Category: Hygger Aquarium Official Blog

Do you know some fish are fond of hard water, while others prefer soft water? However, sometimes soft water may become hard as the aquarium’s living conditions change. Accordingly, this article will walk you through some methods about how to soften water for aquariums naturally. So let’s get started right away.

What is soft water in aquariums

GH & KH

To begin with, let’s learn something about water hardness, which includes GH and KH. GH, also called general hardness, means the levels of calcium and magnesium in the water. General hardness is the reason for limescale forming on the aquarium lids and glass. On the other side, KH, also named carbonate hardness, refers to the levels of carbonate and bicarbonate in the water.

Though GH (general hardness) and KH (carbonate hardness) measure the water hardness, they are different exactly. GH does not influence the pH level, while KH directly affects the pH level. Generally, the higher the KH, the higher the pH level. For instance, adding Indian almond leaves or catappa leaves would decrease the pH level and KH in the water, then the water turns more acidic, but the GH is unchanged. Therefore, you should know which one you need to reduce – GH or KH.

Aside from that, there is more you need to learn about water hardness.

	Units of GH or KH
GH (general hardness)	① dGH (degrees of general hardness) ② ppm (parts per million, 1 dGH=17.9 ppm or 17.9 mg/L)
KH (carbonate hardness)	① dKH (degrees of carbonate hardness) ② ppm (parts per million, 1 dKH=17.85 ppm or 17.85 mg/l calcium carbonate)

Aquarium water hardness – Soft water & Hard water

Additionally, how to tell if the aquarium water is hard or soft? Specifically, hard water comes with a high pH level because of its high mineral content. While the pH level of soft water is usually low, due to the low mineral content. In general, hard water tends to be more alkaline, and soft water is more acidic. Next, we will list some general values of hard and soft water.

• Hard water: more than 12 dGH/more than 210 ppm
• Moderately hard water (8-12°GH/140-210 ppm)
• Soft water: 4-8 dGH/70-140 ppm
• Very soft water: 0-4 dGH /0-70 ppm

However, these values are just references. They are not definitive answers. Generally, the 4-8 dGH or 70-140 ppm is suitable for most freshwater fish tanks, the 3-15 dGH is ideal for most planted aquariums, while the 4-12 dKH is good for most freshwater planted aquariums.

Fish need soft water

Next, we will list some fish demanding soft water.

Fish	pH level	Water hardness
Discus Fish	5.0-7.0	4-8 dGH
German Blue Ram	5.0-6.0	6-14 dGH
Glowlight Tetras	5.5-7.0	Up to 15 dGH
Cardinal Tetras	5.0-6.0	Up to 4 dGH
Angelfish	6.0-8.0	2-8 dGH
Clown Loach	6.5-7.5	5-15 dGH
Pearl Gourami	6.0-8.0	2-30 dGH
Corydoras Catfish	6.5-7.8	6-12 dGH
Betta fish	6.5-8.0	5-20 dGH
Harlequin Rasboras	6.0-7.8	2-15 dGH
Zebra Danios	6.5-7.2	5-19 dGH
Rainbow fish	7.0-8.0	4-10 dGH

How to soften aquarium water

In this segment, we will cover methods of how to soften water in aquariums.

Change water

1. Rainwater

(1)Roles of Rainwater

• Lower GH and KH
• Lower pH level

(2)How To Do

Mix the rainwater with tap water. Then refill the aquarium.

(3)Pros and Cons of Rainwater

Pros:

• Lower cost or even free
• Mixing it with tap water to lower GH and KH
• Lower the pH level under 7.0

Cons:

• Not ideal for regions of rainwater deficiency
• Consume time and energy to collect and store rainwater

2. Distilled water

(1)Roles of Distilled Water

• Lower GH and KH
• Lower pH level

(2)How To Do

Mix the distilled water with tap water, then refill the aquariums.

(3)Pros and Cons of Distilled Water

Pros:

• Available in stores
• Distilled water is purified to neutral with a pH level of 7.0

Cons:

• Higher cost

3. RO/DI water (Reverse Osmosis water/Deionization water)

(1)Roles of RO/DI Water

• Lower GH and KH
• Lower pH level

(2)How To Do

Mix the RO/DI water with tap water, then refill the aquarium.

(3)Pros and Cons of RO/DI Water

Pros:

• The degrees of GH and KH for RO or DI water is zero
• The pH level of RO or DI water is about 7.0
• No need to store the water

Cons:

• The high cost (expensive RO/DI system)
• Waste of water
• For large aquariums, it consumes time to purify water

Driftwood

(1)Roles of Driftwood

• Lower KH
• Lower pH level

(2)How To Do

Add driftwood to the aquarium, just like aquarium decorations.

(3)Pros and Cons of Driftwood

Pros:

• Tannin helps to enhance the immune system of fish, which is beneficial against fungal infection
• Available in pet stores

Cons:

• Watercolor turns brown: brown tannin leached from the driftwood will make the watercolor brown, but it is not damaging to fish
• Risk of introducing parasites to your tank

Indian Almond Leaves

(1)Roles of Indian Almond Leaves

• Lower KH
• Lower pH level

(2)How To Do

Rinse, soak, or boil the Indian almond leaves before adding them to aquariums. Commonly, one leaf or two leaves for every 10 gallons of water.

