Often, inexperienced aquarium owners will rush to replace all the water in the tank if one fish dies, as they fear contamination of the aquarium. So is it really necessary to completely change the aquarium water or are there other rules for handling an aquarium in which one of its inhabitants died?
To change or not to change
If only one fish dies in the aquarium, and the water looks clean at the same time, it is not necessary to change it, since after changing the water you will need to wait for the restoration of the ecosystem and biological balance. Therefore, it is enough just to add fresh water by renewing the old one. If the fish has died of an infectious disease or has been in the aquarium for several days, the water should be replaced by washing the aquarium.
When adding fresh water, at least one third of the old water should remain in the aquarium - while the fresh water should have the same hardness and temperature.
If the aquarium still needs to be cleaned, all living fish and plants must be removed from it, washed, disinfected and dried. After that, new water is poured into the container. In the first few days, a short-term bacterial outbreak with cloudy water may be observed in the aquarium - do not worry, it will go away on its own. After that, as the water becomes transparent again, the plants can be returned to the aquarium, and it is advisable to start the fish in about a week. Replacing the water is often the most effective way to get rid of bacteria, but it can be very stressful for your fish and should not be overused.
How to properly change water
An electric or vacuum pump is perfect for changing the water in an aquarium. A siphon will also do this job well, with the help of which the walls and bottom of the aquarium are easily cleaned of food residues and plaque. To prevent the water from turning green, the aquarium should be placed away from sunlight and artificial lighting should be turned off at night. In addition, you need to periodically remove excess plants from it and feed the fish less so that the water is not contaminated with food residues.
Ancitrus catfish, which slide along the aquarium walls and eat plaque, will also help clear the water.
A partial change of water in the aquarium should be done every week, changing it to 1/5 of fresh water. In order for the water to always be clean and transparent, shellfish and daphnia should be introduced into the aquarium. Many aquarium owners try to clean the glass of the tank with snails, but they are not very effective in doing this and besides, they spoil quite a lot. Problems with water are usually typical for "young" aquariums - later they develop their own ecosystem, the situation will normalize on its own. The main thing is to follow the rules for caring for the aquarium.
