| When most people think about an aquarium, they | | | | the beneficial bacteria that live in the gravel substrate |
| think only of the fish in the tank. It is seen as a glass | | | | of the tank as well as in the filter. These bacteria |
| box filled with water, some fish, and maybe a plant | | | | "eat" the fish waste and leftover food converting |
| or two. However, successful aquarium hobbyists look | | | | ammonia and nitrites into nitrate that feeds the |
| at things a bit differently. | | | | plants. The plants use the nitrate and with proper |
| The people that have the most success with their | | | | lighting, photosynthesize, thus releasing oxygen into |
| tanks take into account the whole ecosystem of a | | | | the water. The fish use the oxygen to breathe and |
| freshwater aquarium. They understand that the | | | | they in turn release carbon dioxide that the plants |
| aquarium is not just water, fish, and plants, but rather | | | | use in photosynthesis. |
| the whole thing is one single living entity. | | | | Knowing about this cycle and the importance of |
| Approaching the set up and maintenance of a | | | | keeping it in balance can then guide your decisions as |
| freshwater aquarium in this way requires you to | | | | to what to add to the tank. It should be obvious that |
| treat each component like a piece of the overall | | | | it would be potentially very bad to add too many fish |
| puzzle. When it is time to add some fish, stop and | | | | at one time, as it would create too much waste, the |
| think about how that may affect the other fish, the | | | | bacteria couldn't metabolize it all, and the ammonia |
| plants, and the water quality. Everything that gets | | | | levels in the water could spike. A sudden rise in |
| added or taken out of an established aquarium can | | | | ammonia levels could kill both the new and the old |
| have a ripple effect that needs to be considered. | | | | fish, so it is of utmost importance to do things slowly |
| A healthy aquatic ecosystem will have the right | | | | when it comes to adding fish to the tank. |
| balance of fish and plants. It will be getting the | | | | Every inhabitant in the tank uses one substance to |
| proper amount of light. The filter will be keeping dirt | | | | create another that is in turn used by a different |
| in check and the nitrogen cycle will be operating | | | | tank inhabitant and so on through the cycle. So, in a |
| smoothly. | | | | healthy aquarium ecosystem, all organisms are in |
| The nitrogen cycle is an often overlooked but crucial | | | | balance, the water chemistry is optimal, and the |
| aspect of a healthy aquarium. The key to the cycle is | | | | whole aquarium thrives as one. |