(3)Pros and Cons of Indian Almond Leaves

Pros:

• Ideal for shrimp aquariums, like Caridina shrimp (e.g. Crystal shrimp, Tiger shrimp, and bee shrimp)
• Tannin helps to enhance the immune system of aquatic pets, which is beneficial against fungal infection
• A food source for shrimps
• Do not affect GH

Cons:

• Watercolor turns brown: brown tannin leached from the leaves will make the watercolor brown, but it is not damaging to the pets
• Not an excellent option for tanks larger than 20 gallon

Peat

(1)Roles of Peat

• Lower KH
• Lower pH level

(2)How To Do

Place the peat in a mesh bag, and then put it into the aquarium filter.

(3)Pros and Cons of Peat

Pros:

• A great alternative for large tanks
• Tannin helps to enhance the immune system of fish, which is beneficial against fungal infection
• Do not affect GH

Cons:

• Watercolor turns brown: brown tannin leached from peat will make the watercolor brown

Relevant topic

In short, just test the aquarium water regularly and determine the real-time water condition. Then adjust the water parameters according to the tank size and status. By the way, you can go to Aquarium Water Sources – The Best Water for Aquarium to know more about aquarium water.

Sick fish may be the result of parasite invasion, fungal infection, bacterial infection, or others. The following article will discuss bacterial diseases and treatment for fish in aquariums. Without wasting much time, let’s dive deep into it.

Bacterial diseases in fish

What are bacterial diseases in fish?

Gram-negative bacteria appear in the aquarium as a direct consequence of bacterial diseases in fish, such as genera Aeromonas, Vibrio, and Citrobacter. Generally, Aeromonas is a common cause of bacterial diseases in freshwater fish, while Vibrio brings effects to saltwater fish. Besides that, gram-positive bacteria can also be a reason for bacterial disease in fish, like Streptococcus.

In fact, bacteria diseases, such as fin rot disease, tail rot disease, gill rot disease, and red skin disease, are common in freshwater fish. To take fin rot disease as an example, the susceptible infected fish include those with long or flowing fins, like betta fish, fancy goldfish, and molly fish. On the other side, saltwater fish may be infected with bacterial gill disease, blood poisoning disease, blood vibriosis, popeye disease, or other bacterial diseases. As for blood vibriosis, fish from the Cichlidae family would be susceptible to infection.

Causes of bacterial disease in fish

• Result of gram-positive or gram-negative bacterial infection (gram-negative infection is more common in saltwater fish)
• A secondary infection for preexisting parasite or worm infestation
• Open wound on fish body
• Overstock
• Poor water quality
• Stress
• Nutrient deficiency
• Other factors lowering fish’s immune system

Symptoms of bacterial disease in fish

• Lethargy
• Loss of appetite
• Abnormal swimming patterns
• Cloudy eyes
• Rotten fins or tail
• Hemorrhagic lesions on the skin
• Dropsy
• A white film on the fish’s body

Are bacterial diseases contagious in fish

Commonly, moat bacterial diseases are contagious. Take tail rot disease as an example. If one fish suffer tail rot disease, others in the same tank would be gradually infected, and then their tails would begin decaying. If serious, the whole tail would be rotten. Consequently, once diagnosed as bacterial disease infections, the sick fish should be quarantined and treated immediately.

How to treat bacterial infection in fish

In general, an antibiotic is an effective way to deal with bacterial infections in fish. The antibiotic can be added to the water to bathe fish, or in the food to feed, plus injected into the fish directly. However, adding antibiotics in the water to bathe fish may be just feasible for external infections. For instance, fish get rotten fins or lose the desired appetite.

Nevertheless, treating saltwater fish for bacterial diseases is harder than that freshwater fish. Also, bacteria diseases commonly appear among fish that be introduced to a new tank within two weeks. For example, if you find cloudy eyes on saltwater angelfish, your fish may suffer from bacterial diseases, which may threaten the fish’s life provided that you do not treat the disease early.

Then, how to treat sick fish? Setting up a quarantine tank is necessary. The quarantine tank size depends on the fish’s quantity and size. The salinity level should be reduced to 1.011-1.012, you can monitor the level with an aquarium hydrometer every day. As for antibiotics, sulfa-based medication is an excellent alternative. Generally, the antibiotic medication should be used lasting for 3 days. Then, change the water completely with water of a salinity level between 1.011 and 1.012. Commonly, it is best not to stop treating until the infected symptoms disappear.

Additionally, there are some tips – never add activated carbon in the filtration for the quarantine tank. Since the activated carbon will remove the medications from the aquarium water. Furthermore, it is vital to make sure plenty of oxygen levels in the aquarium during medication treatment.

FAQs

How can you prevent bacterial diseases in fish?

• Disinfect and quarantine the new fish before introducing them to aquariums
• Maintain optimal living conditions, like clean water and great water quality
• Never keep incompatible fish in one tank to avoid fish fights
• Make sure sufficient nutrition by feeding food rich in protein
• Add a UV sterilizer or filter pump with UV light

Can bacterial infections in fish spread to humans?

Definitely, some bacterial infections in fish can spread to humans. For example, Vibriosis, caused by vibrio bacteria, is common in saltwater fish. Actually, Vibriosis is also contagious to humans, especially people with weak immune systems. Once suffering from Vibriosis, people would show diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. By the way, if your hands hurt, do not treat the sick fish with your hands directly. It is best to wear gloves.

What are some ways for maintaining good water to prevent bacterial infections in fish?

