Monday, August 8, 2016

Procedures For Conducting Aquarium Maintenance

By James Sullivan


Good maintenance practices on aquariums result to sustainable and healthy aquatic surroundings. In addition, expensive and time consuming issues that normally result from faulty fish tanks can be solved by regular maintenance. Most aquarium owners underestimate the importance of aquarium maintenance on aquatic lives. On average, it will take you less than one hour to conduct this practice. Undertake the following procedures when cleaning your fish tank.

The first step is to replace the water after two consecutive weeks because fish rely on water for inhalation and nutrition. As a resident of Cincinnati OH city, when replacing the water, remove uneaten food particles in the fish tank. These food particles may decompose and increase the acidity level of water when left within an aquatic tank. When adding tap water as replacement water, use a conditioner to neutralize its acidity. Tap water comprises of chlorine that may increase acidity in the aquatic tank.

Replace a quarter of the fish tank water with fresh one to avoid eliminating nitrogen fixing bacteria. The nitrogen fixing bacteria facilitates the decomposition of wastes within fish tanks. When all the water is removed, these bacteria are also eliminated hence altering the decomposition of wastes. Furthermore, ammonia levels rise rapidly when water lacks nitrifying bacteria. Ammonia compound inhibits the respiration of fish since it clogs on fish gills.

Test the water in the aquatic tank on a regular basis for acidity. You can test the acidity levels when replacing the water. The water acidity levels should be not less than or more than seven when measured using an acidity test indicator. If this level is exceeded, you can use base elements such as baking soda to lower the acidity.

Use a filter when to remove dirt and other unwanted particles from the tank water. The filter should have inserts made of carbon and floss. These inserts must be replaced after every four weeks. This is because particles filtered from water tend to decompose the inserts. The filter must also be cleaned on a monthly basis.

Maintenance practices can be undertaken in different timeframes. For example, it is advisable to check whether the aquatic vessel is operating well every day. As an aquarium owner, observing the fish as they feed daily can help you to assess their health. Aquatic supplies have expiry dates that should be reviewed every month. As an inhabitant of Cincinnati OH, adopting these practices will increase the population of your fish.

Remove the artificial plants and decorations found within the fish tank when cleaning. In addition, use algae sponges when cleaning the surfaces of the container. The artificial plants and decorations ought to be cleaned with plenty of water on a sink every week. They also ought to be replaced on a monthly basis.

Check the temperature levels of water using a thermometer every week. This practice determines whether the temperatures are high or low than they are required. The thermometer readings must be constant every time you measure the temperature because aquatic animals are susceptible to diseases when water temperatures change.




About the Author:



No comments: