Rg Pflege Gb

■ Maintenance plan■ Water tests

■ Water changes■ Filter maintenance

67guide

Aquarium careaccording to nature

2

Purification bacteriaconvert NO2 into NO3

(nitrate)

Purification bacteria convert NH4/NH3 into

NO2 (nitrite)

Fish consume oxygen, carbon dioxide (CO2) is formed

as a metabolism product

In the natural habitats of our ornamentalfish, nature ensures optimal living condi-tions. In an aquarium we need to supportthe biological cycle with some mainte-nance.

NO 3

= Plant nutrient

Plan

tsco

nsu

me

CO 2

Maintenance plan ..................................... 4

sera water test kits as an early-warning system ............................... 10

Water check on the Internet .................. 18

Water changes ........................................... 19

Contents

The equilibrium of “forces”in an aquarium

Filter media and filter maintenance ............................ 24

3

Purification bacteria first convert pollutants

into NH4/NH3(ammonium/ammonia)

Too much food, fish waste and decaying

plant parts pollute the water

Plantspro

vid

eo

xyg

en

When keeping an aquarium, it is quiteimportant to create the aquatic environ-ment for your fish as they know it fromnature. You will set the basis for this when setting up the aquarium. The waterproperties are easy to adjust if fish fromthe same natural environment inhabit theaquarium. If you keep fish from entirely different origins together, these will some-times have entirely different waterrequirements. This will make aquariumcare much more difficult.

Fish, plants and decoration will blend infine if, for example, you set up a sectionfrom the Amazon region underwaterworld or from Lake Malawi. The fish requirethe same water composition, according to the biotope. These preconditions plussupport by the sera water conditionersmake aquarium care considerably easier.The fish will do well and usually live longerthan in nature. This makes living with anaquarium really enjoyable.

sera has put together community aquari-ums from 9 different biotopes. You willfind information on them on the Internet(www.sera.de) and on sera – The CD, whichincludes great films and computer aidedaquarium design. sera – The CD allows youto design functioning aquariums from thevery beginning.

Using the sera online laboratory ensuresthat aquarium maintenance will require little efforts. You will easily learn how touse water test kits and water conditioners.Also, you can at any time monitor the quality of your aquarium water and willimmediately receive suggestions forimprovement. You will find further infor-mation on this on page 18.

Aquariums according tonature with sera – and yourfish will do fine!

Filter controlAlso check whether filter and/or aerationwork properly. Clean the filter media (seepage 24 ff.) in case considerably less waterflows out of the filter. The filter outletshould be directed in a way that the watersurface is only gently agitated. Thisreduces CO2 losses, thus creates bettergrowth conditions for the plants andtherefore reduces algae growth.

Temperature controlModern aquarium heater ther-mostats work very reliably. Nevertheless it is recommendedto have a look at the aquariumthermometer once a day so youcan be sure everything is inorder.

FeedingFeed your fish 2 – 3 times a day, but only asmuch as they will eat within short time.Feed nocturnal fish and bottom dwellersafter dark. You will find more informationon this on the Internet (www.sera.de) orin the sera guide “How to feed your tropicalfish naturally”.

Tägliche PflegeMaintenance plan

4

Switching the light on and offThe lighting period should be approxi-mately 12 hours. This is roughly the lengthof a tropical day. In case of algae problemsyou can reduce the lighting period to 8 hours, e.g. by switching off the light forsome hours around noon. You can regulatethe lighting time with an automatic timer.

Water level controlCheck the water level and replace evap-orated water to make sure the surfaceskimmer remains in operation and theheater does not become dry due to toolow water levels. Remove plant partscaught in the intake grid of an internal filter, or on the intake tube in case of anexternal filter, if the water flow is consid-erably affected.

Daily care

5

Weekly careWater changesWeekly water changes are by far the mostimportant maintenance measure to supportthe biological equilibrium, especially insmall aquariums. In larger or less denselystocked aquariums, partial water changesevery 2 or 3 weeks are sufficient. Goodpreparation provided, a water change willtake 15 – 20 minutes, depending on theamount of changed water.sera toxivec immediately detoxifies thewater in case of suddenly deterioratingwater quality (detailed information onpage 7). You will find further informationon how to change the water on page 19 ff.

Water testYou should check the most importantwater parameters once weekly.You will find further information on watertests on page 10 ff.

