Water tests
Before introducing any fish into your aquarium, buy a set of tests to test the water quality yourself such as ammonia ratio test, nitrate, nitrite, pH test of the water, and read the test results, except pH test, they should all have their reading zero before introducing any fish while PH (acid – base balance) should be from 7 to 7,8 and it depends on the types of fish being kept, the pH of the local water, and there are other tests as well such as test strips that measure water hardness and alkalinity and the percentage of chlorine.
You can consult with your veterinarian about these tests and about the best ways to acclimatize and keep aquarium fish and aquatic plants in the aquarium, preventing trauma to the fish.
Water temperature
Make sure that the temperature in the aquarium is suitable for the fish of your choice, use a special aquarium heater, a water thermometer to maintain the right temperature for the fish species and includes:-
Fresh water is generally from 21 degrees Celsius-27 degrees Celsius.
Salt water at 26 degrees Celsius.
Cold water 13,4 degrees Celsius-20 degrees Celsius.
Constant temperatures keep fish and aquatic grasses staying strong and healthy.
Choose a suitable location for the aquarium, which is necessary for the well-being of aquarium fish, loud light and loud noise should be avoided to avoid stress for the fish, you should also keep a distance at a distance between air conditioning and heating appliances or stoves as they can significantly affect the water temperature.
Filtration or filtration of water
It is an essential process in every Aquarium, which is a source of Environmental life, and a range of filters or water filters are available in pet stores, including bottom filters that use an electric air pump to move water through, and top filters located under the aquarium.
The water should flow through the filter about four times the volume of the water in the tank, so that the tank capacity has 20 gallons to filter 80 gallons per hour.
The right size of the aquarium
Filling the aquarium with a lot of Fish and overcrowding it, is one of the main causes of problems, so make sure not to add many fish to one aquarium, due to the size of the aquarium:-
Freshwater fish require an area of 5 inches ( 13 square centimeters) for every 1 inch (2,5 square centimeters) of the body length of a full-grown fish.
In saltwater-only Aquariums, the ratio is 1 inch (2.5 square centimeters) of fish per two gallons (8 liters) of water.
Reef aquariums require 1 inch (2,5 square centimeters) of fish for every 7 gallons (27 liters) of water.
Outdoor ponds require 10 inches of thickness for every 132 gallons (500 liters) of water.
It is preferable to provide an aquarium with hiding places, some fish have a natural behavior where they need hiding places in case of danger, for fear of a predator and although this is unlikely to happen in the aquarium, but it is an instinct for pet fish, the lack of hiding places may cause them stress and tension and will not be healthy.
To provide them withperfect hiding places, you can put some decorations in the aquarium, some artificial cave, tree trunks or anything that the fish can hide in and makes them safer.
Search and selection of compatible fish species
Learn everything you can about each species that you intend to keep, such as knowing the size of the fish when it is fully grown, most fish stores sell small and immature fish, plan the storage level based on the size of the adult fish and not the size when you buy it, and that the fish species are compatible and live peacefully with each other.
As an example, it is not good to add large carnivorous fish in an aquarium with guppies, Tetras or other small fish, and it is important to know the water quality, to find out if the fish requires special water quality standards.
Acclimatize fish and gradually add fish
Add the fish in the newly created aquarium gradually, put them in their own bag for at least 15-20 minutes, and every 5 minutes add a quarter cup of aquarium water to the closed bag until it is full to adapt to the new temperature, then release them into the aquarium.
The immediate immersion of the fish in the aquarium may cause a temperature shock especially when the two environments are different.
The growth of beneficial bacteria takes time, and they are useful for getting rid of fish waste, so add fish to the aquarium within 4 to 6 weeks after its installation.
Quarantine on new fish
You need to isolate your new fish in a separate additional aquarium, because introducing new fish into your aquarium will lead to pathological problems, it is preferable to add the new fish or fish to a small aquarium with an energy filter as a quarantine for a week, monitor and change the aquarium water in quarantine, treat the water from any common diseases such as protozoa and flatworms living on the skin and gills of the fish, if after a week or two there is no problem, transfer the new fish to the main aquarium.
Avoid overfeeding the fish
It is the basic rule in maintaining an aquarium, as overfeeding fish can cause a variety of problems, including increasing the amount of droppings and waste in the aquarium, and this may cause fish to be killed due to the occurrence of digestive problems.
Most fish do not need to be fed a large amount of food to survive, it is enough twice a day to feed adult fish and maybe more for young fish, so it is preferable to maintain a constant feeding schedule and provide the right amount of food.
Excess food will decompose at the bottom of your aquarium, causing other problems such as high ammonia, phosphates and nitrates, ugly algae growth, thereby increasing oxygen consumption and water quality consumption and pollution, clean the aquarium glass every period to avoid the growth of harmful green algae
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