JBL setting up an aquarium

17 Pages·2006·4.42 MB·English

1
BOOK
What - Why - How?
USEFUL TIPS FOR BEGINNERS
Setting up
AN AQUARIUM
Your specialist aquarists' retailer
will be pleased to advise you and recommend
further reading including the other
JBL WWH BROCHURES
on further topics from aquaristics
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YOUR SPECIALIST SUPPLIER
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Ahead through research 1
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Inhalt Page
1. Introduction 1
2. Guidelines: setting up an aquarium 2 - 4
3. The aquarium 4 - 7
4. Ground cover and decorations 8 - 9
5. Technical equipment 10 - 13
6. Water 14 - 18
7. Plants 19 - 23
8. The fish 24 - 27
1. INTRODUCTION
9. Maintenance 28
10. Literature 29
Latest findings show that watching an This small brochure describes how you
aquarium is relaxing, reduces stress and can enjoy all the advantages of an aqua-
has a calming influence. It provides an rium mentioned above and how the plea-
opportunity to observe natural events clo- sure given by your small underwater world
sely, leading to greater understanding of can be prolonged by providing the right
such processes and relationships. care for the species of fish selected. You
will soon notice symptoms of a serious
But an aquarium can also be quite simply case of aquarium virus infection which will
beautiful and fascinating. It can be a deco- probably affect you, as it has us, for the
rative feature of a room....The list of rest of your life, giving hours of pleasure.
advantages is endless. However, it is
Published by
JBL GmbH & Co.KG important to bear in mind that the correct Of course, a small brochure like this can-
D- 67141 Neuhofen/Pfalz care of fish and plants entails a certain not provide comprehensive information.
www.jbl.de amount of work, otherwise the advantages Our aim is to point you in the right direc-
may quickly turn into disadvantages. If, for tion.
example, the aquarium should become
3rd revised edition 2006
Texts: Dr. Rainer Keppler, cloudy with algae, the hobby which was For further more detailed information we
Biologe im Hause JBL started with such enthusiasm may come to recommend that you purchase one of the
Layout: akzenta PR, D- 53797 Lohmar a disappointing end. books listed in the bibliography.
Since an aquarium is a micro system of AQUARIUM GRAVEL, PARTICLE SIZE create a rock desert! Rocks
living creatures which react to each other, 2 - 3 MM, MAX DEPTH 4 - 5 CM and roots should be placed
2 there are no simple instructions which only on the substrate or gently 3
need to be followed for everything to work bedded in the gravel.
smoothly like a machine.
2.5 Adding water
You will probably, sooner or later, come
across problems which are not dealt with JJBBLL AAQQUUAABBAASSIISSPPLLUUSS Now fill the aquarium with tepid tap water
specifically in the literature available. (25°C) until almost full. To avoid mixing
the gravel layer together with the lower
We therefore recommend that you and the daily fertilizer JBL Ferropol 24to layer of substrate containing additives,
exchange ideas with other enthusiasts. provide essential trace elements each day. pour the water onto a shallow saucer or
Your specialist aquarium supplier is cer- glass dish placed on the floor of the aqua-
First you need the nutrient substrate JBL
tainly one person you can turn to for
AquaBasis plus. The other two compo-
advice. In time, you may perhaps like to The tips in this small brochure are intended to show
nents will be described in more detail later.
join a local aquarists' club. In heated dis- you how to achieve an aquarium in which healthy
cussions, often stretching on well into the plants and fish can thrive Cover the floor of the aquarium with a 2cm 4.
deep layer of this nutrient substrate.
night, you will hear how many different
This is then covered with a layer of washed
solutions there may be for the same pro- The following brief guidelines explain the
aquarium gravel, particle size 2 - 3 mm.
blem and how each aquarium reacts diffe- main steps to be taken when setting up an
rently. And that's what makes this hobby aquarium. The subsequent chapters then
Using pre-washed gravel from a specialist
so interesting and informative! explain each stage in closer detail.
aquarium supplier will save you the trouble
of washing the gravel.
