We have set up a new aquarium and we intend to keep it for a long time. Since we use completely fresh water at the beginning, it is usually “dirty” immediately after installation. In this case, “dirt” means that the water contains excessive concentrations of compounds, and not that it releases harmful substances into the water that are dangerous to the organisms inhabiting the aquarium. Let us consider where such compounds are generated. In a Natural Aquarium, the substrate is first built at the very bottom of the tank. It is not only a place where aquatic plants develop roots but also a source of nutrients. This zone will become a living environment for microorganisms that decompose nutrients, making them available to plants. Power Sand contains ingredients that are released into the water added to the tank in its initial phase. Because Aqua Soil is placed on top of Power Sand, large amounts of nutrients do not enter the water. Nevertheless, the excess of these substances must be removed in the initial phase by water changes. Another important source of nutrients is dead or dying plant leaves. Freshly planted plants often have emergent leaves, which quickly die under water. Significant amounts of excessive ingredients then appear. For example, in an aquarium with only fish, fresh water is circulated by the filter and fish are released into the aquarium when the microorganisms have sufficiently multiplied in the filter. However, bacteria need nutrients to process and live. To encourage them to do this, hardy aquatic plants are planted, such as the Amazon frogwort, which are sold in emersion form. Microorganisms quickly begin to develop thanks to substances released by the decomposition of leaves, which allows the water to mature quickly. The amount of ingredients produced in this process is sufficient for the aquarium to mature. Similarly, when planting aquatic plants, they are pruned or partially cut off the roots, which results in a large number of damaged cells from which excessive substances are also released. For these reasons, the amount of nutrients released by aquatic plants in the early stages of an aquarium’s life is unpredictably high and water changes are therefore necessary. Nutrients in the ripening phase are released into the water in excessive amounts. Frequent water changes are therefore the easiest method to deal with the so-called a terrible first week or month.
© foto: Takashi Amano, AQUA DESIGN AMANO CO., LTD.
2024 – Aquarius & Aquadam, Adam Paszczela
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