One of the most enjoyable forms of relaxation is found in the enjoyment of an aquarium, especially if the aquarium contains elements such as live rock to give it a more realistic sense of an ocean environment.
However, along with the enjoyment of an aquarium comes the responsibility of keeping it maintained so that you can enjoyment at its best.
There are several methods of filtration to keep your aquarium clean and free of algae and the wrong types of bacteria, but one of the best and most important methods would be the biological filtration method.
While biological filtration is not the only effective method of filtration it is the most important.
The biggest reason for this is because the lack of an effective biological filtration system is responsible for the deaths of more fish than any other cause.
Biological filtration controls a particular dissolved compound can is exceedingly toxic to fish, even in small concentrations.
Ammonia, which is an extremely toxic element to fish, is produced by the fish as a byproduct from waste, both from respiration and the digestion of food.
Uneaten food, plant materials and other organic items that decay in the tank also convert to ammonia, which is why it is so important that any type of solid waste be removed by mechanical filtration.
However, ammonia can build up quickly, threatening all of the fish in the tank.
The good news is that nature can solve this problem easily.
Nitrosomonas is a bacterium that consumes ammonia and as long as there is enough dissolved oxygen in the water to support the bacteria's growth then you're set.
While it does take a while for these bacteria to multiply, the addition of items such as live rock and live sand can help speed this process up significantly.
Aside from the natural beauty of these items they also offer key elements in the biological filtration system of your tank.
One thing aquarium owners want to consider before adding fish to your aquarium adding the elements that will help in the increased speed of your biological filtration system.
While the balance of your tank will be off once the fish are added, if the elements such as live rock and live sand are already in place, this can help speed up the process of balancing your tanks levels.
Keep in mind that the more fish you add the more time it will take to bring your tank into balance.
Once you've balanced your biological filtration system your tank's maintenance should be no problem.