Launch a new aquarium. Establishment of living balance

Preparing an aquarium for launch is not as easy as it might seem. This includes choosing a place for it, preparing water, selecting plants, fish, soil, as well as laying it out. It will not be a discovery for many that not every place is suitable for an aquarium, not every water is suitable for the inhabitants, not every plant is suitable for the first start, not every fish will withstand any conditions. Because of these reasons, an aquarium for beginners seems somewhat intimidating. No, in fact, everything is not that complicated, but if you don’t want to see a disastrous result in a few days, then step-by-step instructions describing the entire process will help you.

You have an aquarium of the required size, you already know who you want to put there. Where can he find a place in your home?

You don’t need to constantly move it from place to place, you need to choose one. This should not be a window sill or a place where there may be a draft or direct sunlight. Sun rays. And also make sure that the place is not noisy and there is no indoor radiator nearby.

The surface of the selected location must be clean and level, capable of withstanding high pressure. The edges of the aquarium should not protrude. If the surface is unable to support the weight, the bottom may crack. For more uniform unloading, you can look for soft substrates or rugs.

It is advisable that there be an outlet nearby, since the necessary equipment to support life inside will be connected to it.

After choosing a location, you need to prepare the aquarium itself for launch. It is necessary to wash it without using chemicals (no soap or detergent), you can do this baking soda or salt. Rinse the walls with water 4 times. And also, as an option, it is recommended to fill it with water to remove traces of sealant and other harmful substances. At the same time, you can check that it is definitely not leaking anywhere. Some people leave it flooded for several days to further wash away toxic substances, after which they rid it of water.

Preparing the soil

The soil is an important part, because it allows you to create an organic microclimate, is a nutrient medium and does not allow places of stagnant water to appear. It is where 90 percent of beneficial bacteria live. More details in a separate article.

Rinse the soil. If you choose pebbles or gravel, then you need to prepare salted water and boil them for 1 hour. If sand is used, heat it in a frying pan for 30 minutes, stirring constantly. After this, you need to sift the sand through a fine sieve to rid and remove small impurities. The soil is ready.

Now fill the aquarium 1/3 with water and lower the soil there. You can do this evenly over the entire bottom, you can make small slides and hillocks - it’s at your discretion. But the soil should fill the bottom by at least 4–5 cm.

We come up with a design

If the initial start-up of an aquarium includes a number of specific actions, then this is the moment when you can use your imagination. Now you can install driftwood, put stones, houses, pots, rocks and other accessories. Don't forget to treat them so as not to spread the infection. You can place them in random order and see what happens. Many people draw on paper how they would like all the accessories to be arranged and then place them there. No one is stopping you from moving them at your own discretion, but in order not to disturb the inhabitants, of course, it is better to do this in advance.

Pour in water and let it sit

Filling with tap water room temperature. It is advisable to use special indicators (they can be purchased at a pet store) to check the parameters and make sure that they meet the standards; if not, then it is recommended to let the water sit for 12 hours, during which time the chlorine will be removed from the water. Fill with water.

Small helpful advice. You can use a regular garden hose and the laws of physics. Raise a container of water above your aquarium, lower one end of the hose into it, and on the other part of the hose, apply a couple of suction forces so that some of the water gets inside it, and lower it into the aquarium. According to the law of communicating vessels, water will begin to flow through the hose. To avoid splashes, you can either place a plate on the bottom and direct the hose at it, or direct the water onto the glass of the aquarium.

Water preparation

After 2–4 days the water becomes slightly cloudy. This means that bacteria have begun to multiply. After a few days, the water will become clear, perhaps a little yellow. You can buy a special starter with beneficial bacteria and bring it inside. If you know someone with an existing aquarium that has favorable conditions, you can ask them for a filter squeeze, this will greatly help establish the environment when you are trying to start the aquarium for the first time.

Why are all the steps so important?