GUIDELINES:
rium. Adjust the position of any
decorative objects if necessary
2. SETTING UP AN AQUARIUM 2.3 Installing a heater and
before adding JBL Biotopol or
filter JBL Tropolto prepare the water.
BIS2CMSCHICHTHÖHE
Follow the manufacturer's instructions.
2.1 Cleaning the new aquarium Install the appliance at the rear of the tank 2.6 Starting up the
equipment
After placing the aquarium in the selected
location, wash it using luke-warm tap water. 1.
Switch on the heating and the filter and
Cleaning is easy with the JBL Aquarium
install the lighting according to manufac-
Sponge. Do not use detergents. 3.
turer's instructions. It is advisable to
connect the lighting to a time switch.
2.2 Introducing substrate
3 useful helpers to start you off on
We recommend the JBL ProfloraStart set your new "aquatic hobby": JBL
for a successful start for your new aqua- so that it can later be hidden by decorati- Denitrol adds beneficial cleansing
rium with healthy thriving aquatic plants. ons and plants. bacteria to the aquarium water and
This set contains the basics needed for 2. shortens the waiting time before
successful aquatic plant care. It consists 2.4 Decorative elements fish can be introduced. JBL Bioto-
of: JBL AquaBasis plus, a nutrient sub- pol and JBL Aquatrop J convert tap
strate specially developed for aquariums, Decorative elements such as roots and water into the ideal environment for
JBL Ferropolliquid staple fertilizer to pro- stones may now be added. Only use one your fish.
vide a regular supply of the main nutrients, sort of rock and avoid the temptation to
2.8 Introducing aquarium plants At the same time you can perhaps brigh- quate for a small aquarium. Larger tanks
ten a previously dull corner of your room. of about 80 to 100l upwards should be
4 Aquarium plants may be added when the The location selected should also have an supported on a special tank stand availa- 5
equipment is operating correctly and the electrical power point or easy access to ble in a wide selection from specialist
5. first dose of JBL Denitrol has been added. power. Depending on the equipment used, aquarium suppliers.
3 - 4 electrical connections will be requi- It goes without saying that the aquarium
2.9 Introducing fish red. and its support must stand absolutely level
There should also be sufficient space (use a spirit level).
A few days later. More on this in the chap-
above the aquarium for you to comfortably A sheet of expanded polystyrene (Poly-
ter on fish.
carry out maintenance jobs (e.g. regular soft), available from aquarium suppliers,
partial changes of aquarium water) without should be placed between the support and
2.7 Maturing
performing contortions. the tank. This will safeguard against any
A sufficiently sturdy piece of furniture will unevenness and insulate the tank, preven-
In order to help the beneficial filter bacteria
be required to support the aquarium. A ting any loss of heat from the bottom of the
become established JBL Denitrolcontai-
shelf, table or something similar is ade- tank.
ning additional beneficial bacteria should
be added now and on the following 9 days.
3. THE AQUARIUM m
c

0
5
3.1 Location
Thanks to more sophisticated
modern lighting equipment, the
window sill is no longer the stan-
dard location for an aquarium.
Daylight, with its seasonal fluc-
tuations, is difficult to regulate
100 cm
and inevitably leads to the pro-
blem of undesirable algae gro-
wth.
3.2 Size
Select a location which is furt- oxygen since the bacteria require more
hest from a window, where the As a general rule, the conditions in a large oxygen for this task than is available in the
aquarium will get as little direct aquarium remain more stable, as minor, aquarium.
daylight as possible, but can still unintentional lapses in maintenance do not A large aquarium will also more easily
be easily viewed from your result in an immediate catastrophe. For "absorb" an omitted partial change of
favourite armchair. example, a dead fish which has gone water than a smaller aquarium.
unnoticed in a large aquarium will be dis- On the other hand in terms of learning
Special aquarium lighting availa- posed of by bacteria without any significant effect, starting with a small aquarium is
ble from your specialist aqua- ill-effects on other occupants of the aqua- considered to be best because mistakes
rium supplier provides suitable rium or on the quality of the water. In a are immediately and unmistakably ob-
light conditions and will keep A carefully sited aquarium will give your room a special "tropical" small aquarium, the conversion of waste vious. Scrupulous maintenance is inevita-
algae growth to a minimum. flair. by bacteria may lead to a critical lack of bly learnt.
