As the first half of the well-known proverb says - the fish is looking for the deeper. But not all representatives of this mysterious world have the opportunity to make at least some choice. In particular, those of them who spend their lives in captivity are often content with the conditions offered by the "golden cage" - the aquarium. The most important condition for the normal functioning of aquarium fish is good water.
Instructions
Step 1
The main property of water is important - hardness, the level of which is determined by the presence of calcium and magnesium ions in the liquid, is measured in degrees. So, 30 ° and above is a sign of high rigidity, and 11-18 ° is average. Measure and check the water hardness every time you change or add water. Typically, aquarists use measuring instruments.
Step 2
Take a regular test tube. Pour water into it and add liquid soap drop by drop. Drop - shake the tube, drop again and shake gently again. The hardness level is determined by the number of soap drops.
Step 3
At home, carbonate or temporary hardness can be measured with a pH indicator. Fill a disposable syringe with 1 ml of 70% vinegar essence and dilute with 50 ml of distilled or well-boiled water (boil for 20 minutes, then cool and, without stirring, drain the "upper" water).
Step 4
Next, in the same 50 ml, but already aquarium water, drop 8 drops of the indicator, and then, gently shaking it, add a vinegar solution to this water. Its color will begin to change: yellow - salad - with a shade of orange. After that, having measured how much vinegar you spent, multiply the resulting millimeters by two - the resulting number will be the carbonate hardness in milliequivalents. Of course, this method is not entirely accurate, because the color change of the indicator is not clear enough.
Step 5
You can go the other way: just buy a test or a special device for measuring "water" hardness in a pet store (though this is not the most "economical" method from the existing ones, but relatively accurate). Experienced aquarium fish "holders" have corresponding signs (for example, increased water hardness requires more soap to create foam, "generates" plaque inside the kettle, etc.) Watch the water before adding it to the aquarium.
Step 6
And now a few tips. To reduce the hardness of the water in your water, add distilled or pure rainwater to it, use special plants such as elodea and hornwort. In addition, the water can be frozen or boiled well. In the first case, it is poured into a low basin and exposed to frost. As soon as it freezes to half of the container, break through the ice and melt it, use it for the aquarium. In the second, water is boiled in an enamel cup for an hour, after which it is allowed to cool and two-thirds of the "upper" water is used.
