Indoor Gardening
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Toxic Pollutants & Their Effect on Fish Health
   
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The Rich History Of Chrysanthemums
Did you know that those lush, colorful blooms called chrysanthemums are rooted in beliefs of human immortality and perfection? Today the "mum" graces gardens, cut flower arrangements and even .....
Once water temperatures increase in the summer months, fishDid you know that those lush, colorful blooms called chrysanthemums are rooted in beliefs of human immortality and perfection? Today the "mum" graces gardens, cut flower arrangements and even .....
become more active and produce increasing amounts of waste,
leading to potential water pollution. Fish produce waste in the
form of ammonia, which is broken down into nitrites then nitrates
by beneficial bacteria. Both ammonia and nitrite are very harmful
to fish, even in very small quantities. Ammonia, in particular,
is more toxic at high temperatures and can cause severe problems.
In fact, water can hold five times as much dangerous ammonia at
77F as opposed to 41F. The effect on water quality is
exaggerated by a high pH, resulting in the formation of more
toxic ammonia.
High nitrite levels are also more dangerous in low oxygen water
levels. Nitrite causes the hemoglobin in the fish's blood to form
metheamoglobin, which cannot carry as much oxygen around the body
of the fish, therefore making fish lethargic.
Nitrates are relatively harmless to freshwater fish and act as
great fertilizers for plants. However, they also encourage the
growth of unwelcome algae, such as green water or blanket weed.
So, be sure to test the water quality every few weeks with a kit.
If there is a noticeable reduction in water flow, you can back
flush your pressure filters and gently rinse any biological media
in a bucket of pond water. (Depending on your type of filter, its
biological media can be anything from plastic cylinders/spheres
to spaghetti-like strands to foam pads.) Biological media should
never be washed under the hose; chlorine contained in the water
kills the beneficial bacteria. Remember to never scrub the media
clean; simply rinse off any excess sludge or debris so beneficial
bacteria will remain intact and active, restarting the biological
process.
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Brett Fogle is the owner of MacArthur Water Gardens and several
other pond-related websites including
MacArthurWatergardens.com
and Pond-Filters-Online.com. He
also publishes a free monthly
newsletter called PondStuff! with a reader circulation of over
9,000. To sign up for the free newsletter and receive our FREE
'New Pond Owners Guide' visit MacArthur Water Gardens today!
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How To Mow A Lawn
Although push lawn mowers are wonderful machines that do a great job in keeping the lawn looking lush and well groomed, sometimes you need something with a .....
Although push lawn mowers are wonderful machines that do a great job in keeping the lawn looking lush and well groomed, sometimes you need something with a .....