What is going on in there?
I do like the big picture look at things as it helps me sort out the activities that I need to engage in to keep things moving forward. For example, I heard somewhere that fish-keeping is more like water-keeping where the fish and plants are a bonus. I would tend to agree and here's why:
There are three things that are poisonous to the fish that are being kept in an aquarium. In order of toxicity they are ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Ammonia is removed from the water via plants and, most importantly, bacteria. The bacteria that remove the ammonia produce nitrite that is removed by a second type of bacteria and some plants (like java moss for example). The bacteria that remove the nitrite produce nitrate that is removed by plants and water changes. Excess nitrate can harm fish, but it takes a lot longer for this to build up to toxic levels than the ammonia and the nitirite. Plants remove nitrate from the water and there are certain tanks that are so heavily planted that they do not need water changes. I do not have a tank like that so I am left to perform water changes every week to week and a half to keep things comfortable.
As long as the three aforementioned things are absent or controlled in the aquarium and the temperature paramteters are kept in the right zone I am good to go with most freshwater fish. Of course things a tad more complicated if I want to venture into some chiclids, brackish water fish or saltwater fish. Some fish originating in fast moving water and rivers benefit from softer water than is availbale from my tap, but, again, it is all about the water.
Our tank has been running pretty well for about 8 months now and we have not had a fish death since October 2008. I would like to add a few more plants (that cursed anubias hastifolia has to go) but by and large we are good to go. If I just focus on the water the fish will come along for the ride.
There are three things that are poisonous to the fish that are being kept in an aquarium. In order of toxicity they are ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Ammonia is removed from the water via plants and, most importantly, bacteria. The bacteria that remove the ammonia produce nitrite that is removed by a second type of bacteria and some plants (like java moss for example). The bacteria that remove the nitrite produce nitrate that is removed by plants and water changes. Excess nitrate can harm fish, but it takes a lot longer for this to build up to toxic levels than the ammonia and the nitirite. Plants remove nitrate from the water and there are certain tanks that are so heavily planted that they do not need water changes. I do not have a tank like that so I am left to perform water changes every week to week and a half to keep things comfortable.
As long as the three aforementioned things are absent or controlled in the aquarium and the temperature paramteters are kept in the right zone I am good to go with most freshwater fish. Of course things a tad more complicated if I want to venture into some chiclids, brackish water fish or saltwater fish. Some fish originating in fast moving water and rivers benefit from softer water than is availbale from my tap, but, again, it is all about the water.
Our tank has been running pretty well for about 8 months now and we have not had a fish death since October 2008. I would like to add a few more plants (that cursed anubias hastifolia has to go) but by and large we are good to go. If I just focus on the water the fish will come along for the ride.
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