The ABCs of Water Quality

Always condition water before adding it to your fresh or saltwater aquarium. Tap water, well water, RO and DI water all need to be properly treated to ensure the health of your fish & corals.

Use FritzGuard® to treat for chlorine, chloramine and toxic heavy metals. FritzGuard® conditions water and prepares the filter for adhesion by bacteria, speeding up the tank cycle. FritzGuard® is concentrated and safe for use with any fish, plant or invertebrate. Containing aloe vera, vitamin E and necessary electrolytes, this unique conditioner greatly increases the fish’s slime coat, reduces stress, prevents infection and eliminates fish death. Add one teaspoon per 20 gallons of tank water. FritzGuard® works instantly!

After the fish are added to the aquarium, ammonia and nitrite levels can become toxic within days and cause mortality. Water changes, fish addition, overfeeding, medications and many other factors also cause ammonia and nitrite imbalances. FritzZyme® 7 (for freshwater) and FritzZyme® 9 (for saltwater) contain concentrated cultures of necessary, live nitrifying bacteria that rapidly convert harmful ammonia and nitrites into non-toxic nitrates. Test your ammonia and nitrite levels regularly and add FritzZyme® whenever levels increase above 0.1 PPM. In saltwater, use one cup (8 oz.) of FritzZyme® 9 for every 10 gallons of tank water. In freshwater, use one cup (8 oz.) of FritzZyme® 7 for every 20 gallons of tank water. Make sure to turn off the protein skimmer, UV sterilizer and ozonator before adding the bacteria.

Follow a regular maintenance schedule. Feed as instructed by your local pet store. Test your water regularly, and clean any algae that builds up. Watch your fish for signs of stress such as lethargic behavior, discoloration or loss of appetite. After several weeks, you’ll notice waste building up in the tank. After careful inspection, you may see brown particles or sludge on the surface of the gravel. Your filter will contain “gook” trapped in the bio-media. This buildup causes toxic levels of ammonia and nitrites, and it inhibits the growth of beneficial bacteria. Add FritzZyme® 360 Aquarium Cleaner for Freshwater or FritzZyme® 460 Aquarium Cleaner for Saltwater to break-down the “gook” into an invisible, non-toxic liquid. The billions of naturally occurring bacteria found in FritzZyme® 360 Aquarium Cleaner for Freshwater or FritzZyme® 460 Aquarium Cleaner for Saltwater are Mother Nature’s best tool for keeping your tank crystal clear and looking like new. Use 4 caps of FritzZyme® 360 Aquarium Cleaner for Freshwater or FritzZyme® 460 Aquarium Cleaner for Saltwater per 10 gallons once every 30 days. Retreat with FritzZyme® 7 or FritzZyme® 9 to ensure a balanced aquarium.

Even the best maintenance plan may not prevent cloudy water. Water may have a white haze to it or may become discolored. Either way, cloudy water is an awful problem. You may try water changes, gravel washes and cleaning the filter, but the water just gets worse. The truth is, it’s not your fault. The particles in the water column are alive and simply reproduce when diluted through water changes. In fact, changing filters and washing the gravel can actually cause the cloudiness to increase, but there is a way to completely eliminate this awful mess. Your pet store has the solution. Fritz Clarifier is the professional strength, safe cleaning tool that works in both fresh and saltwater. Unlike competitive clarifiers, it is 100% phosphate free and will not cause future blooms. It doesn’t contain harmful chemicals like other products either, so it’s safe with your fish, plants and corals. Fritz Clarifier will not imbalance water chemistry, and it works much faster than other clarifying agents. Add 1 teaspoon of Fritz Clarifier per 10 gallons of tank water.

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