We would like to propose a middle path, of this size are often sold by aquarium sup-
and recommend starting with an aquarium pliers as complete sets including all the 3.4 USEFUL EQUIPMENT
6 of at least 60 cm, preferably 80 cm, length. necessary accessories and are very rea- 7
Such an aquarium, containing 50 or 80 - sonably priced.
100 l water, is not too demanding both There are a few implements which will The JBL Catch Net is a
from the financial point of view and the make the maintenance of your small useful piece of equipment
level of maintenance needed and at the underwater world much easier to carry out. when removing fish. It is
same time provides a reasonably stable These are: a clean bucket used solely for available in a range of
sizes to suit every
environment for the occupants. Aquariums work on the aquarium and never for hou- need.
sehold cleaning. A siphoning tube about
15 - 20 mm diameter and 1.5 - 2 m long
can be used to empty some of the aqua-
rium water into the bucket during partial
changes of water. A silt cover on one end
of the siphoning tube has proved very use-
ful.
When installing an "open aquarium" under a sloping ceiling check that there is sufficient distance between the
surface of the water and any lighting. Open aquariums are highly decorative and have a positive effect on the cli- AquaExfromJBLis a complete set com-
removed from the aqua-
mate of a room. prised of silt guard and siphon tube. This
rium without having to
set has a special valve mechanism which
"fish around” in the water.
discharges water into the bucket without
3.3 CONSTRUCTION AND SHAPE
the unpleasant task of sucking it up by
JBL Blanki does an
mouth. The set also includes two practical
excellent job in removing
hose clips which can be used to attach the
stubborn algae deposits
hose easily to the edge of the aquarium or
without scratching the
to the bucket, preventing the hose from
aquarium glass.
accidentally slipping off. JBL AquaEx is
available in two sizes: AquaEx 20-45for
In addition, calcium stains and grime on
aquariums from 20 to 45 cm high and
the outer panes of the aquarium can be
AquaEx 45-70 for aquariums from 45 to
removed using JBL BioClean A, a bio-
70 cm high.
logical cleaner which, if it should inad-
vertently come into contact with the
You will need an algae cleaner to remove
aquarium water, is not harmful to fish.
unsightly deposits of algae from the front
All this equipment should be stored in
pane of the aquarium. JBL offers two
the vicinity of the aquarium away from
types, the JBL Blankior Blanki Setand
other household cleaning equipment.
JBL Algae Magnetin 3 different sizes.
An aquarium built into a wall as a room-
divider is especially eye-catching. The world of the aquarium becomes a unique
experience. For daily routine cleaning, we recommend
a floating algae magnet,JBL Floaty. This
Almost all tanks sold nowadays are all- traditional rectangular shape and the new has two advantages: it can be used from
glass tanks with silicone rubber adhesive. styles can be easily integrated into modern outside the aquarium without getting your
Check that the tank you select is from a decorating schemes. hands wet as the cleaning section in the
manufacturer who gives a guarantee on water is connected magnetically to the
One point which should not be forgotten
the adhesive bonding. Such aquariums "handle” outside the aquarium.
when planning any ambitious "wonders" of
meet all the necessary criteria for safety
interior design is the needs of the living crea-
and stability. The economical methods In the event that the inner section loses
tures themselves.
now used for bonding sheets of glass open contact with the outer part during over-
up new opportunities for different shapes. Do seek the advice of your specialist retai- energetic cleaning, the inner section will
Aquariums no longer have to be built in the ler. float to the surface and can be easily
gravel. We recommend using a dark colou- That is completely unnecessary. To en-
4. GROUND COVER AND DECORATIONS red, round-grained gravel, particle size 2 - sure that any wood used does not float
8 3 mm. Natural decorative material, such as when water is added weight it down with a 9
a few stones and one or two roots obtained rock.
