How to Test the Water Quality in Your Tank
Water is the basic environment that a fish lives in. And the quality of water plays a major role in determining the health and comfort level of the fishes. The fish could die if the water is not of required temperature or too alkaline or acidic, or unbalanced in any other factor. The aquarium water should be tested regularly for its quality to ensure the fish can live comfortably. The temperature of the water can be checked by using a tank thermometer. The fishes are susceptible to diseases if they are exposed to extremely high or low temperatures. To ensure sunlight doesn’t fall on the fish tank and raises the temperature, it is important to keep the aquarium away from doors, windows or heater vents and other such drafty areas. Each fishes require different temperature so the kind of fish you have should be provided with suitable temperature. It is important during replacing the water in the tank for cleaning to ensure that the temperature of the water to be added is the same as that in the tank already. If there water temperature is higher or lower, the fishes may be shocked and could even be fatal to them. The measure of acidity of the water is known as pH level. Testing for pH level frequently is quite important and it is better to have a pH test kit which is quite inexpensive. Most fishes require a pH level in between 6 and 7. When the pH level goes below 7 the water is acidic and if they are above 7 the water is alkaline. It is important to understand that when anything new is added to the water in the aquarium, the pH level changes. Hence it is important to run a pH test on the water every now and then and especially when you add some new decorations, or gravel or new plants. Elements such as ammonia and nitrate are fatal for the fish. Ammonia is released from the waste produced by the fishes. Using a biological filter helps prevent ammonia. Cleaning the filter and changing the water often prevents the level of ammonia from getting dangerously higher. Ammonia levels are measured as parts per million and the ideal level is zero in an aquarium. Ammonia test kits are available at any local pet store or online. Nitrate should be zero as well to avoid the fishes from dying. As with ammonia nitrates are also measured as parts per million or milligrams per liter. Nitrate test kits are easily available at any local pet store. A biological filter may not work properly if the filter is clogged up with excessive nitrates. In that instance the filter must be cleaned immediately and then perform the nitrate test. Hardness of the water is also a factor that affects the health of fish. The hardness of the water depends on the may fluctuate based on the water quality of the area you live in. The ideal hardness is 50 to 200 parts per million for most of the fishes. You may get a carbon hardness kit and a general hardness kit from a local pet store. The pH level can be maintained stable if carbon harness kit is used. More Articles on Aquarium Care: | 