• Keep regular water changes, including partial water changes and complete water changes. During water changes, an electric vacuum gravel will help you a lot.
• Maintain ideal water parameters, like water temperature. As for tropical fish, you’d better add an aquarium heater to keep warm and stable water temp.
• Never overstock. Overstock may cause fish fights and injuries, which may pose risks of disease infections.
• Never overfeed. Or reduce the food quantity. As overfeeding means more uneaten fish food in the tank. As the uneaten food is decomposed, tank water parameters would be poorer.
• Build a great filtration system. Aquarium filters are beneficial to filter particles, debris, and other unnecessary substances in tanks. Also, filters help to absorb odors and grow beneficial bacteria. Hence, tanks keep clean and make sure comfortable living conditions.
• Quarantine new fish before introducing them to the aquarium. It decreases the risk of bacterial infections.

Featuring vibrant colors and unique shapes, corals can be a great addition to saltwater aquariums. And this article will share the torch coral types and care guides. So, if you’re ready to dive deeper into the aquatic world of corals and learn more about torch coral, then let’s begin.

Torch corals types

Basic info about torch coral

Torch corals are LPS corals. They have long and flowing polyps or tentacles with colored and rounded tips. The tips enable torch corals to sting and capture prey, plus defend themselves from predators. Most torch corals are from Indonesia and Australia, such as Indo Hellfire Torch, Neon Green Tip Torch, and Holy Grail Torch. Usually, torch corals that are native to Indonesia possess long and thin tentacles with small tips. While the tentacles of torch corals from Australia are smaller and thicker, and their tips are bigger. Next, let’s have a quick look at torch coral.

Family	Caryophylliidae
Scientific name	Euphyllia glabrescens
Common name	Wall, Octopus, Grape, Honey, Trumpet corals, Pom-Pom corals, Branch corals
Care level	easy-moderate
Color	green, tan, cream, orange
Diet	omnivore
Maximum size	about 10 inches
Minimum tank size	50 gallons
Temperament	aggressive
Tank placement	bottom & middle

Torch corals types

After learning some basic information about torch corals, next, we will list some types of torch corals.

• Indo Hellfire Torch
• Neon Green Tip Torch
• NY Knicks Gold Torch
• Dragon Soul Torch
• Cotton Candy Torch
• Holy Grail Torch
• Reverse Tiger Torch
• Teal Tipped Cristata Torch

After that, we will cover three of the torch corals mentioned above.

1.  Indo Hellfire Torch

Brief introduction	Indo Hellfire Torch has purple tentacles and neon green tips
Coral types	LPS torch coral	Tank placement	Bottom & Middle
Temperament	Aggressive	Water temperature	72-78℉
Care level	Easy & Ideal for beginners	pH level	8.1-8.4
Light requirement	Moderate	Water hardness	8-12 dKH
Water flow level	Moderate	Specific gravity	1.023-1.025

2. Neon Green Tip Torch

Brief introduction	Neon Green Tip Torches have light-brown tentacles and neon-green tips
Coral types	LPS torch coral	Tank placement	Bottom & Middle
Temperament	Aggressive	Water temperature	74-78℉
Care Level	Easy & Ideal for beginners	pH level	8.0-8.4
Light requirement	Moderate	Water hardness	8-12 dKH
Water flow level	Moderate	Specific gravity	1.023-1.026

3. Holy Grail Torch

Brief introduction	Holy grail torches are not common, featuring light pink or yellow-green tentacles with purple or blue tips
Coral types	LPS torch coral	Tank placement	Middle
Temperament	Aggressive	Water temperature	74-78℉
Care Level	Moderately difficult	pH level	8.0-8.4
Light requirement	Moderate	Water hardness	8-12 dKH
Water flow level	Moderate	Specific gravity	1.023-1.026

Torch coral frag

Basically, you need a saw. After retracting the coral’s tentacles, you can cut through the torch coral’s branch. Then dry the bottom and let them stand still for 1–2 minutes. After a few minutes, you can put them back in aquariums.

Are torch corals hard to keep

Whether torch corals are hard to keep or not depends on the torch coral types. But most torch corals are relatively easy to keep and are excellent alternatives for beginners and experienced aquarists. However, great water conditions and stable water parameters are vital for torch coral aquariums. Because torch corals are sensitive to water fluctuations. The following are water requirements for torch corals.

• Water temperature: 73-84℉ (23-29℃)
• pH level: 8.1-8.5
• Water hardness: 8-12 dKH
• Specific gravity: 1.023-1.026
• Calcium level: 380-450 ppm
• Magnesium level: 1300-1400 ppm
• Ammonia level: 0 ppm
• Nitrite level: 0 ppm
• Nitrate level: less than 10 ppm

How to choose a good torch coral

In general, torch corals from Indonesia and Australia should be your first choices, like Indo Hellfire Torch and Neon Green Tip Torch. Besides, you can observe the tentacles, which should freely swing with the water flow. Furthermore, check the sides of torch corals to confirm whether there is symbiotic flesh or not. If the answer is negative, just have a look at other corals.

Torch coral care

Tank size and location

The minimum tank size for torch corals should be 50 gallons at least. And it is recommended to leave adequate space between torch corals and other aquatic pets, because the torch corals may attack other lives nearby. Also, it is best to locate torch corals in a place with moderate light and water movement. For instance, the bottom and near the middle of the tank.