Before we go into the individual topics nutrients and is an anchoring place for the from aquatic stores can now be used to
mentioned in the brief introduction to aqua- aquatic plants, whilst for the fish it provides create hiding places for the fish or to dis-
rium keeping at the beginning of this bro- the necessary "ground under the feet". guise technical equipment such as the
chure by starting with some suggestions heater and filter as much as possible.
on ground cover and decorations, we We recommend the following layering of
would like to make a few points. substrate: First place a 2cm deep layer of The operation of the equipment should not
Your aquarium should develop into a small JBL AquaBasis plus on the floor of the be impeded in any way and the filter,
water biotope which looks and behaves as aquarium. This nutrient where needed, should remain easily
naturally as possible. It is advisable, there- substrate has been speci- accessible for cleaning. Do not use materi-
fore, to avoid artificial-looking decorations ally developed for aquatic als which may leak any harmful sub-
such as plastic divers, shipwrecks or pla- plants and contains all the stances into the water. Decorative material
Attractive decorations can be created using Javanese
stic plants. The needs of the fish should nutrients required to start m bought from a reputable aquarists' supplier moss on tree roots. The Javanese moss is at first held
have priority over decorative or artistic a new aquarium, whilst 4 c can be safely used. This particularly in position with thin thread.
flights of fancy. also acting as a nutrient 3 - applies to roots. The only wood which is
store. suitable for an aquarium is wood which THE REAR WALL OF THE
However, there is still plenty of scope for has been impregnated with humic acid,
AQUARIUM
beauty and aesthetics, as you will see as such as resinous moor wood. Do not use
you read this brochure. If you actually tried JJBBLL wood from the forest.
m
to reproduce the natural environment of c Even the most attractive aquarium decorations loose
the fish as closely as possible, the result AAQQUUAABBAASSIISSPPLLUUSS 2 Savannah wood and mangrove wood has their charm if viewed against the backdrop of the
living room wallpaper. Cover any of the sides of the
would be a more or less monotonous sight. also recently become available from aqua-
aquarium which are not to be used for viewing with a
It is more important that the habitat meets The ground layer should be at least 4-6 cm deep for rium suppliers. Rocks and wood should be
backdrop. There are numerous aquarium backdrops
the fishes' needs i.e. fish which like to hide strong plant growth washed thoroughly under running water, available as prints on foil from aquarium
in plants should not be kept in an aquarium scrubbing with a brush if necessary. Save suppliers. You are certain to find a motive
without plants, or ones which live in caves JBL AquaBasis plus is part of the JBL yourself trouble by not boiling these which suits your aquarium. We recom-
be kept in bare aquariums. ProFloraStartset described in Chapter 2, objects, as is often recommended. mend JBL Rear Wall Adhesive to profes-
sionally glue the rear wall to your aqua-
which we particularly recommended for
rium, so that it adheres smoothly without
Now back to ground cover again. When setting up a new aquarium. Next cover this
air bubbles and can be seen to best effect.
you have placed your aquarium in the layer completely with a 3 - 4 cm layer of A polystyrene sheet used in addition to the
position chosen, briefly wash it with luke- well-washed gravel. Using pre-washed backdrop will insulate against heat loss
warm tap water (without detergents). You gravel from a specialist aquarium supplier and reduce heating costs.
can then start to add the substrate. This will save you the trouble of washing the
has to fulfil several functions: it provides
Stone is one of the most natural
decorative elements. With a little
fantasy, attractive back walls and
other constructions can be created,
like the "backdrop" in the photo on
the right, a natural-looking setting.
Let your imagination run free!
