The following are some very important beginners Tips to setting up a successful, maintenance free aquarium. 

By following these tips and getting an Aquaripure you can greatly reduce water changes in your fish tanks, saving you time, money, and reducing the stress on your aquarium fish. 

 

1)  Make sure you have enough physical filtration and that the water flow in the tank is sufficient to aerate the water.  

 

Make sure you have enough filtration to physically filter the water.  Just make sure it's enough to keep the water aerated, clear and generally free of sediment.  An additional powerhead is recommended for most tanks for optimal water circulation.  Activated carbon or a synthetic adsorbent to polish the water is optional.  You can also use phosphate remover if phosphates are high.  Also, for those occasional water changes and top offs use a good water conditioner or clean water purified with an Aquaripure Tap Water Filter. 

 

2) Be Patient!  Wait for your tank (and denitrator) to cycle.

 

If you are setting up a new tank then start off with a few cheap, hardy fish like damsels or tetras before you get the good fish.  Try to be patient and wait a couple of months to be sure your tank is completely cycled.  You need to monitor ammonia and watch out for dangerous ammonia spikes in a brand new aquarium.  The Aquaripure will lessen an ammonia spike in a brand new tank but it should still be monitored.    

 

3) Monitor Nitrates, pH, salinity (in saltwater tanks), and phosphates.

 

The best way to tell how your tank is doing is to get a test kit.  For fish only systems, once your tank is cycled, you primarily just have to test for nitrates and pH.  A cheap, safe, and effective way to increase pH is baking soda, just don't add too much at one time.  Phosphates should also be tested once a month or so even though they are not considered harmful in fish only tanks.  Of course, salinity should be tested in saltwater aquariums.  If you have an Aquaripure then you will not have to test for nitrates once it is cycled and nitrates become undetectable.  There are also other ways to monitor water quality even when nitrates are at zero.  There are tests which measure Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP.)  Although optional these can help ensure optimal water quality with zero nitrates. To learn more about aquarium water quality click here.  Aquaripure carries nitrate test kits and electronic TDS, ORP, and pH monitors on the product page.

 

4) Choose your fish very carefully!

 

Before you buy any aquarium fish, be sure to read everything you can about it.  Make sure it will be compatible with both your tank chemistry and with your other fish.  Make sure you note if it has any special diet.  Of course, choose only healthy looking fish that don't have any signs of Ich or other disease.

 

5) Don't Overstock your Aquarium

 

I know it's tempting to go and buy another fish or to put a big puffer fish in that 55 gallon, but you are doing the fish and yourself a disservice.  The tank will just become quickly polluted and you will wind up doing a lot of water changes.  Of course, with a properly stocked tank Aquaripure filters will solve this problem and greatly reduce water changes.  Aquaripure recommends stocking your aquarium with no more than one inch of fish per two gallons of water for freshwater and only one inch of fish per three gallons of water for saltwater tanks.  

 

6) Stock your fish tanks well with scavengers.  

 

Of course, every freshwater tank has an algae eater, but how about a freshwater crab or some freshwater snails or shrimp?  These eat just about anything and probably pollute the tank less than an algae eater.  Whether the tank is freshwater or saltwater, you should get a wide variety of scavengers which will further greatly reduce the level of nitrates in your tank.  For saltwater aquariums this includes cucumbers, crabs, snails, and starfish.  

 

And of course- Get an Aquaripure!  This will get rid of any nitrates you have left, thus greatly reducing the need for water changes.

 

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