subject: Fish tank maintenance and cleaning [print this page] Fish tank maintenance and cleaning Fish tank maintenance and cleaning
In this article you will find a discussion regarding a very crucial aspect of fish keeping- maintenance and cleaning. Every fish keeper wants a clean aquarium filled with beautiful and healthy fish. The schedule for cleaning fish tank primarily depends:
* Tank Placement This is very important. Where you have placed your aquarium is crucial when it comes to cleaning and maintaining it. If you have placed it in a place where it is hard to go and clean it, then it is possible that it will not be cleaned regularly. As a result the fish will suffer. So make sure that you place your tank in such a location which has enough space around it for comfortable cleaning.
* Tank Size Do you know that a bigger tank needs less maintenance compared to a smaller tank? Sounds interesting, right? But it is true. This is because large tanks have increased water volume. This means that fish waste as well as other chemicals can spread up in a larger area. So the water remains in a good condition for longer period.
* Filtration System A good filtration system is essential for health and beautiful aquarium. It helps in keeping the water clean. A lot of people use biological filtration which helps in the growth of good bacteria. There are also mechanical filters which come with a box and needs to be placed inside the tank.
* Feeding - a very common mistake made by large number of fish keepers is that they over-feed their fish. If there is excess and left over food it will rot and will lead to water pollution.
* Number of Fish The well-known rule of fish keeping is that for every gallon of water, you can have a single one-inch fish with slim-body. If your tank is over-crowded, it will mean more fish waste and other chemicals. Naturally your water will be polluted.
So in order to maintain your fish tank and to prevent it from becoming unhealthy, you must not overcrowd it, must not over-feed your fish, maintain a dependable filtration system, and place the tank in an accessible location.
The best way to ensure a healthy aquarium is to do the following things on a regular basis: The easiest way to stay on track is to follow the simply guideline below:
Daily
* Feeding just like any other pet your fish also require food daily. Feed them regularly but abstain from overfeeding them as well.
* Water Temperature You must check the tank water temperature, daily while remembering that water temperatures will definitely fluctuate during the day. So it is better to test the water each morning and evening.
* Equipment Check Check your tank equipments daily. Make sure that the air pump and light are working properly.
* Fish Behavior Check Monitor the behavior of your fish for a few minutes daily. This will help you to detect any problem with them like disease. If, they are swimming naturally then there is nothing to worry.
* Water Check See if the tank water is cloudy or have any foul odor. If you notice anything like that you must change the water and also find out the reason.
Weekly
* Plants In case you have live plants in your aquarium, you will need to remove any dead leaves that it may have.
* Algae You must monitor and remove if needed the algae gathered in the tank once a week. You can use an algae magnet or scraper for this.
* Water Change You will have to change 25-30 per cent of tank water every week with the help of a siphon hose. Remove large debris from the surface and then with a bucket nearby, siphon
