Maintaining an aquarium is an important part of the duty of people that own them. Whereas it is not such a tough task, one may have a few problems in the initial stages. Some of the steps included for the maintenance include primary preparation, taking the fish out and washing the tank. The fish will then be put back safely into the water. Aquarium maintenance is done while considering various factors.
The tank stability should be the most important consideration at any given time. All aspects should be running properly and the fish safe. As long as this is the case, no major changes will be needed even in a case whereby pH and hardness get out of range. When conducting maintenance of the tank, only the major changes will need to be considered. These are the ones that will negatively affect fish and should thus be attended to immediately.
Changing tank water is one of the main practices. It is done after every two weeks or so. During this process, it is not a must that all the water in the aquarium be changed. A change of ten to fifteen percent of the water will suffice. This is done by extraction of the water as you vacuum the gravel. This eliminates food substances that are not eaten and also gets rid of residues which settled on the substrate.
When doing the maintenance, it will be important to check the parameters of not only the water in the tank but also replacement water. In the case where tap water is used, it should be checked for chlorine because such water tends to have high amounts of chlorine. Water that contains chlorine loses air really fast and will risk the lives of fish. This element is neutralized by the use of water conditioners. Nitrifying bacteria are use for the breakdown of ammonia in water.
Water from the municipality will also be likely to have elements such as phosphates, iron and heavy metals. The composition of such water can be known by consulting the local water company. In so doing, you will know the kind of water the fish are being exposed to. Well water is another option that can be used. Such water has no chlorine but tends to be harder.
It is not possible to see water chemistry. Therefore, it is advisable to check the tank chemistry regularly as the water is getting changed. The most vital parameters are nitrites, nitrates, salinity and pH. The pH should be in the range of 6.5-7.5 for the majority of species. This can be adjusted if out of range.
Functioning of the filter is an important consideration as well. The inserts of the filter are supposed to get changed every four weeks. If the fish load is higher, the change is done after a shorter while. Particles that are trapped within the filter will decompose and thus affect its functioning.
Daily maintenance includes ensuring that all equipment is running well. In addition, the fish should be observed during feeding. Any changes in the behavior should be an indication of potential problems. Counting of the fish needs to be done every week. In the event of deaths, the smaller fish will tend to decompose faster. This introduces ammonia into the tank.
The tank stability should be the most important consideration at any given time. All aspects should be running properly and the fish safe. As long as this is the case, no major changes will be needed even in a case whereby pH and hardness get out of range. When conducting maintenance of the tank, only the major changes will need to be considered. These are the ones that will negatively affect fish and should thus be attended to immediately.
Changing tank water is one of the main practices. It is done after every two weeks or so. During this process, it is not a must that all the water in the aquarium be changed. A change of ten to fifteen percent of the water will suffice. This is done by extraction of the water as you vacuum the gravel. This eliminates food substances that are not eaten and also gets rid of residues which settled on the substrate.
When doing the maintenance, it will be important to check the parameters of not only the water in the tank but also replacement water. In the case where tap water is used, it should be checked for chlorine because such water tends to have high amounts of chlorine. Water that contains chlorine loses air really fast and will risk the lives of fish. This element is neutralized by the use of water conditioners. Nitrifying bacteria are use for the breakdown of ammonia in water.
Water from the municipality will also be likely to have elements such as phosphates, iron and heavy metals. The composition of such water can be known by consulting the local water company. In so doing, you will know the kind of water the fish are being exposed to. Well water is another option that can be used. Such water has no chlorine but tends to be harder.
It is not possible to see water chemistry. Therefore, it is advisable to check the tank chemistry regularly as the water is getting changed. The most vital parameters are nitrites, nitrates, salinity and pH. The pH should be in the range of 6.5-7.5 for the majority of species. This can be adjusted if out of range.
Functioning of the filter is an important consideration as well. The inserts of the filter are supposed to get changed every four weeks. If the fish load is higher, the change is done after a shorter while. Particles that are trapped within the filter will decompose and thus affect its functioning.
Daily maintenance includes ensuring that all equipment is running well. In addition, the fish should be observed during feeding. Any changes in the behavior should be an indication of potential problems. Counting of the fish needs to be done every week. In the event of deaths, the smaller fish will tend to decompose faster. This introduces ammonia into the tank.
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