In nature bodies of water are constantly refreshed by rain, springs, snow melt, etc. Aquariums are enclosed systems that do not have the benefit of naturally occurring water renewal, so regular aquarium water changes are essential for maintaining a healthy ecosystem by removing accumulated toxic nitrates, phosphates, and dissolved organic waste compounds that filters cannot eliminate. They also replenish crucial minerals and electrolytes, stabilize pH, control algae growth, and reduce hormones released by aquatic life. Weekly water changes of 25% tank volume are recommended for optimum water quality.
Reasons for weekly water changes
- Removal and control of toxins such as nitrates, phosphates, and reducing the concentration of other elements and compounds that build up through the evaporation of tap water
- Replenish minerals and electrolytes (eg., calcium and magnesium) that plants and other aquatic life use up over time
- Stabilize pH, over time acids build up and deplete the water's buffering capacity, and regular water changes replenish carbonates to keep pH stable
- Control algae by removing excess nutrients like phosphates and nitrates, water changes help curb nuisance algae blooms
- Reduce disease factors, regular removal of organic waste and debris reduces the population of harmful microbes
- Improve water clarity, removing dissolved organic compounds helps eliminate tints, cloudiness, and odors, which also ensures better light penetration for plants
Frequency and amount of water changeover
- Ideal, but not practical, would be a constant flow with 10% changeover everyday
- More practical are 25% water changes once per week (better to do small changes frequently)
- Do not replace all water at once because that removes too much beneficial bacteria and can shock tank inhabitants
Perform water changes after trimming plants; do large water changes (50%) after heavy trimming.
- Trimming opens a plant's vascular system, releasing sap and hormones which adds excess nutrients that algae can feed on
- Use vacuum or siphon to remove cuttings that can rot and further add to the nutrient level
- Water change also reduces nutrient concentrations to match the reduced consumption of the smaller, trimmed plant mass
Match the parameters of the tank water as much as possible.
- Temperature and pH
- Use a dechlorinator to remove chlorine or chloramines
Water Treatments
- Measurement conversions
- 1 tsp = 5 ml
- 1 ml = 20 drops
- Raising GH and KH (GH should be higher than KH)
- Equilibrium: 1/4 tsp per 5 gal raises GH by 1 degree
- Baking soda: 1/8 tsp per 5 gal raises KH by 1 degree (raises pH, too)
- Treatment dosages
- Treatment descriptions
- Fritz Guard
- Uses sodium thiosufate to instantly break down chlorine
- Fritz Guard neutralizes the chlorine portion of the chloramine molecule, but that process releases free ammonia into the water
- The free ammonia is not detoxified by Fritz Guard
- It's up to the aquarium's biological filter (beneficial bacteria) to process that ammonia
- In cases of high chloramine presence, it's safe to increase the dosage up to 5x
- API Quick Start
- Adds live nitrifying bacteria to "instantly" start the biological filter which converts toxic ammonia into nitrite, and nitrite into nitrate, consuming organic waste
- While it does jumpstart the nitrogen cycle, it's impact is not instantaneous, but requires time and feeding for bacteria to become established
- Use when
- Setting up new tank to get biological filtration started
- After water changes to replace bacteria that may be lost during cleaning
- Cleaning filter to replenish bacteria colonies lost when changing filter media
- After medication to rebuild bacteria populations after using teatments that might kill them
- When adding new livestock to reinforce the presence of nitrifying bacteria to limit ammonia and nitrite spikes
- When ammonia or nitrite levels are detected to boost the effectiveness of the biological filtration system (bacteria colonies)
- Seachem PhosGuard
- PhosGuard is filter media that absorbs phosphates and silicates from aquarium water
- It consists of porous aluminum oxide (alumina) formed into spherical beads
- It bonds irreversibly with phosphates and silicates, meaning it does not release them back into the water
- Controls elevated phosphate and silicate levels when other means of control are inadequate, as when phosphate levels in the source water/tap water are elevated
- PhosGuard may not be a good long term solution for elevated phosphate levels, if the source water/tap water contains elevated levels of phosphate
- PhosGuard is good for reducing phophate levels fast
- However, in the case of the aquarium's source water/tap water having elevated phosphate levels, it may be easier and more economical long-term to use remineralzed RODI water
- Again, PhosGuard removes phosphate quickly, but it has a relatively low absorption capacity
- Thus, it may need to be replensihed often to keep up with a high phosphate accumulation rate
- If the sources of phosphate remain present, phosphate will continue to build up, requiring more PhosGuard to keep it under control
