Sunday, September 21, 2014

Facts About Aquarium Maintenance Dayton

By Karina Frost


Problems that are expensive and time consuming can always be prevented through spending at least thirty minutes to maintain aquariums weekly. The stability of tanks remains the single most important consideration. There will be no need for any major changes as long as the fish are healthy and all equipment is running properly. This is the case even in instances when water hardness or pH is out of range. In consideration of aquarium maintenance Dayton residents need to carefully note the decrease or increase of major parameters. These should be attended to more immediately.

Water change forms a key part of maintenance. This is supposed to be performed every two weeks. In majority of the cases, 10 to 15 percent of the volume of the tank will be sufficient. One effective method is to replace the water extracted as one vacuums the gravel. This will get rid of foods that are uneaten and other residues that have settled on the substrate.

Parameters of replacement water need to be checked carefully. The element chlorine is mostly found in tap water. Such water also contains chloramines, and it thus tends to air out fast. Neutralization of chlorine in either case is achieved by using water conditioners. There however will still be ammonia in such water. Ammonia gets broken down by nitrifying bacteria that are always present within the tank.

There are other elements of municipal water, notably iron, phosphates and other heavy metals. The local water company should be consulted as concerns the composition of tap water. While well water is harder than tap water, it is chlorine free. Filtered water also needs checking because the filter membranes could be damaged or may need to be replaced before expiry.

It is impossible to see water chemistry with the naked eye and thus ought to be regularly checked. This is done whenever the water is getting changed. Salinity, nitrites and nitrates are the most important parameters to check out for. Salinity only applies in marine water. Stability is determined by the pH, with optimum levels being between 6.5 and 7.5. This value could however be changed for certain fish species.

The function of filters is very important. Change of filter inserts should be done every month. High fish loads will however require more frequent changes. Trapped particles decompose in filters as much as they do in the aquarium. Cleaning the filters once every month is recommended. The bio-wheels should not be touched during the cleaning. Instead, they get cleaned using water that is extracted from the tank during changing.

Daily maintenance includes among others ensuring that all equipment is running effectively and that fish are observed as they feed. Potential problems are indicated by any changes in behavior. Counting of the fish is done on a daily basis. Dead fish in the tank increase levels of nitrates.

Expiration dates of various kits are very important. This needs to be checked to ensure there is no use of expired kits. These will tend to give false readings.




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