Many people have experience keeping fish, but most likely end up with the fish dying. Everyone is probably wondering, "My water is clean, and I have oxygen and a filter, so why can't my fish survive?" Even after replacing several batches of fish, they still die. That's because the water is too hard. You need to soften the water to reduce the chances of fish dying. So today, I'll share some knowledge about this.
First, fill the new fish tank with water, add salt or potassium permanganate for disinfection, then drain the disinfected water and rinse the tank again. Fill it with water, add filter media (filter cotton), turn on the filter and air pump, and maintain the water temperature at around 25-28 degrees Celsius. After about 1-2 days, place some chopped fish or shrimp meat (or fish food, dried fish or shrimp) on the filter cotton to provide a food source for nitrifying bacteria (if you have already purchased nitrifying bacteria, you can add some at this time). During this period, ensure the fish tank has the filter running 24 hours a day, with oxygenation, and the filter media kept out of direct sunlight.
Next, you need to observe the water quality changes. The aquarium may become cloudy in the first few days, then clear up. At this time, you can introduce a "test fish" to check the water quality. If the test fish survives for a week, it means the initial nitrification system is complete. However, the secondary nitrification system is not yet fully established, so you still need to monitor the water quality. After about two weeks, the water quality will stabilize, and you can start keeping fish normally. After that, normal maintenance and regular water changes will ensure stable water quality.
Fishkeeping may seem very simple, but it can be quite difficult for beginners. It's helpful to learn more about fishkeeping before you start, as this will make the process easier and save you money on buying new fish.