Plant fertilizationPlants provide important functions in anaquarium:• Supplying the fish with essential oxygen• Biological pollutant breakdown• Shelter and territory markings for fish

sera has developed a special care systemfor optimal nutrient supply. sera florenais a liquid fertilizer with well-balanced nutrients for aquatic plants that take uptheir nutrients through the leaves. Being adepot fertilizer in tablet form, sera florenette A provides the plant roots withthe correct nutrients for c. 4 weeks. Fertilizethe plants once weekly with sera florenaor with sera florenette A. In case the plantsdo not grow properly, e.g. after a transportor recent replanting, we recommend serafloreplus, the “turbo” among the fertilizers.

You will find detailed information aboutplant care in our sera guide “Feedingaquatic plants, according to nature” or onthe Internet (www.sera.de).

sera fluorescent tubesensure constant, correctlight for your aquarium fora long time. You will findmore information aboutthem in the sera folder “Fluorescent Tubes for Aquar-iums and Terrariums.”

Accidental overfeedingThe food is still lying on the aquarium bottom an hour after you fed, without thefish being interested in it. In that case youdefinitely overdid it.

The following measures must be takenimmediately:Use the sera gravel cleaner to siphon theremaining food off (see directions for usefor a detailed description), and change c.15 – 30% of the aquarium water. Conditionthe fresh water with sera aqutan and seranitrivec (see page 22 ff.) and check thewater values.


6

Annual careReplacing the fluorescent tubesAmong others, the correct light is essen-tial for the growth of aquatic plants andfor oxygen supply in the aquarium. Even ifthe fluorescent tubes still work, the radia-tion required for the aquarium biotopenevertheless loses intensity. Algae prob-lems and plants not doing well are the vis-ible effects of decreasing or wrong lightsupply. If you use two tubes it is recommended tochange the first one after 12 months, thesecond one two months later. Light condi-tions would change too suddenly if youchanged both tubes at the same time.

Care as required

7

High pollutant levels?The water tests reveal that pollutant levelsare above the indicated maximum values.Possible causes are, among others:• too many fish in relation to the aquari-

um size• filter capacity is too low• overfeeding

Quick help for the aquarium: sera toxivec• immediately protects ornamental fish

and invertebrates against intoxicationsby chlorine, nitrite, ammonia and heavymetals

• immediately removes these toxic sub-stances from the aquarium water

• 5 ml (approx. 1 teaspoon) are sufficientfor 20 liters (5.3 US gal.)

After a strong water pollution, the purifi-cation bacteria in sera nitrivec need somesupport from sera turbo-clear. These highperformance enzymes and microorganisms reduce the amount ofsludge as well as unpleasantodors.

Regular sera toxivec additionprovided, you can occasionallyskip a water change.

7

After having treated a fish disease orhaving used sera algovec* or serasnailpur*, sera toxivec will remove theremainders.

An important tip:

* Use biocides safely. Always read the label andproduct information before use.

Care as required

QuickClean

Formula

Quick helpfor your aquarium


8

Plant careMany new aquarists tend to remove everydead or fallen leaf and every little bit of dirtfrom the aquarium immediately. Pleasebear in mind: Every time you hold yourhand into the aquarium you will put itsinhabitants under stress. Furthermore,substances dangerous for fish, such assoap remainders, fats etc., get into thewater every time.

Algae removalGreen algae in spot-like groups may growon the aquarium glass, but also on brightrocks or plant leaves. Do not be worriedtoo much if you discover this kind of algaein your aquarium. Green algae will growonly in case of satisfying water quality.Algae-eating fish such as Otocinclus orAncistrus are suitable for natural algaeremoval. Sometimes, a few Swordtails orBlack Mollies are sufficient to keep algaegrowth down. Furthermore it is advisableto add more fast-growing plants that willwithdraw algae nutrients from the water.

You can easily remove green algae growingon the front pane of the aquarium with thesera glas-clear algae magnet or with somesera filter wool. Unfortunately, there areother kinds of algae which are less harmless.If you wish to know more about thesealgae and their combat we will inform youon the Internet (www.sera.de) in the section “Aquarium care”. You will get theprinted sera algae check list from yourretailer.

Care as requiredBest perform cleaning measures onlyserving for optical purposes togetherwith a partial water change.

