ANALYSIS OF AQUARIUM
WATER
Intro
The most critical feature of any
aquarium system is therefore the quality of
the water it contains. Water quality is
influenced by physical, chemical and
biological factors of the water. Physical
factors include dissolved oxygen,
temperature and ammonia levels; chemical
factors include pH, alkalinity and hardness;
biological factors include phosphate, nitrite
and nitrate levels. Each water quality factor
interacts with and influences other
parameters in complex ways. What may be
toxic in one situation may be harmless in
another (Sigh,2019).
The condition, productivity, and
sustainability of a water body can be
assessed by using physico-chemical
parameters to evaluate its quality. Whereas,
a well-known and useful application of
complexometric titrations like
ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) can
be used to identify aggregate water qualities
like hardness. (Yappert & DuPre’, 1997).
Further, Alkalinity and hardness are
related through common ions formed in
aquatic systems. The two are both dependent
upon the presence of common cations.
Specifically, the counter-ions associated
with the bicarbonate and carbonate fraction
of alkalinity are the principal cations
responsible for hardness (usually Ca++ and
Mg++). The carbonate fraction of hardness
(expressed as CaCO3 equivalents) is
chemically equivalent to the bicarbonates of
alkalinity present in water. (Burton Jr. and
Pitt, 2002). (Didi ka madagdag)
Apart from hardness and alkalinity,
physicochemical characteristics including
dissolved oxygen (DO), temperature, pH,
conductivity, salinity, and total dissolved
solids (TDS) were assessed for aquarium
water samples utilizing specified calibrated
standard instruments. (Nur et al., 2020)
The aim of the current study is to
evaluate and determine the characteristics of
aquarium water. This also offers analysis of
the procedures involved in identifying
relevant physico-chemical elements
influencing aquarium water.
Methodology
First, Have the water sample's color
and smell assessed. Proceed with the
determination of other parameters such as
the pH, DO, TDS, conductivity and salinity
of the sample using the appropriate
instrument (pH meter, DO meter, etc.).
Moreover, the total alkalinity of the
water samples was determined by preparing
a 0.1 M solution of hydrochloric acid by
diluting 2 mL of concentrated HCl to 200
mL with distilled water. Approximately
0.100 g of primary standard sodium
carbonate (Na2CO3), oven dried for one
hour at 110°C and cooled in a desiccator,
was added to an Erlenmeyer flask. Then,
approximately 50 mL distilled water was
added and swirled to dissolve the crystals
completely. For the analysis of samples, the
prepared hydrochloric acid (HCl) solution
was then titrated with 5-10 drops of methyl
red indicator. When the solution just begins
to change from yellow to near orange or red,
temporarily stop the titration. The solution
was heated to a boil for one minute before
cooling to room temperature. One has over
titrated if the solution is now red and hasn't
turned back to orange. The titrating process
must continue until an orange (near-red)
solution forms.
 A solution of calcium carbonate
(CaCO3) is prepared by weighing about
0.0400 g of CaCO3 (previously dried in an
oven at 110 C for one hour). Next, 10 mL of
distilled water was mixed with 5 drops of
concentrated hydrochloric acid (HCl). As
soon as the solution was properly dissolved,
another 10 mL of distilled water was then
added, rinsing the sides of the flask in the
process. The solution underwent 5 minutes
of boiling to eliminate carbon dioxide. The
cooled solution was then transferred
quantitatively to a 100 mL volumetric flask,
diluted with distilled water until it reached
the mark on the flask, thoroughly mixed.
Or (mamili ka sa duwang version)
A 100 mL volumetric flask is used in
the preparation of a 10% (kung may
percent/kung wala tanggala nalang) calcium
carbonate solution by the addition of
approximately 0.0400 g of calcium
carbonate, previously dried in an oven at
110 C for one hour, to 10 mL of distilled
water. Five drops of concentrated
hydrochloric acid are added to the solution,
which causes the carbon dioxide to
precipitate out of solution due to the effects
of homogeneous catalysis that occur
between the two components. As soon as the
solution was properly dissolved, another 10
mL of distilled water was then added,
rinsing the sides of the flask in the process.
The resulting solution is boiled for 5 minutes
to eliminate any remaining carbon dioxide.
Dilution with 90 mL of distilled water from
a graduated cylinder produces a 10%
CaCO3 solution, whose volume can be
transferred to a 100 mL volumetric flask
after cooling. (an mga value idisregard mo
nalang)
Additionally, the preparation of the
EDTA Solution is the first step in the water
hardness test. In preparing the EDTA
solution, approximately 1g of Na2H2Y.2H2O
(EDTA) had been dissolved in 50 mL of
distilled water. In a beaker, 1 pellet of
NaOH and pinch of MgCl2.6H2O were then
added then mixed thoroughly after it has
been diluted to a 250 mL solution.
Continuing with the standardization of the
solution; the calcium carbonate solution was
pipetted out in a 20 ml aliquot into an
Erlenmeyer flask. From this, the color would
change to wine red when 2 mL of the
ammonia buffer solution and a few drops of
the Eriochrome Black-T indicator were
added. This solution was titrated against
EDTA solution, which was added to the
burette, up until the point at which the color
transitioned from wine red to clear blue. The
burette's final reading was recorded, and the
titration was repeated to obtain a concordant
value.
Using a pipet, a 50 mL aliquot of the
water sample was then transferred to an
Erlenmeyer flask with 10 mL of the
ammonia buffer and 5 drops of EBT.
Titrated EDTA solutions will produce the
first appearance of a blue color. The wine-
red color then turns slowly to purple and
finally to blue.
References:
Yappert, M. C., & DuPre, D. B. (1997).
Complexometric titrations:
Competition of complexing agents in
the determination of water hardness
with EDTA. Journal of Chemical
Education, 74(12), 1422.
https://doi.org/10.1021/ed074p1422
Singh, R. (2019, December 22). Chemical &
physical factors influencing water
quality in fish cultureRaje. Pashudhan
Prahree. Retrieved January 21, 2023,
from
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hemical-physical-factors-influencing-
water-quality-in-fish-culture/?
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