Sociedad Española de Killis, S.E.K.

Water

One of the fundamental work that have to do is to work with the Killífilos water adapted to the needs of our Killifish. To start we recommend are made with a shoe with rubber soles and put a mat to wipe their feet on leaving the area of the fish. The rest of the house will thank you. During the maintenance process is inevitable spilling water, and experience, and soil wetting the house with water from the aquarium is one of the causes of problems family-Killifish. Solve this problem by following the advice and everyone will like the Killifish.

Water Changes

Is very beneficial changes to our Killis water, this reduces the amount of bacteria present as well as accumulation of chemicals, such as nitrate or organic matter disbanded. Only some species are reluctant to changes of water.

It is recommended that a fourth or fifth of the water every week, replenishing with water appropriate characteristics. If tests give us high values of toxic, we will increase the frequency changes, not the percentage.

During playback, you should change water more intensively, leading to third week Some Killis do not like water changes, they suffice to stop laying. In these cases, water changes should be minor but more frequent, in order to maintain soft landing stability.

pups, you can change almost daily 70% water. This stimulates growth. Ideally, a system for changing water drop by drop, although this requires a facility worked. Apart from beneficial to fish, we downloaded a tedious and cumbersome, such as replacing water and water changes without vacuuming the bottom. Your back will thank you. The fundamental job is to ensure that water quality is best suited to the needs of our Killifish and this is in a constant as possible. So, we must know the variables of different physical-chemical parameters that make up the water. These are:

Acidity - Alkalinity

commonly called water pH is the most popular value indicates the hydrogen ion concentration (H +) free in the water, but what interests us is that tells us if the water is acidic, alkaline or approximately neutral. The value ranges between 0 and 14, with 7 being neutral. From 0 to 6.5 have acidic water of approximately 6.6 to 7.5 water neutral and alkaline waters from 7.6 to 14. The needs Killifish pH in the range between 4 and 8.5, normal being between 6 and 7, so we need to make us with a sensitive pH meter in this range. Besides chemical methods recommended for correct the pH value, we recommend to download the add little boiled peat in the filter or using it as bedding in the bottom of the aquarium. To raise the pH, it is natural bicarbonate in doses of 1 gram per 20 liters, then half an hour, measure the pH and repeat. Tackling pouring over it, we funeral will go.

pH = 4 was measured in 1995 by Jorge Sanjuan during the expedition CSK 95 / - in a river of several meters wide at the town of Abong Mbang Cameroon. There were plenty of Aploch. camerunensis. Clearly, these fish are specialized in acidic surface waters to escape predators.

Killifish exceptions are fairly tolerant of pH. If they are higher in the time to start playback. Still, when we see that the fish do not show good appearance, the first thing we do is measure the pH, and act accordingly. It is a fact that should be measured daily.

Hardness

TH in France (Titles Hidrotiméticos), is expressed in degrees and indicates the amount of salts minerals dissolved in water (calcium and magnesium carbonates are usually the majority). In Germany the symbol expresses dGH, and 1 is equivalent to 1'78 TH. DH season or hardness is hardness that is provided by carbonates, easily recruited and removable. And total hardness, which is the amount of temporary hardness of calcium ions and magnesium.

Lately starts ppm measurement used calcium carbonate, and indicates the amount of it in the water. One part per million or ppm indicates that in a million parts of water is a carbonate calcium, or easier, in a ton of water, which is the same as a cubic meter of water (which has one million cubic centimeters) is a gram of calcium carbonate. So if you need 7 ppm hardness water should add 7 grams of calcium carbonate per 1000 liters of water. The ease of use of this measure is that which is popular, but has not yet been made the mental adjustment of equivalents. The needs of the Killifish hardness ranges from 0 to 60 dGH. Although most species require soft water between 0 and 10 dGH.

1 French degree = 0.56 degrees = 10 ppm CaCO3 Germans.

German degree is the most used, then: 1 degree = 17.86 ppm CaCO3 German.

Easier: If we have a cubic meter of water has a hardness and evaporate all in bottom of the container would get 17.86 grams of calcium carbonate. This means that to make a Aphyosemion water, hardness slightly buffered 4 need per cubic meter of water 4 X 17.86 = 71.44 calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Therefore, a Killifish normal aquarium between 20-L is one-fiftieth, water should be added to 1.4288 g. of CaCO3 equivalents.

To make hard water can be used sodium carbonate, which is quite soluble and provides Carbonates and sodium ion, it brings the salt to dissolve. It can be diluted concentrate, but you have to have it alone and apart. Calcium chloride, calcium provides. Eye on dilution produces heat, thus diluting apart and out of aquarium. When combined with the former, chloride and sodium ions provide common salt, but concentrations lower than you would get if we added salt and yet have risen sharply and calcium carbonate. Magnesium chloride can be added, even in small amounts, but in a normal relationship Spain. There are also some commercial preparations are going well although they have their price, are dilutions sterile balanced and above.

lower hardness, it is best to find a good spring, but such is not always possible, we recommend the use of filters or reverse osmosis water filter with ion exchange resins in cheaper and regenerative principle. You can make a water tank for water changes which is softener resin filtered before being added to the tanks of Killifish.

