Proper water chemistry in your home aquarium is paramount! Many beginner fish-collectors decided to dive into this hobby because they didn't have time for a cat or dog. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but many varieties of fish live MUCH longer then many household pets. A Black Moor Goldfish has a life expectancy of well over 30 years. A Koi named Hanako lived to be 226 years old! If you have a Koi you might want to add it to your will, it will outlive you by many years!
Let me briefly get into the topic of pH in relationship to a home aquarium. The abbreviations pH stands for potential of hydrogen or Power of Hydrogen. Actually pH is shorthand for the mathematical definition. In chemistry a small p is used instead of - log10 and the H stands for the concentration of hydrogen ions.
It is extremely important to match fish that can survive in the same pH ranges. It isn't healthy to place a fish from, let's say, the Gulf of Mexico and mix it with a species from the Amazon River Basin. The pH levels in those areas are different and therefore would be perfect for one and a slow miserable death for the other.
PH refers to water being an acid, base, or neither (neutral). A pH of 7 is neutral, a pH below 7 is "acidic'' and a pH above 7 is "basic'' or "alkaline''. A pH of 5.5 is 10 times more acidic than water with a pH of 6.5.
To a fish keeper, two aspects of pH are important. First, rapid changes in pH are stressful to fish and should be avoided at all costs. Changing the pH by more than .3 units per day is stressful to the fish. So you want the pH of the aquarium to remain constant and stable over the long haul. Second, fish have adapted to thrive in a (sometimes narrow) pH range. You want to be sure that the water pH match the specific requirements of the fish you are keeping.
One of the first and most important aspects to understand, when it comes to your aquarium, is pH. Most fish can adjust to a pH somewhat outside of their range. If your water's pH is naturally within the range of 6.5 to 7.5, you should be able to keep most species of fish without any major problems. Many people religiously follow this rule. I don't recommend that if you want your fish to live to its fullest age potential and with the highest quality of life.
What is dGH? Degrees of general hardness (dGH) are units of water hardness, specifically to general hardness. General hardness is a measurement for the number of calcium and magnesium cations per volume of water. A cation is a positively charged ion that has fewer electrons than protons. 1dGH corresponds to 10 mg of calcium oxide or magnesium oxide per liter of water. In water testing, the paper strips measure hardness in parts per million (ppm) one part per million is one milligram (mg) of calcium per liter of water. 10ppm = 1dGH..
With this seemingly basic information you will be on your way to having a vibrant aquarium of your own!
My name is Theo Baskind and I live in beautiful Florida! I have been an avid fish enthusiast for over 20 years now. I am currently having the time of my life teaching my four, soon to be five, sons the enjoyments and responsibilities of fish-collecting.
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