Most aquarium owners are aware that the quality of water has a direct impact on the health of their fish. But many aquarium owners do not understand the basic internal chemistry of their fish's water, nor do they understand how to correctly or safely adjust it.
Until the basics of water chemistry are mastered and some common water maintenance techniques are learned, it will be difficult to maintain a healthy and safe environment for the fish in your tank. There are entire books written on the specifics of water chemistry and it's encouraged that all aquarium owners learn as much as possible about this subject. Water quality is by far the single most important factor in the health of your fish, and the more you know the better job you will do.
This article provides a brief overview that is just the bare minimum that aquarium owners should know and understand. Every aquarium owner has heard of pH, but many do not understand the importance of controlling it.
The pH scale is from 1 to A pH of 7 is neutral which basically means the water is not acid or alkaline. As the scale goes down, for example 6, the water becomes more acidic. As the pH goes up, for example 8, the water gets more alkaline. One very important part of the pH scale that most people do not understand is that it is a logarithmic scale. What this means is that the pH changes at a tenfold level between each number. For example a pH of 5 is 10 times more acidic than a pH of 6 and a ph of 4 is times more acidic than a ph of 6.
So if your fish are supposed to be at a pH of 7 and the water level is 8, they are in water that is 10 times more alkaline than what they should be. If the pH is 9, then they are in water that is times more alkaline than what they need. So it is easy to see why even a small change in required pH is stressful and potentially fatal to fish. These examples really emphasize the importance in matching your fish closely to the expected pH level of your water, and then closely monitoring the pH.
Putting a fish that requires a pH of 8 with a fish that requires a pH of 6 is just not a good idea because one or both will be at a very unacceptable level of pH and will be under a great deal of stress. There are several different ways to influence your water's pH. There are chemical additives that can be added directly to the water that will either raise or lower the pH. More natural agents can be used to alter water pH as well. Peat in the tank or filter will acidify the water.
Mineral salts like calcium that are found in limestone or in some shells will cause an increase in alkalinity and pH. There is one important consideration in altering the pH of water and that relates to the mineral content hardness of the water. See the section below for a complete description. Remember that fish are very sensitive to changes in pH, and rapid changes in pH can cause extreme stress and death.
Fish should not be exposed to a change in pH greater than 0. While not considered chemistry, water temperature needs to be mentioned. Fish are cold blooded, which means they cannot raise or lower their body temperature and their body temperature will be the same as the water around them. If a fish is kept outside of their normal temperature range, they will become stressed and become diseased or die.
Even cold water species such as goldfish cannot handle very cold water or sudden changes in temperature. Know your species of fish and their temperature requirements. Water hardness is often confusing and therefore overlooked by many aquarium owners.
Water hardness is important because it is closely related to pH and, just like pH, fish have certain levels of water hardness that they thrive in and if the hardness is too far off it can cause stress and death. Water hardness can be most simply described as the level of mineral in the water. Hard water has a lot of dissolved mineral and soft water has very little dissolved mineral in the water.
The most common mineral in water is calcium, however, other minerals can also be present. Most people's tap water is either slightly hard or soft depending on where it comes from. Well water from areas that have a lot of limestone calcium is often hard. Water that comes from lakes rainwater is often devoid of mineral and is soft.
It is important that you know the hardness of the water that you use in your fish tank. Some species of fish require hard water and others require soft water. The other reason that hardness is important is that it affects pH. Hard water high mineral content is usually high in pH. Soft water low mineral is usually low in pH. The mineral in hard water will act as a buffer which will reduce the amount of acid in the water. The resulting water will be more alkaline and higher in pH.
And a buildup of alkaline deposits aka lime deposits can damage plumbing and appliances like washing machines and dishwashers.
A water softener works by binding the calcium and magnesium in hard water to a porous resin in the water softening unit, replacing those minerals with sodium chloride or potassium chloride. In the United States, hard water is often found in streams. Geological Survey. Follow LiveScience on Twitter livescience. The general hardness of the water affects pH but it is the buffering capacity KH of your water that is the more critical pH factor.
With this sponge-like behavior in mind, imagine trying to adjust your pH. You start adding an acid…and adding…and adding…and little or nothing changes. And then all of a sudden the pH plummets. What has happened?
0コメント