As you can see, you need to delve into the information, but there is nothing difficult about starting an aquarium from scratch. Many hobbyists don’t know where to start and try to quickly introduce fish into their first aquarium; as a result, the new inhabitants die. An aquarium is its own biological system in which a certain balance needs to be established. After all, microorganisms, algae, and bacteria live in it. A certain balance must be established between everyone. Do not forget to make sure that the fish can live comfortably with other fish and with plants. Be careful not to get inside later harmful substances from the outside, to maintain this balance. As a reward, you will receive your own beautiful aquarium, which you can constantly enjoy.

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In this article, we will try to help a beginner in starting a freshwater aquarium for the first time. We will start with a list of equipment that you will need first, and then, step by step, we will tell you how it is recommended to start your first aquarium.

List of equipment you will need:
Aquarium
Aquarium soil
Filter (internal or external)
Spare filter material
Heater
Lighting
Plants (also optional decorations, etc.)
Water tests (optional, but we highly recommend purchasing them to monitor the condition of the water)
Food for fish
Air pump if the filter is external
Net
Glass scraper
10 liter bucket

Let's start launching and arranging the aquarium

STEP 1: Responsibility.

Keeping and maintaining an aquarium is not that difficult, but there are steps that require commitment and consistency. Firstly, an aquarium can be compared with other pets, cats and dogs - it also needs attention, responsibility and care. In order for it to be beautiful and healthy, you will need to make some efforts.
Once a week (at least once every 2 weeks, but this is the maximum) it will be necessary to carry out Maintenance Your aquarium. Changing the water usually takes most of the time. You should also feed the fish at least once a day, in small portions, and ensure that any leftover food is not left to rot on the bottom, as this will spoil the water and therefore harm the inhabitants. You should also pay attention to money issue– aquarium keeping is not the cheapest hobby. There are fixed costs, such as replacing filter materials, feed, fertilizers, etc.
It also happens that fish get sick and need to be treated; for this there are special medications, usually not expensive, and special treatment methods.

STEP 2: Decide on the size of the aquarium.

To begin with, decide what kind of fish you want to see in your aquarium - small, medium or large, it directly depends on future size aquarium Some types of fish grow up to 3-4cm, and some can be 30-40cm or more in length! Knowing what kind of fish you will buy will make it easier for you to choose the size of the aquarium. The rule applies - the larger the aquarium, the more difficult it will be to disturb its biobalance after launch and, accordingly, it will be less problems. In our opinion, the most optimal size an aquarium for a beginner is up to 150 liters, but not less than 100. But if you are not sure whether you can handle this hobby (not in financial terms), buy a smaller aquarium.
Why big and not small? As already written above, it is easier to maintain biobalance, with a small one there will be a lot of trouble - the water spoils faster, the fish are not comfortable in small volumes, the slightest fluctuation in any parameters will lead to an outbreak of algae growth or the death of plants due to a lack of something. Also, dissolved oxygen quickly leaves the water in small volumes, and if there is suddenly a problem with the air supply, the fish will die from suffocation.

STEP 3: Decide on where to install the aquarium.

The aquarium should be placed where there will be no external influence on it, such as sunlight from a window or a heating radiator. sunlight can heat the water in the aquarium, this is especially true in summer, and is also very strong growth blue-green and green algae on the walls of the aquarium, etc.. Take care of the stand or other device on which the aquarium will stand, will it support the weight? To check this, stand on a pedestal and lightly jump on it. Did you survive? This means that the aquarium will survive. If you assembled the cabinet yourself or took it from old furniture, then be sure to strengthen it, for example, strengthen the corners with corners or bars. In general, how and what to fasten with is up to your imagination, but usually these are corners and screws, wooden ties, etc. Don’t forget about the floor, this is more relevant in private houses; in apartments the floor is usually strong. The displacement and weight are approximately the same, but it is better to take it on the basis that a 100 liter aquarium will weigh 150 kg!

STEP 4: Buy an aquarium and equipment.

Now you need to decide on the size of the aquarium and, accordingly, the performance and type of filtration equipment.
Filter selection important point, if it is weak, then it simply cannot cope with the volume, and if it is strong, then there will be a constant storm in the aquarium, which means stress for the fish.
Filters can be internal or external; each has its own pros and cons. Let's look at internal filters first.