TIP

Midget Sucker Catfish (Otocinclus cf. affinis)

Bushy Mouth Ancistrus (Ancistrus cf. dolichopterus)

Black Molly (Poecilia sphenops)

Swordtail (Xiphophorus helleri)

Algae layer

9

Please wear rubber gloveswhen using sera pH-minus forcleaning aquarium glass ortechnical equipment, andavoid dashes from getting inyour eyes!

Important:

Lime depositsYou can also easily remove lime depositson the heater or on filter hoses with serapH-minus. Lay on somesera pH-minus andallow it to work for a fewminutes. Then simplyrinse it off (repeat orrub with sera filter woolif necessary).

Cleaning the aquarium cover panesYou can remove lime deposits on aquariumcover panes during a water change. Hotwater and sera pH-minus quickly make thepanes transparent again. A “blind” paneconsiderably lowers light intensity. Theplants grow less good. Therefore neverwait too long with this maintenance measure.

Care as required

Dying fishAlways remove dead fish immediately! Youshould quickly find out the cause andremove it. Carry out an extensive water analysis. Inparticular, check the pH value, the carbon-ate hardness (KH), chlorine (Cl), ammoni-um/ammonia (NH4/NH3), nitrite (NO2),phosphate (PO4) and copper (Cu).

Cleaning the aquarium glass on the outsideClean the outside of the aquarium glassonly after the aquarium is full and thehood is closed again. Then pour some serapH-minus on a soft cloth and thoroughlywipe the pane with it. Rub off remainderswith a dry cloth.

Cleaning the aquarium glass on the insideEven with good aquarium care, it is some-times impossible to avoid slight periphytongrowth on the aquarium glass (e.g. greenalgae). sera glas-clear algae magnets providequick and thorough help in this case.The brush of the clean-er part consists of highquality, solid plastic.The cover layer of theoutside part is made ofsoft felt. This preventsscratches, even afteryears of use.

sera water test kits are an “early-warningsystem” allowing you to monitor devia-tions of optimal water values. You will beable to react with appropriate measures intime if the deviations exceed a certain tolerable range. Aquarium care takes littleeffort this way, and you will spare yourbiotope extensive alterations. sera testkits are very precise and easy to handle.

sera test kits and sera water care productsare adjusted to each other. We thereforerecommend to use sera brand productsfor simple and optimal water value adjust-ment.

The sera aqua-test set contains the mostimportant water reagents:• pH value• total hardness• carbonate hardness• nitrite

sera aqua-test box – the professional setcontains water test kits for:• pH value• total hardness• carbonate hardness• ammonium/ammonia• nitrite• nitrate• phosphate• iron• copper or chlorine

The water parameters are different anddepend on the fishes’ country of origin.The conditions in the Amazon are, forexample, entirely different from those inLake Malawi. Maintaining the proper watervalues is much easier if you keep fish fromthe same biotope than with fish from different origins.

sera water test kits as an early-warning system

10

Aquarium “Lake Malawi”

1111

Aquarium “Tropical Rainforest”

12

Total hardness (GH)

The total hardness ofthe water is deter-mined by the concen-tration of calcium andmagnesium salts. Itdirectly influences thegrowth of fish, micro-organisms and plants.Most ornamental fishkept in aquariums

originate from areas with soft water.

Measuring rhythmOnce weekly and with every waterchange

Ideal water valuebetween 6 and 16 °dGH(depends on fish stock)

If the value is too high:⇓ • Filter through sera super peat or add

sera morena, which contains naturalpeat extracts, trace elements andhumic acids, for fish from soft tropicwater such as characins, barbs, catfishand South American cichlids

• Partial water changes with softer ordeionized (reverse osmosis or ionexchange) water conditioned with seramineral salt

If the value is too low:⇑ • Add sera mineral salt

Carbonate hardness(KH)

Carbonate hardness isformed from com-pounds of calcium andmagnesium with car-bonic acid. It bindsacids and thereforeprevents a drasticallysinking pH value, whichwould be dangerousfor the fish.

Measuring rhythmOnce weekly

Ideal water valuebetween 5 and 10 °dKH

If the value is too high:⇓ • Add sera pH-minus

• Partial water changes with softer ordeionized (reverse osmosis or ionexchange) water

• Filter through sera super peat

If the value is too low:⇑ • Add sera KH/pH-plus

13

Ammonium (NH4)/ammonia (NH3)High ammonium levelsindicate disturbed oryet insufficient waterpurification by bacteria,e.g. after a waterchange or with a newsetup. If the pH valueis above 7, a largeramount of ammoniumwill be converted into

ammonia, which is toxic to fish. This bearsthe risk of gill damages and suffocation forthe fish. Ammonia levels as low as 0.02 mg/l(ppm) are dangerous.

