Xiaomi smart gadget owners often face the desire to expand the ecosystem beyond electronics by adding a living corner to the house. Aquafarm is not just an aquarium, but a complex closed-loop system where plants purify water for fish, creating the perfect balance. However, in order for this biosystem to function for years, it requires regular and competent maintenance, different from the care of a regular aquarium.
Many users make the mistake of relying solely on automation and forgetting the basic needs of living organisms. Biological balance is fragile, and even in a smart environment, it can be disrupted by improper feeding or sparse filter cleaning. In this article, we will look at all the nuances of content, from tuning the pump to choosing the perfect neighbors for your aquatic pets.
Timely prevention of problems will help prevent water blooms and plant death. You will learn how to use the Mijia app correctly to control parameters and why mechanical cleaning is still necessary despite the presence of smart filters. Let's dive into the world of hydroponics and aquaristics from the Chinese giant.
⚠️ Warning: Before the first run, be sure to rinse all the structural elements with warm water without using chemical detergents to remove production dust and plastic residues.
Initial preparation and start-up of the system
Starting operation is a critical step in the health of future inhabitants, first, you need to assemble the structure according to the instructions, paying special attention to the tightness of the pipe joints and installing the pump, improper installation can lead to leakage or insufficient circulation of water, which is detrimental to the roots of plants.
Once assembled, the filling phase begins: use a settled tap water or special bottled water for aquariums; the water temperature must be in the room so as not to cause thermal shock to plants or fish when they are started; chlorinated tap water must be settled for at least 24 hours, since chlorine destroys the beneficial bacteria necessary for biofiltration.
At this stage, it is important to properly install the hydroponic module with ceramsite or other substrate. The roots of the plants should hang freely in the water, but not be completely immersed in the substrate so that rotting does not begin. Make sure that the water level reaches the desired mark indicated on the housing or in the instructions for a particular model.
☑️ Aquafarm launch
Only after the system has been idle for a few hours and the water is clear, you can think about settling, which is the time it takes to stabilize the temperature and check for hidden defects in the equipment, and if you notice pump noise or vibration, you better eliminate them before the animals come.
Set up through the Mi Home app
Smart management is a key feature of Xiaomi devices. For full control, download the Mi Home or Aqara Home app (depending on the model) and add the device to the device. QR-Through the interface, you can control lighting modes, feeder timers (if the model is equipped with automatic) and monitoring the pump.
In lighting settings, it is important to choose the right spectrum and duration of daylight hours. For most aquatic plants and fish, 8-10 hours of light per day is considered optimal. Excess light will provoke rapid growth of algae on the walls, and a lack of light will slow down the photosynthesis of useful plants in the upper tier.
What to do if the device is not connected?
Auto feeding requires precise calibration, you can adjust the number of servings and intervals in the app, you don't have to rely on the machine, especially in the first weeks, to monitor whether the food is eaten completely, the residues of the feed quickly decompose and spoil (water quality).
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Place the aqua farm away from direct sunlight and drafts. The sun will cause water to bloom, and the draft can cause tropical fish to become supercooled, even if the room is warm.
Daily and weekly care
Regularity is key to success in maintaining aqua farms. Daily procedures take no more than 5 minutes, but they cannot be ignored. First of all, it is a visual examination of the condition of fish and plants. Apathy, color change or crops can signal problems.
Once a week, you need to do a partial water change, change about 20-30% of the volume of the liquid to reduce the concentration of nitrates that are not processed by plants, use a siphon to carefully remove dirt from the bottom without damaging the roots.
- 🐟 Check the fish’s activity and appetite during feeding.
- 🌿 Remove yellowed leaves from plants so they don’t rot in water.
- 💧 Add the evaporated water to the desired level, using only the settled liquid.
- 🧹 Wipe the outer walls and cover from dust and lime plaque with a soft cloth.
Pay special attention to feeding. You can't overfeed the aquafarm, and the excess feed settles at the bottom and starts to rot, releasing ammonia, and it's better to underfeed than overfeed, because fish can starve for days without harm, and water poisoning kills quickly.
⚠️ Warning: Never use household chemicals, soap or alcohol to clean glass or aqua farm elements; the residues of these substances are deadly to fish and can destroy the entire biosystem.
Filtration and pump maintenance
The heart of your aqua farm is the pump, which circulates water, delivers nutrients to plant roots and oxygenates water, and over time, biological plaque can accumulate on the blades and inside the pump casing, which reduces productivity.
Once a month, it is recommended to dismantle the pump and wash its elements. Ceramic rings or sponges (if any in your model) should be rinsed carefully in the water drained from the aquarium to preserve colonies of beneficial bacteria.
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Regular cleaning of the pump prolongs its service life and ensures silent operation, preventing the engine from overheating due to pollution.
Check the tubes and ducts, they should not be jammed or overgrown with algae, and if you notice a decrease in water pressure or air bubbles in the stream, check the tightness of the connections and the water level.
Selection of plants and inhabitants
Not all plants are suitable for the top of an aqua farm. Ideal candidates are those with a powerful root system that loves moisture, which include mint, basil, chlorophytum, spatiphyllum, and some ferns, which are efficient filters of water and grow quickly.
For the water part, choose unpretentious fish. Guppies, neons, zebrafish and small catfish (coridoras) do well in such conditions. Avoid large and aggressive species such as goldfish or cichlids, as they require large volumes of water and produce a lot of waste.
| Type of inhabitant | Recommended type | Features of care |
|---|---|---|
| Fish | Guppy, Neone. | Peaceful, small, require little space |
| Invertebrate | Cherry shrimp | Great cleaners, sensitive to chemistry |
| Plants (top) | Mint, Basilica | Rapid growth, active consumption of nitrates |
| Plants (bottom) | Anubias, Javanese moss | Unpretentious, do not require soil |
When you're in the shrimp, be especially careful about plant fertilizers if you decide to add them. Many copper-containing products are toxic to invertebrates. In a closed aqua farm system, it's best to give up chemistry altogether, relying on natural balance.
Addressing common problems
Even with perfect care, water turbidity often indicates a bacterial outbreak caused by overfeeding or launching new fish, in which case you should temporarily stop feeding, increase aeration and replace some of the water.
If the plants in the upper tier turn yellow, they may lack iron or light. Check the lighting timers and make sure the lamps do not lose their brightness over time. Sometimes it is enough to thin the roots to improve oxygen access to them.
Pump noise can be caused by a foreign object or a traffic jam, shake the pump carefully in the water, or check the intake for debris, and regular prevention will save you most of the problems.