Is it possible to pour tap water into an aquarium?

If you decide to get fish and even bought an aquarium, the first thing you need to do is fill it. You can use tap water - this is the most accessible source. If you decide to pour tap water into the aquarium, you need to follow simple but important rules, because fish swimming in unsuitable water can die.

Preparing to fill the aquarium

Even if you are new to this business, try preparing housing for the fish with your own hands. It is not difficult:

1. We fill the aquarium with running water for a day so that it absorbs all the impurities contained in the sealant.
2. Rinse the tank with water and baking soda.
3. We install the container at the place of permanent dislocation. It should be a well-lit place, but not in direct sunlight.
4. The installation location must be level. If necessary, you can place a rubber mat under the bottom.
5. Pour water into the aquarium and leave it to settle for at least a week.

During this time, the chlorine contained in tap water will evaporate.

Make sure that the water does not heat up, otherwise it may become covered with a film, mold and bloom, especially if the aquarium is well lit.

If you live in a home with old plumbing, be especially careful. Old pipes have rust and plaque, they will definitely end up in the aquarium. Therefore, collect water in some container, for example, in a bucket made of food-grade plastic.Let it sit, then carefully scoop it out, leaving the sediment at the bottom, and pour it into the aquarium.

Microclimate formation

In order for an aquarium to become a comfortable home for fish, you need to properly prepare it:

1. We spread the soil, having previously roasted it in the oven. A neutral or slightly alkaline soil environment is most suitable for fish and algae. Choose the right soil for your aquarium: for each type of fish, soil fractions with different mechanical properties are sold. For example, some fish like to burrow into the ground.
   

   The thickness of the soil layer should be greater towards the rear wall of the tank.

2. We plant algae. They will not only decorate your aquarium, but will also produce substances necessary for the proliferation of beneficial microorganisms.

Gradually, tap water will become suitable for fish. Don't be alarmed if the contents of the container become cloudy on the second or third day. This occurs due to the proliferation of microorganisms in the nutrient medium, but the water will quickly return to normal. Plants and microorganisms absorb oxygen, releasing ammonia into tap water. This substance creates the nutrient medium necessary for the development of microflora. This creates a natural microclimate in which the fish will be comfortable.

How do you know if water is suitable for use? Just smell it. If the aquarium smells unpleasant, you probably ignored one of the above rules. You cannot put fish in such water, they will die. If the water has a fresh smell, then everything has been done correctly, and new residents can be added to the aquarium.

Many aquarists recommend using tap water (but only settled water), rather than filtered water.After filtration, the water passes through substances that are harmless to people, but harmful to fish.

For those who don’t like to wait or have already purchased fish, we can recommend a quick way to purify tap water. Pet stores sell many conditioners for cleaning aquarium water. Buy such an air conditioner and follow the instructions - this way you will save time.

How to change the water in an aquarium?

The water in the aquarium needs to be changed periodically. Over time, it acquires a cloudy color and an unpleasant odor, and ceases to please the eye. Fish, algae and other living creatures are slowly but surely beginning to die out. This happens because in the process of life, the inhabitants of the aquarium emit a lot of harmful substances that pollute the aquarium.

The main condition when replacing water is its maximum identity in chemical composition and temperature. Fill with water with the same pH balance, the same hardness and mineralization. Try to warm it up to the same temperature that the fish are used to. It is impossible to do without settling using tap water.

When starting to change water, you must:

• Completely clean the walls and decorative elements from plaque, thin out the vegetation. If this is not done, fresh water will immediately become dirty.
• Prepare containers for settling water. They should be voluminous, preferably with a medium surface size, so that the evaporation area is neither large nor small. An old aquarium is best.
• The fish will not like changing the water at once. They are accustomed to the current microclimate, so they can get nervous and get sick. Properly settled tap water must be added in stages.Every few days, remove 20–30% of the old water from the aquarium and replace it with new water. This way you will allow the microorganisms living in the container to completely restore their usual microclimate.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in caring for aquarium fish in this way, and tap water can easily replace purchased water. You just need to follow the above rules - and then your pets will delight the eye for a long time.