Measuring rhythmOnce weekly and whenever neces-sary (fish feeling unwell)

Ideal water value0.0 mg/l (ppm) NH3

If the value is too high:⇓ • Emergency measure in case of an acute

ammonia intoxication: Immediately addsera toxivec

• Partial water change (check pH value ofthe water)

• Condition water with sera aqutan, seraturbo-clear and sera nitrivec

• Check the filter• Filter through sera siporax• Feed sparingly• Add more plants

pH value

The pH value indicateswhether the water isacidic (below 7), neutral(7) or alkaline (above 7).The pH value is a loga-rithmic value, i.e. pH 6indicates 10 times asmuch acid as pH 7. Youshould avoid even pHdeviations of one unit

as to prevent irritations of the fishes’mucous membrane.

Measuring rhythmOnce weekly

Ideal water value6 – 7 for most fish and plants from tropicalregions; 7.5 – 8.5 for cichlids from LakesMalawi and Tanganyika.

If the value is too high:⇓ • Add sera pH-minus

• Add CO2 with the sera CO2 fertilizationsystem

• Filter through sera super peat• Partial water changes with more acidic

water

If the value is too low:⇑ • Add sera pH-plus

• Partial water changes with more alka-line water, provided there is nodetectable ammonium pollution. Con-dition with a double dose sera aqutanto protect the mucous membrane

Nitrite (NO2)

Nitrite is an intermedi-ate in pollutant break-down (NH4/NH3 toNO2). In too high con-centrations it acts as ablood poison. Anydetectable nitrite lev-els are a water pollu-tion.

Measuring rhythmOnce weekly and whenever neces-sary (fish feeling unwell)

Ideal water value0.0 mg/l (ppm) NO2

If the value is too high:0.3 – 0.9 mg/l (ppm) NO2: Water pollution⇓ • Immediate measure: Add sera toxivec

• Carry out a partial water change, siphonoff the bottom with the sera gravelwasher, condition water with seraaqutan and sera nitrivec

• Check the filter• Filter through sera siporax• Feed sparingly• Check whether a fish has died

from 0.9 mg/l (ppm) NO2: Severe water pol-lutionFish are in danger⇓ • Immediate measure: Proceed as des-

cribed above• Partial water change: Proceed as

described above• Check the filter• Filter through sera siporax• Remove the cause of water pollution

3.3 mg/l (ppm) NO2 and above: Acute dan-ger to the fishes’ life⇓ • Add a double dose of sera toxivec as an

emergency measure• Immediately change 30% of the water,

proceeding as described above• Change 30% of the water again after 12 –

24 hours, proceeding as described above

Nitrate (NO3)

Nitrate is the next stepin pollutant break-down (NO2 to NO3). Itcan also directly getinto the aquariumwith tap water. Fishand plants will notthrive, and algae willgrow rapidly if thenitrate level is toohigh.

Measuring rhythmOnce weekly and whenever neces-sary (increased algae growth)

Ideal water valuemaximum 20 mg/l (ppm) NO3

If the value is too high:from 20 mg/l (ppm) NO3⇓ • use 1 liter (1 quart) sera siporax per

each 100 liters (26.5 US gal.) of water inthe filter

• additionally activate the filter with seraturbo-clear

• add fast-growing plants• carry out partial water changes with

water low in nitrate• possibly reduce fish stock and feeding

above 100 mg/l (ppm) NO3⇓ • immediately change 30% of the water

and proceed as described above

14

Oxygen (O2)

Oxygen is essential forfish and other livingbeings in an aquarium.Plants also requiresmall amounts of oxy-gen at night. Oxygendeficiency leads tobreathing problemsfor the fish. In severecases, fish and other

animals may even suffocate.

Measuring rhythmEvery fortnight, in the morning andin the evening, and in case the fishfeel unwell. The levels should behigher in the evening than in themorning

Ideal water valueabove 4 mg/l (ppm) O2

If the value is too low:⇑ • Quickly increase oxygen level with sera

oxypur• Aerate water with an air pump (sera air)

and an airstone (sera air set)• Increase surface agitation with a sera

internal filter F adjustable• Remove causes for oxygen deficiency

Iron (Fe)

Iron is one of manyimportant nutrientsfor all aquatic plants.Too low iron levelsadversely affect theplants. However, toomuch iron will harmthe fish and also someplants.