The Java fern attaches its
roots (rhizomes) to
the rough surfaces of
stones and the wood
roots, forming a very natural
aquarium world.
Many external filters e.g. JBL CristalProfiare Well run-in aqua-
5. TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT supplied complete with filter material which is riums and filters
10 adequate for aquariums with normal stocking are characterised 11
by crystal-clear,
levels. If you buy a filter which does not contain
healthy water in
A certain amount of technical equipment is ProCristal 50and 100 filter material, we recommend the following: which your fish
necessary in order to create the best possi- for standard aquariums small pieces of ceramic pipe (JBL Cermec) display their most
ble conditions for the inhabitants of the of 60cm and 80 cm for the bottom layer (about 1/3 of the filter con- brilliant
small aquarium biotope. It is not capable of (approx. 50 and 100 l). A tent). Almost all of the remaining filter volume colours.
regulating and supporting itself as in nature, special feature of this fil- should be filled with a material which gives cle-
although operating according to the same ter is a pre-filter cartridge ansing bacteria the best possible conditions to
principles. We would like to explain what which can be cleaned or establish colonies. A whole range of suitable
you need to know about technical equip- replaced regularly, pro- materials are available. The most common is
ment and what equipment is needed. tecting the actual biolo- coarse foam e.g. JBL Filterpad F15for the
gical filter material from JBL CristalProfi external filter. A mixture of
5.1 Filter
undue soiling and there-
fore ensuring a longer 1) JBL Symec XL filter floss. 2) JBL Cer-
A filter, as the name says, should filter some-
working life. mec small ceramic pipes. 3) JBLSymec-
thing, namely the aquarium water. The remo-
Mix. 4) JBL SintoMec. 5) JBL Symec.
val of visible floating particles and beautifully
Ask your specialist
clear aquarium water is more a welcome
aquarium supplier about
side-effect. The main function of an aquarium
JBL ProCristal internal filters.
filter is not just mechanical filtering, but the
Air-operated internal filters are not recom- 5.
disposal and conversion of invisible harmful
mended as they expel the CO which is vital
substances by bacteria. We would like to 2
for plant growth (see chapter on plants).
briefly explain where these harmful sub- 1.
stances come from and how water purifica- w 4.
We recommend motorised external filters, o
tion is carried out by bacteria. The excretion e.g. from the JBL CristalProfi range, for lar- fl
from the fish, uneaten food and decaying r
ger aquariums. The filter can be conveniently e
plant material are all sources of soluble waste positioned below or behind the aquarium, Wat 3.
material which can be harmful to the fish to a
with only the less intrusive supply and sipho- 2.
greater or less extent over a long period of ning tubes actually in the aquarium. In con- 2.
time. Certain bacteria have become speciali-
trast to internal filters, a larger volume is avai-
zed in the breaking down and conversion of
lable for the filter mass. Check that you buy a
harmful substances into less harmful ones. model in which the pipes can be prevented coarse and fine filter floss, JBL Symec Mix, is which activated carbon is needed e.g. to filter
The filter material of the aquarium filter provi- from slipping by screw fittings, clips or such also highly suitable. The non-plus ultra amon- out residues of medicines over a limited period
des ideal conditions for these bacteria which like. Despite rumours to the contrary, pipes gst biological filter materials are materials of time. It will also be necessary from time to
become established there over a period of are part of the "living inventory" of an aqua- made of sintered glass, such as JBL Sinto- time to clean the filter material. Greatly redu-
about two weeks. More details on this are rium and always seem to change their posi- Mecand JBL Micromec. This is topped with ced water flow through the filter is an indication
given in the following chapter and in the JBL tion when you are away. a final thin layer of foam (JBL FilterPad F35) that it needs cleaning. Remove the filter mate-
Brochure "What - Why - How" No. 2. or cotton floss, JBL FilterPad VL or JBL rial from the filter (following the maker's instruc-
Quick-disconnect plugs with stop valves, eit- Symec VL. This composition can be used for tions) and rinse under luke-warm, running
At the beginning you need to know that there her fitted or available as an accessory, make filters in which the water flows from the bottom water (25°C). Do not use hot water or deter-
are external and internal filters. Internal filters routine cleaning of the filter easier. to the top. If the flow is in the opposite direction, gents. Do not clean too thoroughly, to
are positioned in the aquarium, with the the order of the layers is reversed, with the avoid harming the beneficial bacteria
advantage that there no pipes containing The selection of suitable filter material which small ceramic pipes placed at the top. Any which have settled in the filter material.
