Power Filter

Power filters come in a wide variety of sizes and usually have one or two slots that hold fiber pads containing a small amount of activated carbon. They offer major advantages. The equipment and replacement pads are inexpensive. Changing the pads is quick and simple on most models.

The simplest power filters hang on the back of the tank. Water enters through a siphon that extends nearly to the bottom of the aquarium. An electric pump pulls water through the filter pads and returns it to the tank via a spillway.

Choose a model that accepts two filter pads and change only one at a time. This way, you do not throw away all your beneficial nitrifying bacteria each time you toss out a pad.

Corner Box Filter

One of the oldest devices in the aquarium hobby, the corner box filter was originally designed for small aquariums. This filter contains a single airstone attached to a pump that pushes water through layers of activated charcoal and floss contained in a plastic box. The filter itself rests on the gravel bed inside the tank.

Corner filters are inefficient because they take a long time to filter all the water in the tank. They can also be noisy and may float around the tank if they are not weighted down properly. A more efficient power filter is a better choice.

Aquarium Monitoring Water Conditions

During the conditioning period, monitor the nitrite level daily. Initially, no nitrite will be present. As the ammonia-converting bacteria begin to multiply, the nitrite level will rise as ammonia is converted. Within a couple of weeks to a month, the nitrite level will peak and then begin to decline. This event signals the development of nitrite-converting bacteria, which grow more slowly than the ammonia-converters. As nitrite becomes nitrate, you will observe a precipitous decline in nitrite. When the level of nitrite reaches zero, the conditioning process is complete.

A check of the nitrate level at this point will reveal that the level, originally zero, has now risen considerably.

Aquarium Conditioning Time

Conditioning time varies depending on the temperature of the water and the type and number of filtration units used. This period may take anywhere from three weeks to several months. The process will begin only after your starter fish have been introduced into the tank. A few hardy species, such as Guppies or a single Betta, should be added to the new aquarium to start the conditioning of the biological filter.

Ammonia levels begin to peak within seven to fourteen days, and eventually the helpful bacteria increase in numbers to detoxify the ammonia into nitrites. Next, the nitrites will accumulate to higher levels and other types of bacteria will begin to convert them to nitrates. Eventually, nitrite levels drop and the conditioning period ends. Nitrate levels will continue to slowly increase over time, but can be maintained at proper levels through frequent water changes.

Aquarium Water Hardness

The dH (degree of hardness) is simply the amount of dissolved mineral salts in the aquarium water. You can check the hardness of your tap water with a simple aquarium test kit. Bettas prefer soft water with a dH of less than 25. One way to dilute hardness is to add distilled water from the grocery store. Reverse osmosis units will also reduce hardness, but they are expensive and use a lot of tap water to produce a small amount of mineral-free water. Consider using one only if you need to soften a lot of water.

Aquarium Chlorine

City water departments add chlorine and chloramine to drinking water to eliminate harmful bacteria and to make it safe for human consumption. However, these chemicals can be deadly to your aquarium fish and must be removed. Bottled chlorine remover, which you can buy at your local aquarium shop, will neutralize the chlorine and chloramine in your tap water. Simply follow the label’s directions and add the chemical to the water before any fish or live plants are put into the aquarium.

are put into the aquarium. Another way to remove chlorine is to aerate the water for 12 hours or let it sit in open buckets for 48 hours. However, bottled chlorine remover works in seconds.

Aquarium Tubing

Aquarium tubing made of silicone/rubber material is easy to work with. Tinted blue-green by the manufacturer, it blends in nicely, virtually disappearing under water. Rubber tubing can be bent around decorations without kinking and does not crack with age. To slide tubing easily onto the pump outlet or the stem of an airstone, hold it briefly under very hot tap water to soften it slightly. It returns to normal when it cools.