- How to use PhosGuard correctly
- 1 gram of PhosGuard absorbs 0.87 milligrams of phosphate/silicate
- With that rate of absorption, the amount of PhosGuard needed to remove the phosphate in a given aquarium can be calculated
- Eg., a 5 gallon (20 liter) aquarium has 2mg/L of phosphate (from test results)
- Amount of phosphate in aquarium = 20L x 2mg/L = 40mg
- Amount of PhosGuard needed to absorb 40mg = 40mg / 0.87 (absorption rate) = 46 grams
- Convert to mL (1 mL of PhosGuard weighs 0.6 grams), so 46 grams/0.6 = 77 mL
- So, 46g or 77ml PhosGuard to remove phosphate from 5 gallon (20 liter) aquarium with 2mg/l of phosphate
- That dosage would remove all phosphate from the tank fast, within a day or two
- However, a more gradual regimen for phosphate control is recommended (do not use too much PhosGuard at one time) to prevent shocking aquarium inhabitants
- Recommended dosage should not exceed 85mL or 51g for 400L or 100 gal of freshwater at one time
- Dosage conversions: 0.85mL per gallon, 1/6 tsp, 0.5g per gallon
- Plan of action
- Put the measured amount of PhosGuard in a filter bag (media)
- Pre-rinse the PhosGuard beads to remove dust (can release heat on initial contact with water)
- Place in a high-flow area of the filter
- Monitor phosphate levels every couple of days
- If phosphate levels are still high after 4 days, replace the media and continue to monitor
- If phosphate levels have dropped below 0.02mg/L, leave the media in place until the phosphate levels begin to rise again, then replace media, etc
Shrimp Tank Water Requirements
- Neocaridina shrimp, more than most fish, require particular and consistent water parameters
- pH range: 6.5 to 8.0
- Temperature range: 68F to 77F
- Water hardness: 6 to 10 dGH (107-179 ppm), 2 to 8 dKH (36-143 ppm), TDS of 150 to 250 ppm
- Stability, consistency more important than chasing any "perfect" numbers
- Water hardness, GH and KH, are of particular importance for neocaridina shrimp
- Water hardness refers to the minerals in the water
- There are two main types of water hardness measurements, GH and KH
- GH (general hardness), mainly calcium and magnesium shrimp need to grow, molt, and build strong exoskeleton shells
- KH (carbonate hardness), carbonates and bicarbonates which help stabilize pH, keeping water from becoming too acidic
- Neocaridina shrimp come from hard water environments and need both GH and KH
- Without GH, shrimp can suffer from molting issues, soft shells, death
- Without KH, shrimp become subject to dangerous pH shifts which can be fatal
- Conditioned tap water is fine for most fish tanks, but is subject to unstable parameter variables that make it problematic for shrimp tanks
- RODI water allows much greater control over shrimp tank water parameters via remineralization
- Remineralized RODI water
- Using remineralized RODI water is common practice among shrimp keepers
- Dialing in shrimp's natural water environment provides the best chance to thrive, grow, and breed
- Good remineralizing product: SaltyShrimp Shrimp Mineral GH/KH+
- Usage
- Mix with RODI water outside the aquarium, dissolves quickly and the water is ready at once
- Make sure any undissolved particles go into the tank, too
- Close container immediately after every use, as these mineral salts absorb moisture from the air quickly
- Dosage: 0.75g per 1 gal for 6 dGH and 3 dKH
- Changes to water environment must always be gradual, whether acclimating new shrimp or doing water changes in an established tank
- Neocaridina shrimp are highly sensitive to changes in water chemistry
- Sudden shifts can cause shock or even death
- The safest and most effective method for water changes is drip acclimation, even for water changes in an established tank
- This gentle process allows the shrimp's internal systems to slowly adjust to new water conditions
- Use airline tubing with a control valve and set a rate of one drop every couple of seconds, for at least 2 to 3 hours
- This gradual transition reduces stress and gives shrimp the best chance for thriving
- Common problems for neocaridina shrimp
- Molting issues are generally caused by unstable water parameters or poor mineral content
- Sudden deaths can often be linked to ammonia and nitrite spikes, or excessive copper levels
- Improper acclimation, rushed water changes can also shock shrimp and be fatal
- Low breeding rates can be due to low water temperature, poor parameters, poor diet, or predators that stress the colony
- General care tips for neocaridina shrimp
- Do frequent small water changes gradually to avoid stressing shrimp (20% each week)
- Provide hiding places in hardscape and plants like pearl weed and java moss
- Add natural botanicals like catappa leaves for tannins and biofilm
- Remember:
- When doing water changes, RODI water must be remineralized
- For topping off, straight RODI water is good for replacing water lost to evaporation, because when water evaporates the minerals are left behind, and topping off with straight purified water maintains the proper balance