What Is New Aquarium Syndrome

Aquarium Syndrome or New Tank Syndrome is a term that basically describes the problem new aquarium setups may encounter.

Due to the small volume in most aquariums water conditions may soon alter for the worse in regards to tanks usually under 100 gallon water parameters.

The cause of the new aquarium syndrome is a lack of friendly bacteria to help break down the waste the fish are producing and maintain a ecosystem in the aquarium. Allow the aquarium to go through the Nitrogen Cycle which can take up to 8 weeks.  The aquarium will then be ‘balanced’, this means all bad toxins and fish waste has been converted to maintain a healthy aquarium.

There are ways a aquarist can help this natural process:

• Choose an aquarium filter with a large biological capacity and suitable for your size of aquarium and more.
  Aquarium filters are designed to run 24 hours a day.  This allows bacteria to survive and flourish.
• Seed the filter with bacteria before you add fish.
• Fit a mature filter or add gravel from another established aquariu this jump starts the cycle
• Don’t overstock or stock too quickly.  Never add more than 2 fish at a time and leave a week in between to allow the filter to cope with new inhabitants.
• Don’t overfeed. If you have uneaten fish food in the aquarium after 5 minutes you are over feeding.  Always remove uneaten food.
• Don’t wash your filter foam media or the gravel substrate under the faucet, the chlorine will kill good bacteria.
• Change 20% of the water every week for 4 weeks then 10% of the water for a further 4 weeks, this will dilute any toxins.
• Always leave replacement water 24 hours to allow chlorines to evaporate or add a tap water conditioner.
• Buy a test kit and check Ammonia (NH3) & Nitrite (No2).