Measuring rhythmOnce weekly and whenever neces-sary (increased algae growth, poorplant growth)

Ideal water value0.5 mg/l (ppm) Fe

If the value is too high:⇓ • Partial water change, condition water

with sera aqutan and sera nitrivec

If the value is too low:⇑ • Fertilize with sera florena and sera flo-

renette APlease note: Due to the slow release ofnutrients, which are also directly takenup by the roots, you cannot monitorfertilizer tablets with iron test kits.

15

Carbon dioxide (CO2)

CO2 is an importantnutrient for all plants.CO2 levels between 10and 40 mg/l (ppm)have proven best. Theaquarium fish will alsoget along well withthis.

Measuring rhythmDaily (without much effort, using thesera CO2 long-term indicator)

Ideal water valueBetween 10 and 40 mg/l (ppm) CO2, for del-icate fish species up to 20 mg/l (ppm)

If the value is too high:⇓ • Reduce CO2 addition

• Remove acute overdose by aeratingwith a diaphragm pump (sera air) andan airstone (sera air set)

• The seramic CO2 control system con-trols and regulates CO2 fertilization fullyautomatically

If the value is too low:⇑ • Add CO2 with the sera CO2 fertilization

system• Small aquariums: sera CO2-Start

Copper (Cu)

Copper is very toxic tofish, invertebrates andmicro organisms. Cop-per can get into theaquarium with tapwater or with copper-containing treatments.The copper level mustbe monitored carefullyas to avoid overdoses.

Measuring rhythmWith every water change (check tapwater), if the fish feel unwell andwhen using copper-containing treat-ments

Ideal water value0.0 mg/l (ppm) Cuabove 0.3 mg/l (ppm) Cu: fatal for snailsabove 1.0 mg/l (ppm) Cu: fatal for all organ-isms in the aquarium

If the value is too high:⇓ • Carry out large water changes with cop-

per-free water, condition aquariumwater with a double dose of seraaqutan and sera nitrivec plus sera tox-ivec

16

Chlorine (Cl)

Chlorine is often pres-ent in tap water andmay get into theaquarium with newsetups or with a waterchange. Chlorine iscorrosive to themucous membranesof the fish, even in lowdosage. Furthermore

it affects waste breakdown in the filter as itlowers the number of useful purificationbacteria.

Measuring rhythmAfter a new setup, and when chang-ing or topping up water (check tapwater)

Ideal water valuebelow 0.02 mg/l (ppm) Cl

If the value is too high:⇓ • When carrying out a water change, fill

tap water into a bucket with a spraynozzle or through a clean sieve. Thencondition it with sera toxivec beforefilling it into the aquarium. 25 ml(approx. 0.8 fl. oz.) sera toxivec will neu-tralize 3.4 mg/l (ppm) chlorine in 100 liters(26.5 US gal.) of water.

• Condition aquarium water with seraaqutan and sera nitrivec

Phosphate (PO4)

Phosphate fulfilsimportant functionsduring the metabolismof all aquarium inhab-itants. However, toohigh phosphate levelswill arise from toodense fish stock, foodrich in phosphates andplant fertilizers con-

taining phosphate. In combination withhigh nitrate levels, high phosphate levelscause excessive algae growth.

Measuring rhythmOnce weekly and whenever neces-sary (increased algae growth)

Ideal water valuenot higher than 1 mg/l (ppm) PO4(better: max. 0.5 mg/l (ppm) PO4)

If the value is too high:⇓ • Change 10 – 30% water once weekly

• Add fast-growing plants• Add sera phosvec as an immediate

measure• Feed sparingly• Use sera phosvec Granulat in the filter

for permanent removal

17

18

Water check on the Internet

The sera online laboratory makes aquariumcare much easier and is a lot of fun. You willeasily learn how to use water test kits andwater conditioners. You can check thequality of your aquarium and, of course,also your pond water at any time.