Most killifish going well between 2 and 8 dH. Below 2 dH, water pH is unstable and can vary sharply. With few exceptions, 2 AH is the minimum we have to maintain. Working with species less than 2 AH, involves daily monitoring of water parameters, especially pH. If we introduce buffer or natural buffer to water, sodium bicarbonate MECL Sodium carbonate ratio 4 to 1. and 71.44 ppm add this mixture to water. Ie 10 liters 0.7144 grams. This had a hardness of 1 to 5, which is water with a soft but still clear capacity to buffer.

If we modify a water and water have dH = 0, the first thing to do is measure the hardness of water from home, as well as pH. From the data on the hardness of tap water, is uses the following formula.

GH: hardness tap
GH ': we want to achieve degrees
Lt: total liters aquarium
Lg: liters tap
Ld: liters of distilled water or reverse osmosis (demineralized)
Lt X GH ' Lg = (X Lt GH ') / (X Ld GH)

Finally, say that although not common is possible to find and hard acidic waters. This is possible when the water is acidic and devoid of carbonates, but rich in calcium and magnesium, or other that provide strength, but have no influence on the pH.

conductivity

ownership of water to conduct electric current, and is measured in microsiemens (μS.). It is a As gives approximate information on the mineralization of water. The inverse is the resistivity. So conductivity 0 does not conduct electricity, as would occur in distilled water. The Killifish live in waters between 20 and 3000 microsiemens. Approximately 1 gram of salt per liter of water is equivalent to 1000 microsiemens.

Ammonia - Ammonia: NH3-NH4 +

food debris and fish faeces are a rich source of ammonia. This pH slightly alkali is in the form of ammonia is very poisonous to fish, at acidic pH is in the form ammonium, which is less poisonous. 0.5 ppm of ammonia are lethal for our Killifish. We maintain the low levels both on the side of not introducing, controlling sobrealiementación, as its transformation - with a biological filter removing the oxide to nitrite.

Nitrite: NO2

Their presence indicates that the biological filter works, but are also toxic, and higher levels of 0.5 ppm are deadly to Killifish. The way to get rid of them is to transform them into Nitrates, an operation that mature biological filter with more than one month of operation transforming organic matter (one month of operation in pure water filter will not provide a effective filter). We recommend the use of bacteria filters commercially available for planting bacterial flora rapidly filters.

NITRATE: NO3

well-functioning biological filter produces nitrates. While not toxic or harmful levels as nitrites and ammonia, and since there is little and not enough of them to consume, tend to accumulate relatively rapidly beginning to be annoying to Killifish, removing appetite and activity. Moreover, we lower the immune system.

In nature, both in forest streams and in ponds year we have been unable find traces of nitrates.

when a fish aquarium presents apathetic and listless, and everything else is fine, if we measure the nitrate level, this will give us above 50 ppm. Many Killifish are sensitive to excess thereof. When you do water changes eliminated them, but sometimes change is reduced by less than the growth by accumulation. To eliminate them we think that in an aquarium Killis unsaturated, the nitrate level increases from about 0.5 to 1 ppm. a day. Absorb the plants to grow. Funds aquarium peat moss anaerobic create small areas that consume them. But when this is not enough, only the strong changes of water (above 50%) are actually effective. Sometimes you need a complete change of water. But in this case the new water must have the remaining the same general characteristics as the initial one (with the exception of the toxic properties). So if over time we arrived (it is a supposed end) to a water hardness pH = 4 and 50 degrees Germans, with 200 ppm of nitrate, we take fresh water without nitrates and lower at pH 4 and upload it to hardness 50. Later changes will correct those features soft water. If suddenly change the three main features fish probably never be adapted to change being easy to die in a few weeks.

Chlorine

springs unless you use filters or reverse osmosis, the water we normally get contain chlorine and must be eliminated forever. To remove the chlorine, the most recommended let the water stand for several days in wide-mouth containers. If we use a meter commercial bleach, you see that shows the presence of chlorine to even the third day. However, if the we'll do a water change is 25% water can be partially dechlorinated. Not antichlors recommend using, except for situations of compelling need of water. The problem is that they increase their water and sulfates are effective as lower doses to recommending, after removing the chlorine continue to eliminate the oxygen, and this itself is a element that we want to have in abundance. Likewise, the abode where water bottles filled if with chlorinated water, the same chlorine will help us avoid contaminating the drums for some spores in the air. In the case of using antichlors, to aerate the water we strongly and equalize the temperature at the aquarium. Recently some municipalities such as Madrid, disinfect drinking water with chloramines. These are more difficult to neutralize rest, requiring up to a week for disposal. We recommend the modern commercial products that remove chloramine.

Oxygen

Ensuring that the oxygen level is always located above 5 ppm and as close to 8 ppm possible. The filters, peat depth, mops, are major consumers of oxygen by bacteria that colonize. In case of trouble or if you have prepared new water by a process that reduces the oxygen dissolved (water boiled antichlors use) can use hydrogen peroxide at a rate of five drops per liter. We always talk about 10 volume peroxide commonly sold in pharmacies. The use of aerators by inoculation of air through a diffuser provides an increase in oxygen slow, but more due to the movement of surface water and inoculated into the air. The oxygen solubilidadad water a minority depends on many factors. However the ago, much of the temperature. at 30 ° C and a 50% dissolved oxygen less than 15 º C. It which is exacerbated at high temperatures because oxygen consumption by filters, fish, peat etc., is much more. In summer mesh caps to the aquarium as mating improves aeration and drainage the heat. In winter to keep warm we put it back as hard cover glass oxygen that the question then is not so problematic.

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