4 of the Most Common Freshwater Aquarium Problems and How to Fix Them

     After one sets up a freshwater aquarium, it is inevitable that one will eventually encounter aquarium problems. It is important to be proactive and be as preventative as possible with the most common of aquarium issues. Equally, one should also be prepared to react immediately to respond to a problem before it escalates into a serious issue. Remember, the health of your fish is directly affected by any problem that occurs with your aquarium.

High Ammonia and High pH Levels

High ammonia levels can be the most destructive to an aquarium population. It is in fact the leading killer of freshwater aquarium fish. This happens when ammonia levels and pH levels are left unmonitored. The key to prevent this problem is by performing partial water changes once every two weeks as a matter of routine. Approximately 25% of the aquarium's water should be replaced during this process.

Uneaten food should never be allowed to remain in the aquarium more than 10 minutes. Likewise, dead plant matter or fish should always be removed immediately. Since ammonia increases in toxicity when it is present in pH levels above 7.0, weekly monitoring of the aquarium's pH and ammonia levels is essential to prevent high ammonia levels from surpassing the 1 PPM levels and becoming toxic to fish.

Knowing the warning signs displayed by the fish themselves is critical to preventing this aquarium problem from becoming an aquarium tragedy. Fish suffering from ammonia poisoning will appear to be gasping on the surface. The area around their gills may present a reddish to purplish appearance. Their overall behavior may be lethargic. If this happens immediately perform a 50% water change. Make certain that the new water is of the same temperature as the remaining water to prevent further stressing the fish. Do as many 50% water changes as is necessary to lower the ammonia levels below 1 PPM.

Although treating Ammonia levels requires considerably more effort, controlling pH levels is relatively simple. Using off the shelf pH test kits, these usually come with "pH Up" and "pH Down" powders or liquids. Using the supplied instructions and color chart, getting the water pH to acceptable levels is quite easy.

Cloudy Water and Algae

Cloudy water in an aquarium can occur for a variety of reasons. Many times the problem is caused by improperly washing and rinsing the substrate that is used in the aquarium. It can also be caused by using water that has a high level of phosphates or heavy metals. This is often confirmed by testing the pH of the water and finding that it is alkaline (above 7 pH) even prior to adding it to the aquarium. This can be rectified by adding conditioners to treat the water.

Keeping the aquarium free of uneaten food accompanied by bi-weekly 25% water changes and gravel vacuuming will go a long way towards preventing the scourge of cloudy water.

The presence of algae can also be an aquarium problem that imposes itself as an eyesore. Uncontrolled algae growth can give the water a greenish look. It normally occurs when too many nitrates are present in the water and the aquarium is receiving too much light. Ensuring that your filtration system is always functioning efficiently and conducting the bi-weekly maintenance procedure mentioned above will prevent most algae outbreaks. Having algae eaters as part of the aquarium community will also help prevent algae from building up on the sides of the tank.

Fish Fungus

Many times when aquarium problems are left untreated the fish themselves will begin to develop infections and disease. Of these, freshwater aquarium fungus can be the most shocking in appearance. It manifests itself as a wool-like or fuzzy outgrowth emanating from a fish's mouth or other portions of its body.

Freshwater aquarium fungus and other diseases normally take root in a fish that is stressed or whose immune system is otherwise compromised. The best defense against this is adhering to the previously outlined steps for bi-weekly maintenance and addressing any aquarium problems immediately. When fungus or other infections have taken hold, however, a freshwater aquarium specialist at a trusted pet store can often recommend antibiotic drops which can help nurse the fish back to full health.

As you undoubtedly have noticed, the best way to prevent freshwater aquarium problems is to follow a maintenance routine as matter of habit. Such maintenance, coupled with daily observation will eliminate most problems before they start or catch them early enough to make correcting them fast and easy.