This has essential advantages:• constantly good water quality• less problems with algae• early detection of a possible fish disease• less time required for aquarium care

Get convinced on the Internet on

#-Laboratory

aquarium overview

Aquarium setup 5/5

Select the fish

Corydoras panda

Corydoras paleatus

Epalzeorhynchos erythrurus

Epalzeorhynchoskallopterus

Epalzeorhynchos

back complete

order # – the CD

logout

last login:

new

Corydoras paleatus

Epalzeorhynchoserythrurus

detail view

200 l Community Tank

Fish selection

Epalzeorhynchos erythrurus

Epalzeorhynchoserythrurus

0 apply

Origin: Asia (Thailand). Eachfish requires an bottom area ofc. a square meter (1.2 squareyards).

selected fish: 0 of: 69

pH Test

Instructions for use:1. Clean vials thoroughly before and after each test.

Shake the liquid reagents before using. Closereagent bottles firmly, immediately after use.Do not switch bottle caps.

2. Rinse vial several times with the water to bechecked. Fill to the 5 ml mark and dry the exterior.

3. Add 4 drops of the reagent and shake gently. Placevial on the white area of the color scale, and lookfrom above to determine the pH value according tothe color. We recommend comparing colors indaylight as artificial light makes it difficult todistinguish colors.

Water testClick into the round fields to select your values from theavailable choices.

cancel continue

pH acidity

www.seralabor.com

19

Water changes

It is recommended to change relativelysmall amounts of c. 20% once weekly. Largerwater changes (above 50%) disturb theequilibrium in the aquarium biotope, andtherefore should remain reserved foremergencies such as an acute nitrite orcopper intoxication. In that case youshould by all means also use sera toxivec(see pages 13, 14, 16 and 17).

Water change frequency and amounts ofchanged water depend on• aquarium size• number and size of aquarium inhab-

itants

When, and how much water?Not all waste products can be brokendown completely in the aquarium. Substances such as nitrates and phos-phates, which in large amounts are toxicto the fish, will necessarily enrich in everyaquarium. In nature, these substances arewashed away or diluted by flowing water.You will achieve the same effect with regularwater changes.

20

Water changes

Calculation of the aquarium contents:

60 cm (24 in.) width x 30 cm (12 in.) height x 35 cm (14 in.) depth

= 63,000 cm3

= 63 liters (16.6 US gal.) gross volume

or

100 cm (40 in.) width x 40 cm (16 in.) height x 40 cm (16 in.) depth

= 160,000 cm3

= 160 liters (42 US gal.) gross volume

60 cm (24 in.)

100 cm (40 in.)

30 cm(12 in

.)

35 cm

(14 in.)

40 cm

(16 in.)

40 cm(16 in.)

Examples for water amountand intervals:

Large amounts of toxic substances quicklyenrich in the small aquarium biotope. It issimply wrong to believe it is possible tojust wait three months and then in returnchange more than half of the water. In thatcase you should not be puzzled aboutthriving algae and fish not doing well at all.

Adding sera toxivec and sera turbo-clearallows to skip a water change if once youdid not find the time. However, the watervalues should still be checked with the serawater test kits.

Partial water changes arecarried out too infrequently

Aquarium size/ Amount to be Interval

Contents changed

50 – 60 l (13 – 16 US gal.) 10 – 20 l (2.6 – 5.3 US gal.) weekly

80 – 100 l (21 – 26.5 US gal.) 20 l (5.3 US gal.) weekly



above 250 l (66 US gal.) 20% every fortnight

The following chart isapplicable for communityaquariums with normalfish stock. The givendata have proven well inpractice.

21

Preparation

You will need:• A watering can and two clean buckets

reserved only for the aquarium. Theymust never have been in contact withcleaning agents.

• Two meters (2.2 yd.) aquarium hose or,even better, a sera gravel washer.

• A towel or a shallow bowl in case ofspilling water.

• By all means pull the mains plugs, e.g.those of the heater, the filter, and thelighting.

How to remove water fromthe tank

When working with the sera gravelwasher, please make sure to not cleanan area of 5 cm (2 in.) around every plant.This will protect the delicate plant roots.Mark the outside of the aquarium glasswith adhesive tape or the like up towhere you wish to empty the tank.

An important tip

First place the two buckets on the towelor in the bowl. Then let the water flowfrom the aquarium into the buckets. Thereare different ways to do so:

Many aquarists hold the hose end into theaquarium and then briefly suck the waterfrom the other end with their mouth.However, this method requires some practice. Sometimes, the water either willnot flow, or you may accidentally swallowa big gulp of aquarium water.