Pros of internal:
The most important thing is the price. Internal filters are always cheaper than external filters.
Easy to maintain, it will take no more than 10 minutes a week.
Built-in air supply on most models.
The internal filter cannot leak - it is already in water!
And now the disadvantages of internal filters:
Small area of ​​filter material (sponges, ceramics, etc.) compared to external filters.
The use of filter materials is limited; usually it is only a foam sponge with different cells. Most often it is impossible to use due to the design of the add-on. filter materials, e.g. Activated carbon etc.
It is also more dangerous - the cable from the electrical network is immersed in the water of the aquarium. In external filters, the cable usually does not come into contact with water.
Frequent cleaning filter due to its small size, which means it will clog faster.
External filter, pros and cons.
Pros:
Great performance.
Possibility of using various filter components.
Multi-stage filtration, resulting in better water filtration.
Less attention is required because... cleaning is carried out once every six months, more often from 1 to 2 years.

Minuses:
Price. External filters much more expensive than domestic ones.
Possibility of leakage. It is not closed tightly, there is a crack, debris has gotten into the connection - this leads to a leak, but it is not immediately large, but small, so after cleaning, watch the filter during the day to see if there are any leaks.
Although the service is rare, it is long. If you decide to clean it, then be prepared to spend at least 20 minutes on it.

You also need to purchase a heater that can heat the volume of the future aquarium.
It should be purchased with a thermostat (automatic temperature control). The heater is not always necessary thing, it often happens that there is always normal temperature and the water in the aquarium will remain at the optimal 27-28 Cº. But the temperature does not always have to be like this, it depends on the specific fish and plants that you purchase, take care of this information in advance.

Usually in stores big choice soils – different colour, size, nutritional value.

Priming– it is a nutritious substrate for plants; in the soil there is an environment for the appearance and development of beneficial bacteria and mosses. The soil participates in filtration thanks to bacteria and plant roots. More detailed information about its choice, see on our forum in the topic: Diamix - the experiment has begun!

You also need to decide how many plants you will have. To begin with, of course, you should buy the simplest and not too many in order to understand how to care for them, how to plant them in the ground, weed them, then with experience you can purchase more complex and expensive plants, but here There will already be a need to modernize lighting and purchase other lamps, because... Usually the standard lamps that come with the aquarium are weak and not suitable for demanding plants; they simply will not grow under such light and will die.

Examples of simple plants:
Vallisneria - grows very quickly, reproduces vegetatively (by shoots from the roots), looks beautiful.
Various types of mosses, such as Java moss.
Hornwort - can either float in water or be planted in the ground.
Duckweed and Riccia float on the surface of the water.
Echinodorus are large-leaved plants with very short stems.
Cryptocarines, like Vallisneria, are suitable for the background, because has long leaves.

Lighting - it all depends on the specific plants, but we will rely on simple ones, which means the rule will work - 30 lumes/liter (no less than 20 and no more than 45 lums/liter)

You should use T5 lamps, these are special aquarium lamps. These lamps are different sizes and, accordingly, different wattages, the labeling of the tubes will contain information on lumes, which is needed to calculate the number of lamps.

There are also spotlights and LED lamps, but at the first stage you don’t need to bother with this, because... You have little experience and this may be a simple waste of money or even harmful.

One more thing, if there are a lot of plants and good light, then the application of CO2 and fertilizers will be required. CO2 generators can be either store-bought or home-made. On our forum, aquarists discussed various ways implementation of generators. To give you an idea of ​​what it looks like:

STEP 5: Installing the aquarium.

You bought an aquarium, now check the level of the cabinet; if it is crooked, be sure to adjust its levelness, because this is fraught with big problems; at a large angle of inclination, the aquarium may burst. Place a backing on the cabinet that is the size of the aquarium; you can buy it where you bought the aquarium or make it yourself from a travel rug.

Now the aquarium needs to be washed with water. Water only, no soap or detergent! Residues of soap or products can harm future inhabitants of the aquarium.