Light requirements

Low to medium light would be perfect for torch corals. The excellent PAR value can be 50-150, and lighting time can reach 9–12 hours daily. If your torch corals shrink or turn white, it may be the result of too intensive light or too long lighting time. By the way, the bluetooth clip on light is a great option for torch coral tanks. You can freely set the RGB value and lumen of the light according to the torch’s need, and the adjustable settings of color, brightness, and temperature can fulfill your tank requirements.

Water flow requirements

Torch corals fancy low to medium water flow rate, which should be 20 times turn over per hour. In this case, an inverter wavemaker will help you a lot. It is a 3400 GPH wavemaker pump with an LED controller, ideal for 75–200 gallons of freshwater and saltwater tanks. It can be paired wirelessly to lead more wavemaker pumps through one controller for tanks of more than 200 gallons.

Diet requirements

The zooxanthellae inside LPS corals can convert light into a food source. Nonetheless, additional feeding is needed. You can feed phytoplankton, shrimps, small fish, liquid food, and pellets or flakes rich in protein. Also, you should supplement trace elements, like calcium and magnesium. Additionally, never overfeed. Generally, 1–2 times each week is feasible.

Torch coral tank mates

(1)Compatible fish

• Blue Chromis
• Orange Spotted Goby
• Kole Yellow Eye Tang

(2)Compatible corals

• Micromussa genus
• Acanthera genus

Disease treatment

Sometimes, torch corals may suffer bacterial infections. Without timely treatment, infected corals would die. Take Brown Jelly as an example. Once infected, there would be brown filaments, mucus, and brown bubbles on the surface of torch corals. It may be caused by poor water quality, open wood on torch corals, or other factors. In the face of Brown Jelly, what can you do? Throw it away or try to tackle the disease? Actually, you can cut off the infected part, and then do water changes plus increase the water flow rate. Also, you can soak the infected corals in water containing iodine and then in water with penicillin.

How to grow torch corals fast

Definitely, torch corals grow slowly. Generally, they produce 1–2 heads every 3–7 months. Actually, the growth rate of Torch Corals depends on several factors such as light, water flow, and chemical stability. Stable water conditions are key to good growth. Consequently, you should monitor the water parameters and test salinity and specific gravity regularly. Also, feeding some meaty food a few times each week is helpful to grow torch corals fast, like mysis shrimp and brine shrimp.

Key takeaways

In a nutshell, most torch corals are easy to keep. Actually, adding torch corals to your marine aquarium can greatly improve the ornamental values. Just keep in mind, to maintain great and stable water conditions. Plus, water flow and light are vital. For more LPS corals, you can go to The Easiest LPS Coral for Beginners.

That’s all for today. For additional information or interesting facts about torch corals, welcome to share with us in the comment. We’re happy to receive your sharing. Finally, thanks for reading.

Hey, dear friends. In today’s article, we would like to share a fish consisting of freshwater and saltwater species. That is butterfly fish. After reading, we hope you will know more about it and take good care of it. Rant over, let’s dive in.

Butterfly fish profiles

What are butterfly fish? They are tropical fish from the Pantodontidae or Chaetodontidae family. You can find them on the reefs of the Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans. Actually, there is one butterfly that survives in freshwater. That is African Butterfly Fish. Besides that, butterfly fish are brilliant and different species may come in various colors with a deep and narrow bodies. Also, they are diurnal fish. While they prefer hiding in reef crevices at night. Just continue reading, the table below will give you more info about them.

Family	Pantodontidae /Chaetodontidae
Distribution	The Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans
Care Level	Depends on diverse butterflyfish species
Diet	Omnivores /Insectivore /Carnivores
Average Size	4.7-8.7 inches (12-22 cm)
Temperament	Peaceful most of the time
Minimum Tank Size	30–150 gallons

Butterfly fish freshwater

When it comes to freshwater butterfly fish, there is an interesting fact – there is only one freshwater butterfly species – African Butterfly Fish (Pantodon buchholzi). They are small but have large pectoral fins. Also, the swim bladder allows African Butterfly Fish to breathe at the water’s surface. Besides that, they are fond of stagnant, soft, and acidic water, hence, the less powerful the filters should be. Accordingly, peat filtration is an excellent alternative. Next, we will cover more additional information about African Butterfly Fish.

Family	Pantodontidae
Distribution	West Africa
Care Level	Moderately difficult
Diet	Insectivore & Carnivores (e.g. aquatic insects, small fish, bloodworms, mosquito larvae, brine shrimp, etc.)
Average Size	Less than 5.1 inches (13 cm)
Lifespan	5–6 years
Temperament	Semi-aggressive
Minimum Tank Size	30 gallons
Breeding type	Egg-scatterers
Compatible Tank Mates	Bristlenose Pleco, Nerite snails
Water Requirements	① Water temperature: 73-86℉ (23-30℃) ② pH level: 6.9-7.1 ③ Water hardness: 1-12 dKH
Tank Set Up	① Light requirement: low ② adequate hiding places: add aquatic plants ③ add aquarium lids to avoid fish jumping out of aquariums

Saltwater butterfly fish

There are diverse types of saltwater butterfly fish. In this segment, we will list some:

• Copperband butterfly
• Saddleback butterflyfish
• Lined butterflyfish
• Schooling butterflyfish
• Threadfin butterflyfish
• Pearlscale butterflyfish
• Orange butterflyfish
• Punctato butterflyfish
• Latticed butterflyfish
• Eclipse butterflyfish
• Burgess butterflyfish
• Altiveils butterflyfish
• Vagabond butterflyfish
• Blackback butterflyfish
• Black and white heniochus
• Indian butterflyfish
• Long-nosed butterflyfish
• Pebbled butterflyfish

After knowing some saltwater butterfly fish, here are a further introduction to the three saltwater butterfly mentioned above. You can choose your favorite one for saltwater tanks.