You can siphon the water off more elegantly with the sera gravel washer. Bydoing so, you will serve two purposes atonce. You will easily and thoroughlyremove sludge from the aquarium gravelwith the sera gravel washer, and you willchange a part of the water at the sametime.

After you removed the aquarium water asfar as necessary you can now also performsmaller cleaning activities.

Now the aquarium is topped up with tapwater which, however, needs to be condi-tioned according to the requirements of

the ornamental fish.Remember, our watersuppliers do not neces-sarily think about aquar-iums when preparingthe drinking water!Their task is to providewater suitable for humanconsumption. Drinkingwater must to be ofgood taste and very lowin nutrients and patho-gens, and it must notdestroy the pipes. Consequently, quite oftendisinfecting chemicalssuch as chlorine areused to kill dangerousbacteria and pathogens.

How to condition tap water

Water changes

22

Therefore water that we can drink is oftentoo aggressive for the sensitive mucousmembranes and too toxic to ornamentalfish. At the same time, this water hardlycontains any beneficial bacteria at all. Chlo-rine also considerably reduces the numberof purification bacteria in an aquarium.

The sera water conditioners ensure waterconditions according to nature. Fill the tapwater into a watering can and condition itwith sera aqutan, sera nitrivec, sera min-eral salt and, depending on the fish stock,sera morena.

Add sera toxivec directly into the aquariumwater as to immediately remove remainingpollutant levels.

sera toxivec• immediately protects ornamental

fish and invertebrates againstintoxications by chlorine, nitrite,ammonia and heavy metals

• immediately removes thesetoxic substances from theaquarium water

• 5 ml (approx. 1 teaspoon) aresufficient for 20 liters (5.3 US gal.)

• creates ideal conditions for seranitrivec purification bacteria

sera aqutan• neutralizes dissolved salts and

aggressive chlorine.• immediately binds harmful

metal ions.• protects and stabilizes the

mucous membranes of the fishdue to the valuable vitamin Bcomplex.

• supports the growth of plantsand micro-organisms due to thevitamin B complex.

• reduces stress of the fish duringtransport and introduction intothe new tank.

• water conditioner with 5-foldeffect.

• makes water suitable for fishand bio cultures.

• accelerates wound healing aftersmaller injuries due to skin protecting colloids.

Please try to adjust the temperature of thefresh water roughly to the aquarium watertemperature. It will, however, cause noharm if the fresh water is slightly coolerthan the aquarium water. Quite contrary: Many fish become veryagile after the water has become slightlycooler (not more than by 1 – 2°C / up to 3°F).Metabolism and the readiness to spawnare enhanced.

The correct water temperature

Adding waterWhen adding water, make sure not to whirlup too much gravel or even hollow outplant roots. A watering can makes thismuch easier.

As soon as after the second or third waterchange you will have enough practice thatthe whole work is done in 15 to 20 minutes.And your ornamental fish and aquaticplants will do fine in an aquarium kept thisway.

Test the water after condi-tioning.

Important:

23

sera morena• ensures water conditions similar

to those in the tropic regions inthe aquarium, due to naturalpeat extracts, trace elements,vitamins and humic acids.

• apply sera morena togetherwith sera aqutan if you keep,e.g., tetras, barbs or other soft-water fish.

sera mineral salt• enriches the tap water with

minerals occurring in naturalwater in the biologically correctamounts

sera nitrivec• bio cultures for filter and aquar-

ium water.• breaks down ammonium and

nitrite in a natural way.• with long-term effect.

24

Filter media and filter maintenance

sera water filtration as in natureThe aquarium water is mechanically andbiologically purified by sera filter media.Just as in nature, the water flows throughseveral purification steps within the filter.

Clean water

sera biofibres collect coarseparticles and floating matter.

sera filter wool or the serafilter mat collect fine dirtparticles. In the sera internalbiofilters B you can alsouse sera filter wool at thewater intake, directly aftersera biofibres.

Fish wastePlant parts

Uneaten food

Mechanical prefiltration

Purification bacteria fromsera nitrivec settle in serasiporax and break downpollutants biologically.

Ammonium/ammonia(NH4/NH3)

Nitrite (NO2)

Nitrate (NO3)

Clean water

Biological waterpurification

Final mechanicalpurification

We will now give you a brief overviewabout the sera range of filter media and filters.