STEP 6: Wash the soil, plants (if they are plastic) and decorations.

Be sure to rinse the soil before adding it to the aquarium, rinse until the water runs clear. The easiest way to rinse is to put the soil in a pasta sieve and rinse under running water; you can also rinse in a basin, this way you will control the purity of the water. Then carefully pour the soil into the aquarium. When all the soil has been washed and poured into the aquarium, distribute it throughout the aquarium, creating a slight rise towards the back wall, this way you will visually expand the aquarium, and there is also a rule - long-stemmed plants always back wall, and short ones and ground cover in the foreground, accordingly they will have different root systems and long-stemmed ones need a thicker layer of soil for the root system. Now plant the plants after pouring some water.

Planting is like this: take a plant and tear off the 2 bottom leaves. A depression is made in the soil with a finger or a stick. The plant is carefully planted and sprinkled with soil. If the plant has roots, then the root is trimmed, leaving 2-3 cm. Further actions are the same. Don't forget about the rule - big ones back to the wall of the aquarium, small ones to the front.

STEP 7: Pour water into the aquarium.

In order not to spoil the soil and plants with a stream of water, you can put a plate or saucer in the aquarium and pour water into it. Water should be used at room temperature. To remove chlorine from water, use something like Tetra AquaSafe for aquariums. Fill the aquarium halfway and see if everything suits you, if there are any leaks and if the aquarium is level.

STEP 8: Installation of equipment.

Install the heater, but do not turn it on until the thermostat in the heater reaches the water temperature. This usually takes about 15 minutes or so. Install and connect the filter equipment and add water to the end, but leave about 3-5cm to the edge. Visually inspect the lamps in the cover; they may come loose during transportation, etc. Place the lid on the aquarium, make sure that all cables are dry from water and only then connect the plugs to the sockets.

STEP 9. Patience, patience and more patience.

I know you want to add fish. But before doing this, you need to wait until the biological balance in the aquarium is established and all indicators return to normal. There are ways to speed up this process, but that's another story. Usually 2 weeks are enough to establish balance. At this time, you can add a few ampoules to speed up the process at least a little. Once again about the plants - at the start-up and training stage they should be the simplest and most unpretentious; it is recommended to plant the aquarium tightly. Lighting no more than 8 hours a day. If the water suddenly becomes cloudy, do not be alarmed, this is a normal reaction.

A bacterial film will also form on the surface; to remove it, take a sheet of newspaper or loose paper, place it on the surface of the water and lift it up.

Water changes should not be done, i.e. there are no fish and biological balance, this will harm the process.
Just wait and take your time to check in.

STEP 10. Fish.

After 2 weeks, you can add a couple of simple fish (guppies, swordtails) and carefully monitor their behavior; if the fish suddenly die, it means something went wrong and you need to check the water with tests to make sure that there are no toxic objects in the aquarium.

Also, the small amount of fish is determined so that there is no disturbance in the biological balance, because fish produce waste through their vital activity.

And after this, if the fish react well, you can buy those that you like, but not complex ones, for example, zebrafish, neons, speckled catfish, Siamese algae eaters, mollies, barbs (they are aggressive, they will chase others, it is recommended to buy only separately flock). There is no need to buy fish in 2 pieces, buy in schools, at least 6 pieces.

After buying fish, do not rush to immediately pour everything into the aquarium, let the bag float in the aquarium so that the water temperature is equalized and the fish acclimatize. After 5 minutes, add some water from the aquarium into the bag and wait, after another 5 minutes do the same. Do this 3-4 times, this will help the fish get used to the pH and avoid stress. But in any case, the fish will most likely be stressed.

There is no need to feed the fish on the first day. Let them get used to their new home.

Most likely, they will become pale and lose color - this is a reaction to stress.

STEP 11: Be prepared for regular maintenance.

Be prepared to spend a little time cleaning the aquarium - 1-2 times a week. Once a week, replace 25-30% of the aquarium volume, clean the glass, remove rotten parts of plants, rinse the filter materials in aquarium water (in a separate container), it is not recommended to rinse it in a running water, because beneficial bacteria colonize there.
Once a month it is recommended to siphon the soil, but this is done if you have few plants; if you have a lot, then the plants must process everything themselves.

Sometimes beginners make mistakes such as replanting plants from time to time after cleaning - this should never be done, as this will prevent the plant from taking root and growing.

It often happens that before cleaning the aquarium, a beginner removes all the fish, removes the plants, drains all the water, pours clean water, mixes all the soil, and drains the water. Plants plants (if they survive, of course), pours water, plants fish. And so in a circle from time to time. Yes, there are such novice aquarists. You can’t do that, don’t make those mistakes. All cleaning and maintenance of the aquarium is carried out with the inhabitants in the aquarium; there is no need to disturb the plants or replant them unless absolutely necessary.

As you can see, everything is not so complicated! We hope you will have your own aquarium in your home, which will delight you with its beauty and health of fish and plants.

If you have any questions or problems, hurry up and ask them on our AquaBanka.ru forum, they will definitely help you.

Instructions

Don't rush to buy everything at once. First, you need to purchase the technical part: the aquarium itself, filter and aerator, light, heater, . Then you need to choose soil, plants and snails (if you plan to have them). Rybok on at this stage It’s not worth buying, you first need to furnish a home for it.

Set up the aquarium, fill it with washed soil, and fill the container 1/3 with settled tap water. Install the equipment. Then plant the plants, place decorations on the ground in the form of relief stones, specially prepared driftwood, and sculptures. Fill the aquarium with water and connect all the equipment. Now you can launch several snails.

After this, the aquarium begins to “mature”. The water is populated by microflora, various chemical and physical processes occur. During this period, the water is not suitable for settlement. You need to wait until it becomes cloudy (this is natural process), and then becomes transparent again. As a rule, “ripening” takes about one to two weeks.

The process can be speeded up using various water conditioners that are sold in pet stores. After the water becomes crystal clear, you can go after the fish.

When choosing fish, you should take them into account, as well as their similarity in content (hardness, water temperature, lighting, etc.) It is also necessary to correctly calculate the number of fish in your aquarium so that all inhabitants are comfortable.

Try to buy fish at a pet store that is located near your home, since long-distance transportation has a negative impact on their well-being.

When you arrive home, do not rush to let new residents into the aquarium. First, rinse the bag of fish under running water and then place it in the aquarium to equalize the temperatures. After 10 minutes, add water to the bag with the fish to equalize chemical composition and wait another 15 minutes. After this, carefully release the fish into new house.

At first, plants or plants may get stuck under the filter - this is a reaction to a change in environment. Let them look around a little and come to their senses, then feed them a little. After a few days, the fish will get used to the new conditions, and you will be able to watch the little one. underwater world in all its glory!

Have you decided to purchase a new aquarium and prepared it to receive new inhabitants? Please note: you cannot introduce all the fish there at once, as this can lead to dramatic consequences for both individual fish and the entire aquarium ecosystem.

Instructions

Lay the soil after first washing and boiling it. The thickness of the soil layer must be at least 5 centimeters.

Install the equipment for normal operation. Such equipment includes:
- a filter necessary to clean the aquarium from waste;

A compressor that will saturate the aquarium water with oxygen;

Heater for heating water in the cold season;

To control the water temperature.

After installing the equipment, start planting plants. Be careful not to immerse the growing point in the soil, otherwise the roots of the plants will stick out in different directions.

It has been decided that we will have an aquarium! It has already been selected and purchased, the coolest equipment is waiting nearby in beautiful boxes, bright red shiny terribly effective soil has already been poured onto the bottom, and on it lies a ceramic crocodile that will blow bubbles. Now let’s pour some water and, while it sits for an hour or two, we’ll go to the pet store and buy the best fish there - those with long fins, and others, yellow ones with red dots (what are they called? However, it doesn’t matter, the main thing is that they’re beautiful) ...

Stop! No matter how laudable the desire to join the fascinating world of aquariums may be, you should not force this process, otherwise the first experience may turn out to be so disastrous that you will not want to continue. Let's be patient a little longer and figure out what should happen to glass jar, full of water, so that it becomes an aquarium.

An aquarium is a balanced biological system in which many living organisms coexist. These are not only fish and plants planted by the owner, but also small invertebrates, protozoa, algae, and bacteria that have independently colonized. And in order for the aquarium to be beautiful and comfortable for life, this entire system must be in balance. Substances entering it from the outside must be processed without impairing vital important indicators water and without causing death or, conversely, an uncontrolled outbreak of any inhabitants, and then removed from the system during water changes and cleaning the aquarium.

What needs to be done before launch?

Even before the start-up procedure begins, a number of decisions must be made critical issues and take some necessary steps:

1. Decide what fish or aquatic animals you want to have. Find out what conditions they require. Be sure to find out!
2. Depending on the decisions on the first point, choose the volume and model of the aquarium, as well as a list necessary equipment and decoration items. Based on the species and the number of future inhabitants, decide whether, for example, a heater with a thermostat is needed, how powerful the filter should be, whether an additional compressor is required, what to decorate the aquarium with: stones or snags, what plants to plant, and so on.
3. Choose a place for the aquarium - not in a draft or in the sun. It is also important that access to the aquarium is convenient, and that there is nearby sufficient quantity sockets
4. Buy and install an aquarium (be sure to place it on a flat surface, so that its edges do not hang over the shelf or cabinet even by a centimeter). The aquarium is pre-washed without using chemical detergents.
5. Place equipment in the aquarium: filter, compressor, heater and thermometer, lighting fixtures. Cover the soil with a layer of 3-4 cm. Depending on the type of soil and its source of origin, it may require preliminary calcination, boiling or washing. The same applies to stones and driftwood.

Now the aquarium is ready to fill with water and start up. But before we give step by step instructions launch, let's try to figure out why this notorious launch is needed and how a launched aquarium differs from an unlaunched one.

Just a little theory

As we wrote above, an aquarium is an open system into which various substances enter from the outside. This is basically fish food that the fish eat, releasing waste products. The most significant and toxic part of this waste in chemical terms is ammonia; even in small concentrations it can cause poisoning and subsequent death of fish and other aquatic animals. However, in nature there are bacteria (they are called nitrifying bacteria) that consume ammonia, oxidizing it to nitrites. Nitrites are not much better for fish than ammonia, but there are other types of nitrifying bacteria that, in turn, bind them, turning them into relatively harmless nitrates.

This entire system of bacterial colonies, which turns poisonous ammonia water into water with nitrates, quite suitable for fish, is called a biofilter. Since the efficiency of a biofilter directly depends on the number of its constituent bacteria in the aquarium (it is clear that two or three microscopic nitrosomonas will not be able to convert ammonia released by a dozen large goldfish into safe compounds), these bacteria must be given the opportunity to multiply to the required numbers. To do this they need three things:

• nutrition (ammonia and nitrites);
• substrate (surface to which they can attach);
• and for some time, since bacteria multiply quickly, but still not with lightning speed.

And now, finally, we will formulate what starting an aquarium is: this is a set of measures that allows the biological filter to mature and begin to work fully. Or, in other words, growing in an aquarium such a number of nitrifying organisms that will be sufficient to process the ammonia and nitrites released by all the inhabitants of this aquarium.

Launch (instructions for beginners)

So, let’s look point by point at how to properly start an aquarium:

