National Fish Pharmaceuticals
Tips & Prevention.
Here you will find many ways to improve the quality of the
environment for your tropical fish. And have a better understanding
of fish keeping in general. We want to help make your hobby or
business fun, not frustrating!
Below are links to few topics that make for a good foundation.
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Pond and Aquarium Filtration
One of the most confusing things about setting up an aquarium is
the fact that there are so many different products out there on the
market. Some are good and some are bad. Here are a few manufacturers
that we feel make quality products: Fluval®,
Aqua Clear®, Top Fin®,
Marine Land®, and there are many more
that we will not list here. Use good judgment and remember that you
get what you pay for. Most of the companies we have listed sell
their products at your local pet shop. We like outside power filters
because they are simple to use, and pretty much maintenance free for
anywhere from 3-6 months depending on the load of fish you have in
the tank. If you are setting up an outdoor pond, please visit
our friends, Koi USA Magazine at:
http://www.koiusa.com
and there you will find all of the resources you will need.
Setting up proper filtration
There are a couple of products you will need to set up a
good aquarium or pond. You will need a de-chlorinator that
removes Chlorine and Chloramines, and you will also need
some biological Bacteria to start the nitrification cycle.
We suggest that you use: Sodium Thiosulfate and Aqua Gold.
You will not need any other products or chemicals to start
your tank. Both the products we have mentioned work in
freshwater, saltwater and also in outdoor ponds.
Another bit of good advise is... double up on your filtration if
you have an aquarium or pond that is 50 gallons or more.
Meaning, if you have a 50 gallon aquarium, put a filter on it for a
100 gallon tank. This will save you some water changes and
maintenance in the long run. It will also provide you with a
vast amount of biological media for your nitrifying bacteria to grow
on, which is so crucial in keeping ammonia levels down. Also,
the filters for the larger aquariums and ponds seem to be of better
quality.
Maintenance of proper pond or aquarium
filtration
The importance of maintenance is pretty self-explanatory. Like we
mention in
"Water Quality", it's a good idea to do partial water changes on
a weekly basis. But, as we mentioned above... if your aquarium
or pond is over-filtered, you might be able to cut the water changes
down to monthly, rather than weekly.
It is also important to add Aqua Gold periodically to ensure an
established bed of facultative Bacteria in your filtration system.
This bacteria will also re-establish a filtration system that has
been damaged by medications and prevents disease by improving water
quality and keeping Ammonia levels acceptable. Ammonia and Nitrites
are the #1 cause of disease and death in aquarium and pond fish.
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