water running outside the aquarium, which would provide the ideal conditions for benefi- other filter materials such as peat or particu- More filters have been "cleaned to death" than
could spring a leak. On the other hand, the cial bacteria, as mentioned previously, is not larly activated carbon should not be used have expired through lack of cleaning. After
routine cleaning which is needed from time to a problem with motorised internal filters as under any circumstances in the filter of a new setting up an aquarium for the first time, the fil-
time entails "splashing around" in the aqua- these are supplied with ideally suited foam fil- aquarium. Later, in the course of your career ter material should not be cleaned in the first 4
rium. We recommend the JBLinternal filter ter cartridges. as an aquarist, you will come across cases in - 8 weeks.
tubes can be used, we recommend a com-
HEAT & LIGHT
bination of SOLAR Tropic and SOLAR
12 Natur. The SOLAR Natur tube should be 13
installed as the front tube, as this creates
5.2 Heating stocked aquarists' suppliers offer a wide an impression of depth in the aquarium.
variety of styles and configurations of
Since the large majority of aquarium lighting either as individual However great the temptation might be, we
fish which are easy to keep lamps or complete aquarium hoods. strongly advise against the use of tubes
and therefore suitable for a We recommend lighting or a hood with one which emit a more or less pink light, and
beginner's aquarium come or more fitted fluorescent tubes to save which will bathe your underwater world in
from tropical countries, costs. Fluorescent tubes produce the most an unnatural candy-coloured glow. Alt-
your aquarium will need a light for the energy consumed. According hough candy-coloured lights may be con- If you send your fish "to bed" in the evening with a
heater. A temperature of to the latest findings, aquarium plants sidered under the heading "a matter of dimmed light (e.g. a spotlight up to 60 W), you will be
between 23 - 26°C will pro- require the full natural spectrum of light in taste", it has been proved that this shade able to enjoy the fascinating spectacle of the colours
vide the right "working con- order to thrive. of light promotes undesirable algae gro- and behaviour of the fish.
ditions" for your fish, JBL SOLARfull-spectrum tubes provide wth, which is exactly what should be avoi-
(depending on species). the right source of light for your underwa- ded especially at the beginning. If, howe- daylight and 12 hours darkness. Because
Aquarists' stores sell a ter world. Full-spectrum tubes not only ver, you still do not want to do without of the angle of the sun's rays in the early
variety of aquarium hea- enable the plants in the aquarium to pro- candy-coloured light, one tube in this morning and evening, the underwater day
ters. We recommend a rod- duce healthy growth, to the disadvantage colour can be used in a lighting system lasts only about 10 hours.
shaped thermostat heater.
JBL ProTemp, available
from any specialist aqua-
rium store, is an extremely
compact regulated heating
rod which takes up very
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monitoring the temperature with the JBL @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Aquarium Thermometer. As a general @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
rule, you should allow 0.5 Watts per litre of @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
water in a normally heated living room. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
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necessary for a novice aquarium. Even in the natural environment, temperatures vary widely with the season.
