it will have maximum contact with air, such as a wide basin. Let the liquid stand for 2-3 days. During this time, harmful substances will have time to evaporate.
You can also look at the website of the water utility for information on the composition of water in your area. The maximum level of chlorine for fish, snails and turtles is 0.25 mg/l. If in tap water too much of this substance (and it is often used for cleaning), you can additionally pass it through a charcoal filter before you start to settle in the basin. Or use special products to neutralize chlorine, which are available in pet stores.
By the way, in an aquarium for fish and snails, you need to fill in water at room temperature - from 22 to 25 ° C, and for turtles - from 22 to 28 ° C.
How to partially replace the water in the aquarium
What you need
- Containers and a long tube for draining water (or an aquarium siphon, which can be bought at a pet store);
- sponge for washing dishes and an old toothbrush;
- containers for small fish or turtles;
- settled water for replacement.
How to change water
- Remove all large decor items and artificial plants from the aquarium, if any. Rinse them under running water and clean with a sponge or an old toothbrush.
- Turn off the water filter, unplug it and remove it from the aquarium. Take it apart and also clean with a toothbrush, rinse with water, and then reassemble.
- If there are small fish in the aquarium, you can temporarily resettle them in a jar of clean water. Turtles at the time of cleaning is also better to transplant into a container of water at room temperature - for example, in a basin.
- Lower the tube or siphon to the bottom of the aquarium and start pumping the liquid into a bucket on the floor. If the aquarium is large, stock up on several containers. In the process, try to collect small debris that has accumulated below. Remember that you need to drain no more than 20-25% of the volume of water in the aquarium.
- After that, wipe the walls of the aquarium from dirt with a clean, damp sponge. Use any detergent facilities by no means is it possible.
- Return all washed decorations and artificial plants to the aquarium.
- Pour clean, settled water at room temperature into the aquarium. Do this slowly with a glass or bottle. You need to add no more than ⅕ of the volume of the aquarium.
- If you have temporarily resettled fish or turtles, return them to the aquarium, and then install and turn on the water filter.
How to change the water in the aquarium completely
Such general cleaning should be done in fish and snails only in emergency cases, and in turtles - once a month. In general, the procedure is similar to a partial water change, but there are some nuances.
What you need
- Containers and a long tube for draining water (or an aquarium siphon, which can be bought at a pet store);
- sponge for washing dishes and an old toothbrush;
- settled water for replacement;
- containers for fish, snails, plants or turtles.
How to change water
- Remove the water filter from the mains and then from the aquarium. Disassemble it into its component parts, rinse each under running water and clean the old dental brush.
- Remove decorations, artificial plants, soil and stones from the aquarium. Rinse them under running water without using any means, and then pour boiling water over them.
- Prepare separate containers with clean settled water and transfer all the fish and snails from the aquarium into them using a net or cup. If there are a lot of inhabitants, put a water filter in the tank so that they have enough oxygen while you clean their main dwelling. Move the turtles to a basin or other volumetric container with water at room temperature.
- Plants and algae are also carefully transferred for a while into a separate container with water.
- Lower the tube or siphon to the bottom of the aquarium, and its other end into the prepared bucket or other container. Drain all water.
- Thoroughly wipe all the walls of the aquarium from the inside with a damp sponge or cloth. Do not use detergents for this.
- After that, put the washed soil, stones and other decorations into the aquarium.
- Carefully fill the aquarium with prepared water at room temperature so that its level is at least 2-3 cm from the edge.
- Return live plants and algae to the aquarium, and then, using a small glass, gradually lower the fish into fresh water. Move the snails or turtles with your hands.
- Install a water filter and connect it to the mains.
What will help the aquarium stay clean longer
These rules will allow you to change the water in the fish tank a little less often, snails or turtles.
- Try not to overpopulate the aquarium. The more fish and plants, the more organic waste they will produce. And this directly affects the purity of water.
- Turtles should not be kept crowded. They eat a lot and defecate a lot, so the less water there is in the aquarium, the more often it will have to be changed.
- Don't overfeed your fish. First, they will be forced to defecate more often. And secondly, extra feed will also pollute the water.
- Cover the aquarium with a special lid. With it, water will evaporate more slowly, which means that the concentration of harmful substances in the liquid will not grow so quickly.
- Make sure that foreign objects do not get into the aquarium. They can disrupt the ecosystem in two ways.
- Control the temperature in the aquarium. Optimal for both fish and turtles is the range from 22 to 28 ° C. If necessary, use special heaters or cooling elements that can be found in pet stores.
Read also🐠🐶🪴
- Animals are not toys: how the irresponsibility of the owners kills pets
- 12 Best Pets for Kids
- How to understand a dog and make it understand you
- How to transplant a houseplant in 3 steps without harming it
- How to choose a poinsettia and care for it so that it stays beautiful for a long time