1. Orange butterflyfish

Orange butterflyfish are also famous as Sunburst, Blacklip, Corallicola, and Klein’s butterflyfish. Their body color is usually golden-yellow, with a black and blue or blue eye band.

Family	Chaetodontidae
Origin	East Africa /Hawaii /Samoa /Japan /Lord Howe Islands
Care Level	Easy
Diet	Omnivore
Average Size	6 inches
Lifespan	10 years
Temperament	Peaceful most of the time
Minimum Tank Size	120 gallons
Breeding type	Egg-scatterers
Reef compatible	No
Tank Requirements	① Water temp: 72-78℉ ② pH level: 8.1-8.4 ③ Water hardness: 8-12 dKH ④ Specific gravity: 1.020-1.025

2. Saddleback butterflyfish

Saddleback butterflyfish are also called Saddle butterflyfish, or Saddled butterflyfish. They have a yellow snout and black tail. Also, there is a black spot on the white and tan body, plus a black line over the eyes.

Family	Chaetodontidae
Origin	Indian and Pacific Oceans
Care Level	Moderate
Diet	Omnivore
Average Size	12 inches (30 cm)
Lifespan	7 years
Temperament	Peaceful
Minimum Tank Size	125 gallons
Breeding type	Egg-scatterers
Reef compatible	No
Tank Requirements	① Water temp: 72-78℉ ② pH level: 8.1-8.4 ③ Water hardness: 8-12 dKH ④ Specific gravity: 1.020-1.025

3. Pearlscale butterflyfish

Featuring attractive patterns and brilliant colors, Pearlscale butterflyfish have pearly white body colors. Furthermore, they are hardy. Hence, they can be a great addition to your saltwater tanks. You can decorate a Pearlscale butterflyfish aquarium with rocks and corals, providing plenty of hiding places and swimming rooms.

Family	Chaetodontidae
Origin	The Central Indo-Pacific region
Care Level	Moderate
Diet	Omnivore
Average Size	6 inches (30 cm)
Lifespan	5–7 years
Temperament	Peaceful
Minimum Tank Size	70 gallons
Breeding type	Egg-scatterers
Reef compatible	No
Tank Requirements	① Water temp: 72-78℉ ② pH level: 8.1-8.4 ③ Water hardness: 8-12 dKH ④ Specific gravity: 1.020-1.025

Copperband butterflyfish

Copperband butterflyfish feature long snouts and vertical yellow banding on the body. Then are Copperband butterfly reef safe? Actually, Copperband butterflyfish can be reef safe, but you should keep them with caution. Commonly, the butterflyfish would not attack corals in the tank. Nevertheless, they may eat large fleshy coral polyps. Thus, you should be cautious. Definitely, Copperband butterflyfish are carnivorous. So they can be held in reef tanks as long as you make sure compatible with tank mates and maintain regular maintenance.

A call to action

There are many ways to take good care of butterfly fish, the easiest daily maintenance is using the aquarium water test strips and aquarium hydrometer to help you monitor the water conditions. Consequently, you can make adjustments in time. The water test trips can be helpful to monitor the water chemistry of hardness, which monitor the water quality parameters changes in water PH, total alkalinity, carbonate root, nitrate, nitrite, and free chlorine level so you can get a better idea to build your tank ecosystem. On the other side, the aquarium hydrometer is a piece of equipment to test accurate and reliable aquarium salinity, which delivers precise full-range salinity and specific gravity readings.

That is all for today. For additional interesting facts about butterfly fish, welcome to share them with us in the comment. We are happy to receive your sharing. Finally, thanks for taking the time. And we hope this article helps.

Definitely, bacteria are not always damaging to aquariums. For instance, beneficial bacteria in the aquarium are helpful to keep stable ammonia levels. So, in today’s article, we will walk you through the establishment and requirements of beneficial bacteria for aquariums. Rant over, let’s get started.

7 beneficial bacteria for aquarium

What are beneficial bacteria in aquariums? In simple terms, beneficial bacteria are bacteria that are not harmful to aquariums. They may make sense in water quality improvement, biological filtration, and fish health. For example, photosynthetic bacteria, one of the beneficial bacteria, photosynthesize under low oxygen and low light conditions. Also, under low oxygen and low light conditions, the bacteria help to degrade uneaten food, fish feces, and some organic substances in aquariums, plus absorb the ammonia and nitrite in the water.

Next, we will cover 7 beneficial bacteria for aquariums. After reading, you will know more about aquarium beneficial bacteria.

1. Bacillus

Bacillus belongs to gram-negative bacteria, and it is aerobic bacteria. These bacteria are resistant to low temperatures (lower to minus 60℃), high temperatures (higher to 280℃), strong acids, strong bases, hyperoxia, and hypoxia. Also, it is anti-microbial.

In aquariums, bacillus makes sense in degrading the organic matter in the water, such as fish feces, uneaten fish food, debris, etc. Furthermore, bacillus subtilis, which could limit the growth of microorganisms or even kill them, would appear during the metabolic process of bacillus. In addition, you can add Bacillus subtilis to establish a bacteria colony when you set up a new tank.