Provide the right lighting "climate” for your fish with
5.3 Lighting the JBL SOLAR Tropic and Natur fluorescent tubes. with 2 or more tubes. Further details about Aquarium lighting should therefore be swit-
the use of light in the aquarium are to be ched on for 10 to 12 hours a day, at the
Lighting not only enhances the appea- of algae, but also show the full brilliance of found in the JBL brochure "What – Why – longest. A time switch will guarantee a
rance of the aquarium, it is also the source the fishes natural colouring. How?" Book 7. With regard to the length regular cycle, saving the fish unnecessary
of vital energy needed by the plants to For hoods with only one fluorescent tube of time the lighting should be switched on, stress. Set the lighting times so that the
thrive and develop their full glory. At the we recommend the JBL SOLAR Tropic most aquatic plants flourish best under fish are still active when you have time to
same time the plants supply the underwa- light shade, as this is ideally suited to the conditions similar to a tropical day, which observe them in the evenings e.g. on at 11
ter world with essential oxygen. Well- needs of plants. If two or more fluorescent is almost exactly divided into 12 hours of a.m. and off at 10 p.m.
aquarium keeping you will perhaps want to
6. D6A. WS AWTAESRSER keep more "demanding" fish requiring
14 specific water preparation. At the begin- 15
ning, however, you should select fish
which thrive in the tap water which is easily
THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR
available. Details on the requirements of
AT THE BEGINNING fish can be found in specialist literature or
by asking your specialist supplier.
The water in your aquarium, the natural In its natural state,
More detailed information is
element for your plants and fish, plays a water contains all
the substances given in the JBL Brochure
vital role. On the one hand the water and
which are essential "What - Why - How?"
its properties influences the fish and plants for fish to live. Tap Book 2.
living in it, on the other hand the biological water, on the other
processes of the fish and plants have an hand, has to be
made "fish- You should, however, know
influence on the quality of the water. For friendly" by the If you wish to keep South a few basic facts about
this reason we would like to explain some addition of JBL American fish which prefer water chemistry.
facts about water. Biotopol. "black water" in your first
aquarium, you will
Having filled your aquarium with tap water need to add
at the correct temperature, as explained in JBL Tropol.
point 2.5 of the guidelines, the water must
6.1 Water Hardness
now be prepared ready for the fish. Tap
water has been treated according to The new lid makes precise
You are sure to have noticed that in some
dosing simple.
hygiene standards as drinking water for
areas you need a lot of soap to produce
humans. The water which comes out of the
foam when washing your hands, and in
tap is not the ideal habitat for fish. This can
other areas you need very little. Where not
easily be remedied by adding the water
much soap is needed, the water is soft, and
preparation solution JBL Biotopolto the
where a lot of soap is needed the water is
tap water.
hard. The hardness of the water is due to
JBL Biotopolimmediately binds any chlo-
the water absorbing differing amounts of
rine and heavy metals (e.g. from copper
minerals which cause hardness as it pas-
pipes) which are toxic to fish and may be
ses through various rock layers until collec-
present in the water. In addition, it adds
ting as ground water. The degree of
organic protective colloids needed by the
hardness depends on the area and compo-
fish to keep their mucous membranes
sition of the rock layers. If the water flows
healthy. These protective colloids are to be
through chalky soil, more minerals causing
found in the water in the fishes natural
hardness are dissolved than if it flows
environment. Hygiene standards for dome-
through primary rock (e.g. granite etc).
stic drinking water mean that they are
Water hardness can be measured and the
undesirable, and therefore have to be
levels are expressed in degrees of German
added to aquarium water.
