An aquarium is a beautiful thing to put inside the house as it contains colorful fishes and vibrant water-dwelling plants. Aside from the different kinds of fishes, it can also be used to store turtles, marine mammals as well as amphibians. Every aquarium must have important components such as the heater and filtration system. For those who are planning to have one at home, it is quite helpful to know how to maintain aquarium fish tanks.
Materials Needed
Maintaining aquarium fish tanks is not that hard to do. In fact, you only need a number of materials and you can start right away with this simple task. These include a water conditioner, filter floss or aquarium brush and a water chemistry kit for testing. Aside from these items, you must also have a vacuum and a siphon hose.
Steps
The very first thing to remember when maintaining an aquarium is to replace the water little by little, preferably 10 to 15 percent of it every two weeks. If tap water is used for your fish tanks, it is necessary to use a water conditioner. This is commonly used to eliminate chlorine in the water. This is very important especially in creating a healthy and livable environment for your fishes.
The purpose of the siphon hose is to vacuum the gravel. This can actually remove debris from the gravel, which can be unhealthy for the fishes when left for a very long time. In addition, water chemistry is also very important when changing the water. Simply get the testing kit and use it to measure the levels of nitrate, nitrite and pH inside the fish tank. In case the nitrite or nitrate exceeds the normal levels, you can easily add the appropriate chemicals to make the aquarium a more conducive place to live in for the fishes.
High levels of nitrite and nitrate can be hazardous to the health of fishes, which can result from overcrowding. When maintaining a fish tank, it is also necessary to check the efficiency of heater, filter and other important equipment. It is also important to observe the fishes once in a while, especially their movements and behaviors. This can help differentiate the healthy fishes from the unhealthy ones.
When a fish dies, it must be removed from the tank right away to prevent the buildup of dangerous chemicals. Use the filter floss or aquarium brush to clean the walls. Every month, try to change the filter cartridge.
Additional Tips and Other Helpful Information
When changing the water inside the fish tank, it is not advisable to remove beyond 25 percent of the overall volume of water. The reason for this is that it prevents the development of healthy organisms. By following a regular schedule of cleaning the aquarium, you can be sure that the fishes are always healthy. Furthermore, it is not good to add tap water without using a water conditioner because it contains chlorine, which can actually kill the fishes.