2. Saccharomycetes

Belong to facultatively anaerobic bacteria, saccharomycetes is a single fungus, which can survive in anaerobic and aerobic environments. Besides, saccharomycetes can convert the sugar and organic matter dissolved in the water into carbon dioxide and water. In aquariums with cloudy water, adding saccharomycetes can be an excellent alternative. Because it can purify the water quickly.

By the way, there are also tips for you. Saccharomycetes can not take the place of nitrobacteria. Since nitrobacteria mainly decompose toxin substances in the water, like ammonia. Nevertheless, saccharomycetes can not. Furthermore, facing cloudy water in aquariums, you can add saccharomycetes together with photosynthetic bacteria.

3.Lactic acid bacteria

Lactic acid bacteria are prokaryotes, and they are one kind of spore-free and gram-positive bacteria. Also, the bacteria help fish form a protective layer of the intestine, which play roles in preventing the invasion of pathogens and viruses, stimulating the intestine to secrete antibodies, improving the immunity of the intestine, promoting gastric secretion, and enhancing digestive function. Plus, Lactic acid bacteria can decompose organic matter.

4. Actinomycetes

Actinomycetes are prokaryotes, featuring shapes of hyphae and spore propagation. The beneficial bacteria can decompose organic matter, improve soil, as well as increase fertilizer utilization. Accordingly, it promotes plant growth. Aside from that, Actinomycetes can directly promote plant growth and develop roots by producing plant hormones through nitrogen fixation.

5. Bdellovibrio

Bdellovibrio parasitizes other bacteria, especially gram-negative bacteria, such as
Edwardsiella, Aeromonas, and Pseudomonas. Bdellovibrio is small but can kill photosynthetic bacteria. However, the bacteria mainly kill harmful bacteria to decrease the infection of fish disease and strengthen the immune system.

6. Nitrobacteria

Nitrobacteria are aerobic bacteria, which require sufficient oxygen but dislike intensive light. They can decompose the harmful substances in aquariums, such as ammonia and nitrite. Besides, there are two types of nitrobacteria – Nitrosomonas and nitrite bacteria. In addition, nitrobacteria grow slowly and take time to develop a bacteria colony.

7. Denitrifying bacteria

Denitrifying bacteria have an effective function of converting nitrite to harmless nitrogen. It can limit the overgrowth of algae, purify the aquarium water, and control pathogenic bacteria. Plus, denitrifying bacteria grow faster than nitrobacteria, while it can also remove nitrite faster than nitrobacteria.

Actually, denitrifying bacteria consists of facultative anaerobic bacteria and aerobic denitrifying bacteria. Specifically, facultatively anaerobic bacteria will consume oxygen and nitrite. While aerobic denitrifying bacteria consume nitrite under sufficient oxygen circumstances.

Considering that denitrifying bacteria demand water temperature, pH level, and water parameter changes. It is recommended to add them to the aquarium together with saccharomycetes and photosynthetic bacteria.

Establishment of beneficial bacteria for aquarium

How to culture beneficial bacteria in aquariums? In this segment, we will share some ways to establish beneficial bacteria.

Commonly, warm water is better for bacteria growth. In this case, the aquarium heaters will help you a lot. Usually, keeping the water temp between 23℃ and 28℃ is great. Besides, adequate oxygen is necessary. You can add an aquarium air pump or an aquarium air stone to make sure sufficient oxygen. Or you can just add water from a certain height to improve the oxygen level. Furthermore, it is best to add filter media, which provides places to grow beneficial bacteria. The filter media from a well-established aquarium are excellent options. Nonetheless, never choose the filter media from tanks with sick or dead fish, which may pose risks of disease infections.

Requirements of beneficial bacteria in aquariums

Generally, you should add beneficial bacteria when:

• A new tank cycle
• Introducing new fish
• Fish being medicated
• Change the water in your fish tank
• Clean or replace filter media

Then, how to know whether your aquarium needs beneficial bacteria or not? Actually, the frequency to add beneficial bacteria depends on the fish quantity, fish status, water conditions, and bacteria instruction in aquariums. Most aquariums require nitrobacteria to keep clean aquarium water. As for planted aquariums, they may need additional probiotics.

Take a new-built fish tank as an example, you can add beneficial bacteria twice a week. After that, you can just keep pace with the water change frequency. For instance, if you change the water once a week, then, it is feasible to add the bacteria once a week or even once every two weeks. Keep in mind – never hold too many bacteria in your tank.

The final thought

In a nutshell, beneficial bacteria provide a comfortable habitat for fish and are good for fish flouring. Generally, you should add beneficial bacteria to fish tanks when introducing new fish, medicating fish, and changing the water in the tank. Besides that, if you want to learn more about adding bacteria to aquariums, you can go to How Often to Add Bacteria to Aquariums. Finally, thanks for taking the time and we hope this article helps.

Are you confused about the protein foam or oil biofilm in your tank? If so, a protein skimmer will help you out. It can remove the foam or film from your tank, plus improve the oxygen level in the meantime. Next in the article, we will discuss the protein skimmer. After reading, you will know more about the significance of protein skimmers in your aquariums. Without further ado, let’s get started.

What is a protein skimmer

A protein skimmer is one piece of aquarium equipment to remove unnecessary substances, like excessive proteins, fish feces, and uneaten food. As a result, a protein skimmer filters and purifies the aquarium water, while the skimmer also shares the responsibility for the nitrifying system. So, regarding maintaining great water quality, a great filtration system is helpful, and the same goes for a protein skimmer. Protein skimmers remove unnecessary substances by creating bubbles to attract and condense them into the collection cup. Finally, they would be expelled from the sewage discharge pipe.

