Rarely found in open water (around 1% of the total count), bacteria colonize essentially the floor and the decor. They feed on nitrogenous compounds in the water, extracting the oxygen from them.When an aquarium is brought into use, bacterial colonization of the environment is a slow process, and so it is advisable not to introduce […]
The turbidity of water refers to the presence of suspended matter - either living organisms forming plankton (rare in an aquarium) or inert matter, such as animal or vegetable remains or particles of sediment, particularly mud. The size of this suspended matter ranges from a few thousandths of a millimeter to several millimeters. In calm, […]
Let us suppose we have two types of water, one hard and one soft, with which to “manufacture” an intermediate water: - water A, with a GH of 9 GH; - water B, with a GH of 3 GH; - target water, with a GH of 5 GH. Calculations: GH water A - GH target […]
Modifying the hardness of water Sometimes the water available presents a hardness value inappropriate for its intended use in an aquarium. In most cases, the water will be a little too hard, and so the GH must be brought down for use in a mixed aquarium or a rearing tank. In other, less common cases, […]
Measuring GH A colored indicator is used: the number of drops needed to obtain a change in color indicates the degree of hardness. It should be noted that the degrees of hardness used in analysis kits may vary according to the country in which it was manufactured; in some cases French degrees are used. These […]
Peat derives from the decomposition of vegetation in an acid environment lacking in oxygen. This process, which lasts several centuries, gives rise to a peat bog from which compact, fibrous peat can be extracted. It endows water with both a yellow amber color and acidity, which gives it slightly antiseptic properties. This means that some […]
In nature Life in water, as on land, is not possible without light. Vegetation (microscopic plankton or plants) absorbs it with carbon dioxide (CO2) and uses the mineral salts, which act as nutrients. This vegetation serves as food for herbivorous or omnivorous fish, which in their turn provide nutrition for carnivorous fish. From this point, […]
The hardness of water refers to the combination of substances based on calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) that are contained in it. The main substances, known as salts, are carbonates, bicarbonates and sulfates. Water with zero hardness does not contain any of these salts; this is the case with distilled water. The water in some […]
Adjusting the pH The pH of domestic water may not always be particularly suited to the fish you have chosen. Furthermore, when an aquarium is in use the pH can rise and fall, slowly but very regularly. There are some aquarium products on the market that enable adjustments to be made to the pH, but […]