Aquarium Maintenance: Top Five List

Aquarium maintenance can seem daunting to someone who is new to the fish keeping world

. However, it's not as tricky as it may initially seem, and once you're settled into a regular routine you'll start to wander what all the fuss is about. This article discusses the five most important things to carry out within an aquarium maintenance schedule.

Water Tests

Nine times out of ten, it is extremely unlikely that you will be able to visibly see any problems with your water chemistry. This is why it's so important to test your water regularly. Water testing kits can be purchased from any aquarium store, and the three main things you need to check are; Nitrites, Nitrates and Ammonia. These are chemicals produced by fish waste and can be harmful if left to get out of hand. Once you have your results, you can then act accordingly without having to rely on guess work.

Water Changes

A water change of around 25% should be carried out on every one to two weeks depending on your tank. Generally speaking, smaller aquariums will need more attention as it's harder for smaller volumes of water to develop a natural cycle. When doing your regular water changes, never change more than 25%. You don't want to remove the natural life in your fish tank, you just need to keep it under control by adding in some fresh water. Always de-chlorinate your water when taken from the tap as chlorine is very harmful to fish. Chlorine is harmful to fish so it's important it is removed from any water going into your aquarium.

Filter Clean

The filter in your fish tank is crucial to ensuring that the water remains healthy for your fish. Having a certain amount of bacteria in your water is vital to creating a natural cycle, however this does need to be control and that is where your filter plays it's role. As part of your maintenance routine, you should regularly check the sponge in the filter to ensure that it is not getting clogged up. If you can see a large build up of muck, wash it using water from the tank. Always ensure that you leave some of the muck on the sponge as this will help maintain a healthy water balance.

Plant Life

Having a good range of plant life in your aquarium will really help ensure your fish have a natural environment with which to live in. Plant's produce helpful chemicals that will help keep you fish alive, however as with everything else the plant life in your tank must be maintained. Look for decaying plants and dead leaves and if you spot any, remove them from your tank. Dead plants will just rot in the water and this can produce harmful chemicals for your fish.

General Cleaning

If you have spent a good amount of money and time on your aquarium, it is probably the case that you will want to keep it clean and looking good. There are a few things you can do to help maintain a great looking aquarium. The most common problem in this area is algae. If you have your tank positioned in direct sunlight, the problem can be huge. Try to keep your tank out of the direct sunlight, and also try introducing some algae eating fish. Regular glass scraping is a really good idea as this will help stamp out the problem before it gets out of hand.

by: Kirsten Hendrich

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