Generally, a protein skimmer is composed mainly of an air intake nozzle, DC water pump, base, adjustable silencer, honeycomb head, adjustable clip, reaction chamber, air pipe, air inlet, collection cup with lid, sewage discharge pipe, discharge valve, or others.

What does a protein skimmer do

Protein skimmer in saltwater aquariums

A protein skimmer in saltwater aquariums can remove waste, lower the nitrate level, and prevent the overgrowth of algae, as well as protect aquatic pets from parasite invasion and disease infection.

Nonetheless, does a protein skimmer necessary for your saltwater tanks? It is determined by the status of the aquarium. If there are a great filtration system and clean water, a protein skimmer may not be necessary. But if the protein foam or oil films form on your water surface, adding a protein skimmer could be vital.

To conclude in this segment, we will summarize the general benefits of adding a protein skimmer in saltwater aquariums:

• Remove unnecessary substances, like waste, fish feces, and uneaten food. Hence, improve and maintain great water quality.
• Decrease the phosphate level to limit the growth of harmful algae.
• Remove the biological toxins from algae, corals, or others.
• Promote the oxygen level to some extent.
• Decrease the bad effects of carbon dioxide accumulation, plus keep a stable and ideal pH level.
• Remove oil films on the water surface.

Protein skimmer in freshwater aquariums

On the other side, a protein skimmer is not an excellent addition to freshwater aquariums. Because the water in most freshwater aquariums can not form sufficient small bubbles for protein skimmers to run effectively. Nevertheless, it can be useful for freshwater-planted aquariums. Because of the organic waste, dead or decaying leaves would be decomposed into a level oil slick on the water’s surface. In this case, a protein skimmer will help you out.

But in addition to protein skimmer, you can also deal with it by changing aquarium water regularly or adding biological filters, like activated carbon. And the latter options are lower-cost and more effective. Next, we would like to cover some benefits of using a protein skimmer in freshwater aquariums:

• Improve aeration: Protein skimmers improve aeration by shifting the water on the surface.
• Keep water clean: It can be helpful to remove excessive additives and uneaten food.
• Reduce the frequency of water changes: It makes sense in removing minuscule particles and wastes.
• Limit the damaging algae overgrowth. And it reduces the biological poisons from algae or others.
• Maintain a stable phosphate level in the aquarium.

How Protein Skimmers enhance marine aquarium filtration

Mechanical filtration can filter substances in aquarium water. But if you do not clean or replace the filter media in time, the harmful waste in it would be also decomposed into the aquarium water, such as ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. Besides that, the same as mechanical filtration, most chemical filtration would also release harmful substances back to aquariums if you do not replace the filter media for a long time. As for biological filtration, it may pose a risk of increasing nitrate levels in the face of the inability to convert nitrate to harmless nitrogen gas in aquariums.

On the contrary, the protein skimmer collects the waste in the collection cup, and then from the sewage discharge pipe. Consequently, the protein skimmer will not release harmful debris back into your aquariums. Moreover, protein skimmers can reduce the protein level and remove other waste effectively. Hence, to some extent, adding a protein skimmer greatly helps to make sure clean water and a healthy living environment in your saltwater aquariums.

In closing

Whether your aquarium needs a protein skimmer or not depends on feeding amount, fish density, coral types, and water conditions. However, In a word, adding a protein skimmer together with a great filtration system in your saltwater aquarium would greatly reduce the frequency of aquarium maintenance.

That’s it. For additional info about protein skimmers, welcome to leave messages in the comment. We are happy to help you out.

FAQs

1. Why does the protein skimmer overflow?

When it comes to skimmer overflow, most new protein skimmers may face the issue. Actually, the following are possible causes:

• The new filter media replaced in your tanks does not soak in the water
• Adding a new protein skimmer to your tank
• Changes in water quality (e.g. after water changes, introduce new aquatic pets, or agitate the aquarium water)
• The too-high or unstable water level in the protein skimmer

2. Why does the protein skimmer leak foam?

It is the result of changes in water quality because of the addition of a new protein skimmer to the tank. Because it takes time for new skimmers to adapt to the aquarium environment. Usually, about one week.

3. Why the protein skimmer does not produce foam?

• Oil in the aquarium water
• The aquarium water is clean
• The too-high water level of the protein skimmer

4. Any tips for a new protein skimmer?

Generally, a new skimmer takes one or two weeks to break in. In the first few weeks, your skimmer may face overflow. You can adjust the humidity of the collected foam by rotating the reaction chamber.

Overstock would induce fights between fish, much fish feces and waste, plus the risk of poor water quality, or other damaging issues. So, if you’re ready to dive deeper into the aquatic world of tropical fish and learn more about the tropical fish tank size, then let’s begin.

How size affects the aquarium’s weight

Generally, if you want to buy a new aquarium, you should consider whether your floor, desk or other places can hold your aquarium or not. And the tank length, width, and height determine the tank volume, plus the tank weight. Consequently, it is better to know the weight in advance, then you can estimate whether the tank is feasible. By the way, knowing the tank size, volume, and weight is helpful to determine the floor space of aquariums, substrate requirement, lighting requirement, fish quantity, as well as sizes of aquarium filters or other aquarium equipment.

Usually, fish tanks come in small, medium, and large sizes, just as the following table shows:
Tips: Pound is a unit for measuring weight, usually abbreviated to lb or lbs.

