Hi guys,
It's time for a new episode of JBL Aqua-Myths!
We launched this series recently in order to clear up some of the myths in aquaristics and to put some fairy tales to bed once and for all.
Let's move on to the next three myths:
1. Why test the water? It looks clean enough to me!
Good water quality is essential for fish to feel comfortable in your aquarium! The assumption that clear water means good water quality is definitely wrong! Toxins in the aquarium are not always visible and can quickly lead to the death of your pets. For this reason, a weekly check of your water values is advisable, for example with the help of a test case ( JBL PROAQUATEST LAB ). You can find all important information on water values here: Water values
2. Algae in the aquarium - should you stop fertilising?
This can depend on several factors and so there’s no one answer. You’ll need to carry out an analysis of the water, fertilisation, lighting, CO2 supply and regular water maintenance to get the best answer for your aquarium.
Generally speaking, plants and algae compete for nutrients in the aquarium. If you reduce the fertiliser supply, your aquarium plants will develop deficiencies. Some types of algae will take advantage of this newly created imbalance of nutrients and spread.
The cause of the algae problem can therefore be a nutrient deficiency - especially micronutrients. But a nutrient surplus of nitrate or phosphate, for instance, can also lead to unwanted algae growth.
If the algae are already there, it’s best to increase the number of water changes and your stock of fast-growing plants. This will remove a lot of nutrients from the water quickly and the algae’s chances of multiplying will be reduced. It’s also important to keep fertilising regularly with all the important nutrients (e.g. using JBL PROFLORA Ferropol ). If a nutrient is too low or not present at all, plant growth will stagnate (Liebig's law of the minimum).
You can find more information on algae and algae control here: Algae control
You can read more about fertilisation here: Fertilising
3. Shrimps are sensitive to copper - so should you stop fertilising?
First of all, it is a fact that a too high concentration of copper can be harmful or even fatal not only for shrimps, but for fish too. However, the amount of copper in commercial fertilisers is so low that it does not harm shrimps. The situation is different with anti-algae agents or medicines. Here, higher doses are used.
Yet, interestingly, copper is a vital trace element for shrimps. It functions as the central atom of the blood pigment haemocyanin, which is extremely important for oxygen transport in the animal.
Do you have any questions, comments or perhaps new myths you’d like us to include in our next post? Let us know in the comments!