1. The launch begins with laying out the soil and then pouring water. Use tap water; there is no need to pre-settle it. After filling the water, turn on the aeration filter. If the filter is without an aerator, then an additional compressor must work, since nitrifying bacteria require a lot of oxygen, and a heater (set to 24-25°). In this form, with the lights turned off, the aquarium is left for 5-7 days. All these days they only monitor the operation of the equipment: they check whether oxygen is supplied, measure the water temperature.
2. After 5-7 days, unpretentious fast-growing plants are planted, after which the lighting is turned on for 4-5 hours a day.
3. After another 1-2 days, you can introduce the first aquarium animals. These can be small (viviparous or, for example, zebrafish), but it is better to use ampularia or snails that are more resistant to water quality. There should be few animals. They need to be fed once a day in very small portions. It is necessary to constantly monitor their behavior and appetite. Ampularia, for example, are excellent indicators of water quality: in clean, good water, they rush around the aquarium at cruising speed, spreading their antennae and looking for food. At this stage, the light is turned on for the whole day (8-12 hours), you can add special bacterial cultures to the aquarium to start (they are available in different companies, for example Sera Nitrivek).
4. After a week, the remaining plants are planted and the main fish population begins to be released in parts (at intervals of 1-2 days). Each batch released must be carefully monitored and fed in moderation.

This is, in fact, what science is all about. Really, nothing complicated?

Of course, the balance in the aquarium is still unstable, and some time after the start-up, unpleasant phenomena such as, for example, outbreaks of diatoms may be observed. But if the launch was carried out correctly, these problems are usually not catastrophic in nature, do not lead to massive fish kills and are resolved in a working manner. To combat the mentioned diatoms, for example, the small charming catfish otocinclus is successfully used.

How to make the process of starting an aquarium easier?

We wrote above that for the proliferation of beneficial bacteria, food and substrate are needed. And, of course, the initial size of the bacterial colony matters. Thus, in order to speed up the maturation of the biofilter and, accordingly, the launch of the aquarium, you can immediately introduce a significant amount of bacteria into the artificial reservoir and prepare a large-area substrate for them (there is already enough food for bacteria in the starting aquarium).

Bacteria are introduced using industrially made starter cultures (we also mentioned them above) or with water, soil, or filter media from a functioning, healthy aquarium. To provide sufficient substrate area for bacteria, it is recommended to use filters with porous ceramic fillers or large-volume filters with other fillers, plant plants with narrow, feathery leaves, and use fine gravel of even size as soil. All these surfaces will be colonized by nitrifying bacteria.

Aquarium start-up control greatly facilitates the use of ammonia and nitrite tests for aquarium water. These tests are released by different manufacturers and are not uncommon in pet stores. With their help, you can monitor the level of these toxic compounds in the water and adjust the stocking of fish in the aquarium you are starting.

As you can see, starting the aquarium correctly does not take much time - two or three weeks is quite possible. It does not require a colossal amount of strength or special academic knowledge. But it helps to avoid many problems in the future, preserves the life and health of the fish, and therefore nerves and good mood their owner.

Cloudy water in the aquarium

After launch, you can often observe cloudiness in the water, signaling that it is too early to move in the inhabitants. It is necessary to find out the reason why the water has lost its transparency:

1. If the turbidity has a whitish tint, then most likely a bacterial boom has occurred; after starting this normal phenomenon. Due to the abundance of food, ammonia and nitrifying bacteria began to multiply. As a rule, the outbreak lasts a couple of days, after which it gradually subsides due to the proliferation of ciliates, for which bacteria are natural food. The process can be speeded up by adding water from a healthy aquarium, but you need to take it from the bottom or near the filter, since these are the places where most ciliates live.
   Sometimes the water may become cloudy for a long time neglected aquariums from too large substitutions.
2. Green haze is caused by an overgrowth of microscopic algae. This mainly comes from too bright consecration and long daylight hours. In this case, it is necessary to reduce the brightness of the light in the aquarium and make sure that it is not exposed to direct sunlight.
3. Sometimes yellowish turbidity can appear from insufficiently washed soil. As a rule, it settles within a few hours.
4. The water becomes brownish from snags and a filter with peat. Humic substances are harmless to fish, and for some species they are even beneficial, but they greatly affect the acidity of the water, which, in turn, can negatively affect species that prefer alkaline water. In this case, it is necessary to drain the water and soak the wooden decorations themselves in running water for several days.
5. Water can be colored by brightly colored soil or artificial decorations. It is better not to use such decorations at all, since they often have an impact on the health of the inhabitants. negative impact because of the dyes.