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sera filter media for specialtaskssera super peat slowly releases valuablehumic acids and trace elements into thewater. This is ideal for, e.g., discus, dwarfcichlids and many tetras.

sera super carbon is used for removingorganic remainders, e.g. after a diseasetreatment.

sera phosvec Granulat easily and reliablyremoves phosphates. It therefore servesfor algae prevention.

sera filter equipmentserafil 380 internal filter• small and very powerful• for aquariums up to 60 liters (16 US gal.)

sera internal biofilters B 200 and B 400• compact and unobtrusive• large filter volume due to 4 chamber

system• for aquariums up to 200 or 400 liters (53 –

106 US gal.)

serafil external filters are economic, pow-erful and easy to operate:

serafil 900 (900 l/h / 238 US gal./h)• 5.9 liters (1.5 US gal.) filter volume• for aquariums up to 240 liters (63 US gal.)

serafil 1100 (1,100 l/h / 290 US gal./h)• 8.1 liters (2.1 US gal.) filter volume• for aquariums up to 350 liters (92 US gal.)

serafil 1300 (1,300 l/h / 343 US gal./h)• 10.5 liters (2.8 US gal.) filter volume• for aquariums up to 450 liters (119 US gal.)

You will find detailed information aboutsera filter media and sera filter equipmentin the sera guide “How to set up an aquar-ium” or on the Internet (www.sera.de).

or

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Cleaning the filter and thefilter mediaa) Cleaning the filterThe parts of the filter are cleaned underrunning water without using cleaningagents. You will find detailed informationon how to clean the filter in the accordingdirections for use.

b) Rinsing biological filter mediaFilter media for settling purification bacteriasuch as sera siporax, sera biopur forte etc.,or filter sponges in small filters, are onlycasually rinsed but never washed out withcleaning agents. Cleaning agents destroyalmost all useful bacteria in an aquarium.In that case, no pollutants would be brokendown for several weeks.

It is best to rinse the filter media in a bucketwith aquarium water. You can use thewater from the water change to do so. Thebucket must never have been in contactwith any cleaning agent. This will removecoarse dirt without all the bacteria beingwashed off. We recommend to clean only apart of the biological filter media at onetime as to prevent too many filter bacteriadisappear. Afterwards, add some seranitrivec onto the filter media. By doing soyou will support quick activation of thebiological water purification.

c) Replacing mechanical filter mediasera filter wool, sera filter mat or serabiofibres, to name but a few, collect coarseand fine dirt particles. You should wash outthese filter materials in some aquariumwater or, in case of strong pollution,replace them.

Filter media and filter maintenance

serafil external filter

sera internal biofilter B

Cleaning filter media in sera

sera filter wool

sera siporax®

sera super peat

sera phosvec Granulat

sera super carbon

sera biopur forte

sera filter mat

sera filter sponge fine

sera filter spongecoarse

sera biofibres fine

serabiofibres

serafilter wool

serasiporax®

2

1

1

2

2

2

2

2

2

1

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Biological filter media• rinse in some aquarium water

in case of normalfish stock: every 3 – 4 monthsin case of optimalfish stock: every 6 – 12 months

• afterwards: Quick activation of the biologicalwater purification with sera nitrivec

Mechanical filter media• rinse in some aquarium water• replace in case of strong pollution• as necessary (reduced water flow)

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2

Cleaning intervalsWe recommend to replace sera filter wooland sera biofibres coarse in case of strongpollution.Please wash out the filter materials for settling purification bacteria• every 3 to 4 months in case of normal

fish stock• every 6 to 12 months in case of optimal

fish stock

This of course also depends on the filtersize compared to the aquarium size. If thefilter is too small for an aquarium withmany fish you will need to clean it moreoften. In this case we recommend to installa biologically more powerful filter. Purifi-cation intervals will prolong if the differentfilter media are optimally arranged.

Cleaning out of scheduleIn case of considerably reduced water flowbecause the filter is clogged.

Application of special filter mediasera super carbon (filter carbon) and serasuper peat (blackpeat granulate) shouldgenerally be replaced after 6 weeks.

Please test the nitrite level with the seranitrite-Test (NO2) twice weekly for at least 4 weeks every time you rinsed the filtermaterial.

Easy filter media changeAdding and removing filter mediabecomes much easier with sera filtermedia bags. The filter media remain withinthe filter in a proper arrangement. Cleaningthe filter media is easier to handle.

external and internal filters

aquariumwater

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