Aquarium
Additives vs. Supplements
What
are they and what do they do?
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Aquarium
Additives
 In
today's aquaria, water conditioners and aquarium additives
have become necessary tools for the aquarist. If only our tap water was
perfect and all aquarium fish could share the same water conditions,
maintaining aquaria would be so much easier. Unfortunately, many tap water
sources are far less than perfect. Tap water conditioners have become a
mandatory part of good aquarium management. The chemistry of water from
different regions of the world is as different as nature is complex.
Aquarium additives allow us to easily adjust water pH, hardness,
alkalinity and other parameters to match the water in our aquariums to the
natural aquatic habitats of the fish and invertebrates we keep.
Aquarium
additives are used to make new water safe for aquaria and
to adjust the chemistry of water. There are two general categories of
additives: water conditioners used to make the raw tap water safe for
aquaria, and dry or liquid compounds that are used to adjust the pH,
hardness and alkalinity of an aquarium.
Water
conditioners are necessary if
you live in a municipal area where tap water is treated to remove
bacteria, algae and other microorganisms and contaminants. Water
conditioners should also be used on well water that is high in certain
metals or minerals such as iron, nickel, copper or sulfur that may
adversely affect sensitive fish or invertebrates. A good water conditioner
will neutralize chlorine, chloramine and heavy metals in the tap water
without adding phosphates or nitrates to the aquarium. Many water
conditioners also add electrolytes and polymeric compounds to the aquarium
which help to prevent stress in fish as a result of water changes. Good
water conditioners do not affect water chemistry and may be safely used in
all aquaria. When in doubt, it is better to use them than to risk problems
that might occur during or after water changes.
Aquarium
additives are available to adjust the
pH, hardness and alkalinity of any type of aquarium in situations where it
is necessary or desirable to match these water quality parameters to the
native habitat of certain tropical fish and invertebrates. These are used
primarily in marine aquaria, but some tropical freshwater fish require
specific water conditions to thrive or breed in captivity.
Before
and after adjusting these water quality parameters, it is important to
test the water for each value to be adjusted. It is also important to not
adjust water quality too rapidly. Nearly all fish and invertebrates will
suffer from rapid changes in water quality.
Nutritional
Supplements
Just as
we require good nutrition in order to survive, so
do aquatic plants, animals and macro algae. In the wild, most fish eat a
wide variety of foods. In most cases, it is impossible to duplicate their
diet in captivity. Plants and invertebrates in freshwater and saltwater
absorb many of the nutrients they require from the water around them. The
use of aquarium supplements allows us to make sure the tropical fish,
invertebrates, plants and macro algae in our aquariums are receiving
proper nutrition.
Freshwater
fish obtain most of their nutrients from the food they eat. Freshwater
fish do not drink water, whereas saltwater fish do. Using vitamin and
mineral supplements on food fed to temperate and tropical freshwater fish
in captivity will ensure they are getting the right nutrition. Using
vitamins directly in the water of marine aquaria will help to improve the
health of all saltwater fish. Freshwater plants greatly benefit from
fertilizer supplements that are safe for use with fish. Aquarium
supplements should be used in almost all saltwater aquaria to replenish
nutrients that are used up by fish, macro algae, and sessile & motile
marine invertebrates.
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