hardness. Hardness is classified as total
Any other water preparation measures, hardness and carbonate hardness. There
such as softening or mixing with rainwater are convenient JBL Test Setsto measure
or distilled water, should not be carried out both of these. At the beginning you need to
unless specifically recommended in later know that carbonate hardness, caused by
chapters. Tap water has an unvarying qua- soluble chalk in the water, is far more impor-
lity and is the best guarantee of consistent tant, in fact vital, for your aquarium. Carbo-
conditions in the aquarium. At a later date nate hardness ensures that the pH level,
when you have sufficient experience in which we will look at next, does not soar,
something which the fish and plants do not for the well-being of your fish. It is best to do ned at 7, the most beneficial level, and the the patience of aquarium keepers,
like at all. For this reason you should check this in a separate container from which you plants are supplied with the essential nutri- JBLhas developed a bacteria prepa-
16 that the carbonate hardness of the aqua- can add water when partially changing the ent, CO2. This widens the range of plants ration which shortens the waiting time. 17
rium water is at least 5 German degrees, aquarium water. Higher levels of carbonate which can be selected. More on this in the With JBL Denitrolyou can introduce a large
keeping it as constant as possible with hardness in the tap water should simply be chapter on plants. number of beneficial bacteria to the aqua-
regular partial changes of water. This is the accepted. If the level exceeds 15 degrees, rium right from the early stages. Follow the
only reason for any water treatment measu- fish should be selected accordingly. Total 6.3 Nitrite manufacturer's instructions. In addition, you
res, which we recommend in the initial sta- hardness should also be accepted as it should add half a feed tablet (JBL Novotab)
ges. Should your tap water be below 5 comes, do not worry about it. It only beco- to the water on the first day to further accele-
Nitrite is a highly toxic by-
degrees German carbonate hardness, you mes important if you later decide to breed rate the increase in numbers of the bacteria.
product produced
should increase the hardness level to about fish from extremely soft waters. As a rule, you can begin to release fish into
during the conver-
5 degrees with JBL AquaDur plus the aquarium from the fifth day
sion and decompo-
onwards. Measure the nitrite level
sition of the fishes'
beforehand to check that it is
excrement
under 0.2 mg/l.
and other
organic matter by the bacteria.
As already mentioned in the chapter on fil-
ters, certain beneficial bacteria, also referred Nitrite levels of under
to as nitrifying bacteria, are responsible for 0.2 ml/l are seldom
measured in thinly-stocked
this task. Unfortunately these bacteria grow
aquarium with healthy
and increase very slowly.
plant growth. The
THE JBL TEST aquarium water should
Without a "helping hand" it would take about be checked regularly,
2 - 3 weeks for the bacteria to multiply and particularly at the
settle sufficiently in the filter (and in the sub- beginning.
strate). Characteristic for these 2 - 3 weeks
6.2 pH levels below 7 or rise above 8 - 8.5. In the of development and maturing is a nitrite level
morning it will usually be about 7, and which initially rises very slowly to reach a
The pH level indicates whether a about 8 in the evening. You can mea- high level before gradually sinking again.
liquid reacts in an acidic, neutral or sure the pH level using the JBL pH Fish should not be released into the new
basic (alkaline) manner. The pH scale Test Set 3.0 - 10. aquarium until the nitrite level has sunk once
ranges from 0 (very acidic) to 14 The pH level is largely determined by more to below 0.2 mg/l (measured with the
(very alkaline), with neutral (neither the interrelation of carbonate hardness JBL Nitrite Test Set). As experience shows
acid nor alkaline) at about 7. and CO2. Carbonate hardness raises that this 2 - 3 week waiting time greatly testsStickstoffkreislauf im Aquarium:
We are constantly confronted with the the pH level to a certain extent, whe-
phenomenon of the pH level in our reas CO lowers it. If the two balance FFUETETDER
2
daily lives. Coca Cola, for example, each other, the level is around the neu-
has a pH level of 3. All dishes which tral point, 7. Plants extract CO from
2
we consider to taste good are more or less the water through assimilation, causing the
acidic. Most fishes and plants are easily and pH level to gradually rise towards 8. If requi-
successfully kept at pH levels around neu- red, the level can be increased to above 8
tral. One important piece of information is by switching off the lighting. Airstones
PLANTS
that, with a one point change in the pH level, should not be installed on any account as
the concentration of the substances which they force CO2out of the water, raising the waAsbtef aplrlsotdouffcets AND ALGAE
determine the pH level alters tenfold, and pH level.
with a 2 point change the alteration is one If you wish to spend more money on the such as excre-
ment, urine, NO
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the pH level, ensuring that it does not sink allows the pH level to be constantly maintai-