Pro Tips: Water Basics

• Add water to your fish tank/bowl as needed, rather than changing large amounts of water. Large water changes can cause your tank to re-cycle, which can stress your fish.

• If your tank/bowl is set up correctly (with a balanced ecosystem and waste removed weekly), adding a small amount of dechlorinated, temperature-matched fresh water will replenish the amount removed during cleaning and due to evaporation. 

• Allow the  chlorine in fresh tap water to naturally dissipate over three day in an open bucket (away from toddlers and pets) before adding to tank. Alternately, add the recommended amount of aquarium dechlorinator to the fresh tap water (especially important when using municipal water sources).

• If you are new to aquarium keeping, get a Freshwater Master Test Kit before you buy your first fish. Get to know your tap water as it leaves the faucet, and as it exists in your tank/bowl.

• Study the type of fish you want to get, and make sure they will thrive in YOUR water. Adding chemicals to make your water match the fish you own (or worse, buying bottled water) is an expensive proposition. And not all fish thrive in the same water.

• Match the incoming temperature water temperature to the existing water temperature. A quick way to do this is with an analogue meat thermometer - dunk the end in the tank, read it. Then dunk the end in the tap water stream, right at the spigot. Read it, and adjust the faucet until both water sources match.

• Another way to match the water temps is with your hands. This comes with time and experience. Stick your hand in the tank, then in the bucket of fresh water. They should feel approximately the same. If the bucket water feels more than a couple of degrees warmer or cooler, check it with the meat thermometer. Refill the bucket if needed.

• Most fish can tolerate slight water temperature differences. In natural environments, they experience temperature change through weather and sunlight fluctuations. Generally, cooler water is better than warmer water, as it carries more oxygen - however, there are exceptions. If your fish are super sensitive to temperature changes, always check tank and water bucket with thermometer for accuracy.