PURPOSE AND BENEFITS

NovAqua+ is the new generation of NovAqua, it is the latest stage of technological development in water conditioners for aquariums. NovAqua+ is the most effective of the tap water conditioners for benefiting aquatic life, but it goes far beyond that. NovAqua+ provides, in a single product, everything necessary to handle all of the needs when treating tap water for aquatic life (except nitrogen compound removal). For the removal of toxic nitrogen compounds ­ ammonia/ammonium, nitrites, nitrates use Kordon's AmQuel+. NovAqua+ is recommended to be used with AmQuel+, with which it is fully compatible.

The advantages of using NovAqua+:
1. NovAqua+ provides multiple protective colloid coatings on the fish's body to replace or reinforce the natural slime coating that is essential to counteract injury, infection, and adverse environmental exposure. These organic polymers effectively shield wounds on fish, prevent the loss of internal fluids and electrolytes, and protect fish from external toxins and pathogens.
The skin of fishes and many aquatic invertebrates is naturally fragile. It is covered by a protective slime coating that helps keep harmful bacteria and viruses away and aids the animals in their swimming ability by reducing surface friction. Any lessening of the slime coating, such as by abrasion and wounds can allow harmful pathogens to enter the skin. Fishes and invertebrates can sense when their slime coating is lessened or missing, and this can be very stressful to them. Fish being introduced to aquariums or ponds, or being transported, are particularly prone to losing natural slime and needing NovAqua+.

2. NovAqua+ neutralizes chlorine and the full effect of chloramines
Chloramines in municipal water supplies are a very serious problem for aquarists and pond keepers. Chloramines are a combination of chlorine and ammonia that together make a chemical compound that is much more stable and highly toxic to viruses and bacteria than either is alone. Chloramines are also very toxic to fishes and aquatic invertebrates.
Over 50% of all municipalities in the U.S. now have chloramines added to the water supply. The American Water Works Association now strongly recommends that all municipal water suppliers add chloramines to their water supply, because of increasing amounts of pathogens in water sources due to water pollution. Chloramines are are lethal to all water-breathing aquatic animals. It is becoming essential that aquarists and pond keepers use a chloramine remover in all water that they take from the tap for their fishes and aquatic invertebrates.
NovAqua+ neutralizes up to 3.75 ppm of chlorine (free and combined as chloramines), twice the amount that regular NovAqua removes. What NovAqua+ does not do is take out the ammonia that comes in the chloramines. This should be done by using Kordon's AmQuel+ (or original AmQuel) with NovAqua+.

EPA Guidelines set a maximum allowed level of chlorine of 4 ppm in public water supplies. Most water suppliers target 2-3 ppm chlorine. Note that 4 ppm of chlorine is actually 5.8 ppm chloramine. (The chlorine is 69% of the chloramine molecule, ammonia is the other 31%). So, with a possible 5.8 ppm chloramine, there is 4 ppm chlorine, and 1.8 ppm ammonia. At the extreme 4 ppm level of chlorine in chloramine, a 1.5 standard dose of NovAqua+ is recommended. Check with your local public water utility for the level of chlorine that they are adding to tap water.

3. NovAqua+ buffers tap water
When tap water is used, it comes out of the tap greatly reduced in oxygen. When tap water that is low or devoid of oxygen comes in contact with the air its pH fluctuates rapidly while it is picking up oxygen and carbon dioxide. If tap water is added directly to the aquarium in which fishes and aquatic invertebrates are living, the fluctuations in pH can be very stressful, and may be lethal. NovAqua+ contains a high capacity buffering system that stops pH fluctuations in the water, stabilizes acidity/alkalinity to avoid pH shock, and allows fish to adapt safely to new environments.

4. NovAqua+ detoxifies heavy metals that can be toxic to many aquatic organisms. Toxic metal ions in water can come from various sources, including home and commercial plumbing, medications, decorations and metal objects placed in the aquarium or pond, etc. It is essential to detoxify heavy metals in the water supply for the fish to survive. The detoxifying capability of NovAqua+ precipitates the metal ions into harmless compounds, rather than chelating them. NovAqua+ forms a unique insoluble, polymeric salt with heavy metals that is stable under conditions of both high and low pH. This is a notable advantage over other products that rely strictly upon the chelation process. Such chelates are unstable, pH dependent, and can exchange their "bound" metal ion for another, releasing toxic ions into the water. NovAqua+ capable of precipitating up to 1.17 ppm free copper ions (Cu++) from solution. When copper medications are used, the copper ions can combine with glass, plastic, rock, gravel, and other objects and remain indefinitely in this state, variations in pH (acidity/alkalinity) may cause the copper to come back into solution and be toxic to fishes and invertebrates. NovAqua+ permanently detoxifies copper and can be used to eliminate copper ion medications after their use as a treatment is completed.

5. NovAqua+ increases available electrolytes. Certain kinds and levels of electrolytes are necessary in the water for fishes and aquatic invertebrates to breathe through their gills. NovAqua+ contains these elements (cations and anions) in the amounts that fishes and aquatic invertebrates require.

Marine fishes and invertebrates obtain their required ions by "drinking seawater". However, freshwater fishes and invertebrates do not have this capability. Freshwater fishes selectively remove required ions from water via the gills. The need for certain ions is increased during times of stress. NovAqua+ provides the electrolytes needed during periods of damage and shock in freshwater fishes. Also, NovAqua+ allows the use of bottled drinking water for aquarium use, that otherwise would be too deficient in ionic mineral content for the fishes and aquatic invertebrates to survive satisfactorily. NovAqua+ should be used when using RO (Reverse Osmosis) water, because efficient RO systems take out too much of the mineral/electrolyte content of the water for fish and invertebrates to remain healthy.
NovAqua+ should be used when using well water or other natural water source, because they can vary greatly in quality, which is brought into proper balance for fishes and invertebrates by NovAqua+.

6. NovAqua+ provides beneficial organic herbals and vitamins
A unique new function of NovAqua+ is in its use of herbals and vitamins.
More and more is becoming known in scientific aquaculture about the value of specific soluble herbals and vitamins for improving the health and immunity of fishes and invertebrates. Kordon is now applying this knowledge in aquarium and pond keeping. NovAqua+ contains herbals and vitamins that are soluble in water and absorbed by fishes and invertebrates; these have been recently accepted to be effective for their health and immunity. For examples, the vitamins used in NovAqua+ are capable of boosting disease-resisting immune functions, healing open wounds and sores, slowing the spread of infection, and promoting cellular regeneration such as in the formation of blood cells, etc. Echinacea is in NovAqua+ for improving phagocytosis and as immune stimulators to help the fishes and invertebrates rid themselves of microbial infections ­ both viral and bacteria, as well as tumors.

7. NovAqua+ enhances biofiltration in new aquariums and ponds
It does this by coating the filter media with a slime coat that aids nitrifying bacteria in forming colonies, and in being more effective in carrying out biological filtration.

8. NovAqua+ reduces toxicity of nitrite. NovAqua+'s special chlorides help reduce the toxic effects of nitrite in the water by blocking the uptake of nitrite by the animal. For extensive removal of toxic nitrites in the water, use Kordon's AmQuel+.

9. NovAqua+ removes iodine.
When using iodine as a treatment, its effect can be reduced or eliminated by using NovAqua+.

10. NovAqua+ works with all filters, aerators, and protein skimmers
There is no interference between NovAqua+ and all types of filters, protein skimmers, and aerators.