Tank size	Small tanks	Medium tanks	Large tanks
The volume of the tank (unit: gallon)	5-20 gallon	20-50 gallon	More than 50 gallon
Examples of L×W×H	5 gallon: 16″ ×8″ ×10″ 20 gallon: 24″ ×12″ ×16″	20 gallon: 30″ ×12″ ×12″ 50 gallon: 36″ ×18″ ×19″	50 gallon: 36″ ×18″ ×19″
The empty weight of the tank (unit: lbs)	7 lbs-25 lbs	25 lbs-100 lbs	Over 100 lbs
The weight of the tank filled with water (unit: lbs)	62 lbs-225 lbs	225 lbs-600 lbs	Over 600 lbs

Besides that, here are additional pointers to help you choose the best home aquarium.

Tank size	Pros	Cons
Small tanks	1. Easy to clean. 2. Perfect for small fish. 3. Can be placed anywhere available.	1. Unstable fluctuation of water parameters. 2. Narrow water surface area. 3. Not an excellent option for beginners. 4. Less space for fish to swim.
Medium tanks	1. Not difficult to clean. 2. Perfect for small and medium-sized fish. 3. Ideal for beginners and experienced aquarists.	1. Not an excellent option for large fish 2. Some are difficult to move because of their height. Hence, some are hard to change water.
Large tanks	1. More fish you can stock. 2. Perfect for large fish. 3. The water parameters would not change easily.	1. Time-consuming to maintain. 2. Large dimensions, heavy, and hard to move. 3. Higher cost.

How many gallons of tropical fish tank

Tropical fish include freshwater and saltwater species. Compared with saltwater tropical fish, freshwater ones are easier to keep and need less maintenance. In this segment, we will list the minimum gallons for some tropical fish, hope you can find the ideal tropical fish tank size.

Minimum gallons for tropical freshwater fish

Fish species	The minimum tank size
Betta fish	5 gallons
Guppy fish	10 gallons
Tetras	10 gallons
Freshwater angelfish	20 gallons
Arowana	250 gallons

Minimum gallons for tropical saltwater fish

Fish species	The minimum tank size
Clownfish	30 gallons
Queen angelfish	250 gallons
Emperor angelfish	220 gallons
Saddle butterfly fish	125 gallons
Seahorse	30 gallons

The best tropical fish home aquarium sizes

Tropical fish species

Before we get into the details of the best tropical fish tank size for a home aquarium, let’s take a quick look at tropical fish species.
Tropical freshwater fish
Generally, common tropical freshwater fish are mainly classified into three types – tetras, angelfish, and arowanas. Next, we will list some of them for you:

• Tetras types: Neon tetra, Harlequin rasbora, Head and tail light tetra
• Angelfish types: Symphysodon discus, Silver angelfish, Zebra angelfish
• Arowana types: African Arowana, Red Tail Golden Arowana, Golden Arowana, Batik Arowana, Silver Arowana, Jardinii Arowana

Tropical saltwater fish

Queen angelfish	Emperor angelfish	Seahorse
Saddle butterflyfish	Chrysiptera cyanea	Threadfin butterflyfish
Royal Angelfish	Tomato clownfish	Dartfish

The best tropical fish home aquarium sizes

After learning more about tropical fish, we will give you more specific examples in this part. Regarding neon tetras, they can be held in a minimum tank size of 10 gallons. However, they prefer living in a school of six at least. Consequently, though neon tetras are small, a 20-30 gallon fish tank is better. Also, to make neon tetras feel safe in the fish tank, it is recommended to provide plenty of hiding places, like aquatic plants, rocks, or other aquarium decorations. Furthermore, since they are small and grow up to about 1.5 inches, it is feasible to keep them in various shapes of tanks, such as rectangular, square, and hexagons.

On the other side, take clownfish as an example. They should be kept in at least 30 gallons aquariums. They can reach 2–5 inches in length. Accordingly, you should make sure the length of your tank is longer than 50 inches. Moreover, it is best to add some anemones to clownfish aquariums. Of course, adequate hiding places are necessary.

Fish Tank volume calculation

Actually, there are diverse shapes of aquariums, like rectangular, square, circular, hexagons, pentagons, cylinders, etc. Then how can you calculate the tank volume and know the weight? If you know little about it, just continue reading, and then you will get answers.

Step one: Calculate the cubic inches of volume
cubic inches of volume = the area of the base shape in square inches×height
Step two: Translate the cubic inches of volume into the gallon capacity
Tips: 1 gallon of water = 231 cubic inches
Gallon capacity = cubic inches of volume÷231
Step three: Compare the gallon capacity with the corresponding gallon in the table below to estimate the approximate weight of a tank

Tank size (gallon capacity)	The empty weight of the tank (unit: lbs)	The weight of the tank filled with water (unit: lbs)
5 gallon	7 lbs	62 lbs
10 gallon	11 lbs	111 lbs
15 gallon	22 lbs	170 lbs
20 gallon	25 lbs	225 lbs
25 gallon	32 lbs	282 lbs
30 gallon	48 lbs	348 lbs
40 gallon	58 lbs	458 lbs
50 gallon	100 lbs	600 lbs
65 gallon	126 lbs	772 lbs
75 gallon	140 lbs	850 lbs
90 gallon	160 lbs	1050 lbs
150 gallon	308 lbs	1800 lbs
180 gallon	338 lbs	2100 lbs

• How to Calculate the Surface Area and Volume of a Fish Tank