With an aquarium, you can have all the convenience of pet-keeping without much trouble. These are some basic and simple steps to take in order to create a healthy living environment for your marine friends. Some of these measures you will need to carry out on an everyday basis, while other things can be done on a weekly or a biweekly basis. Fortunately, daily care consists of very simple things to do. You have to make it a point to keep observing your fish on a daily basis so that they always look happy and physically fit.
Properly monitor the lighting and filtering arrangements of your fish tank as they can malfunction. Feed the fish daily. Make it a point not to feed your fish anything that they cannot consume in 2-5 minutes. Residual food left after the fish consume what they want will add to the nitrite levels of the tank and will cause illnesses among the fish. Monitor the pH level of the water and note any changes if any. Be very particular about changing things if needed, promptly. You can get the right ph level for your particular type of fish from the pet store where you get your supplies from. They vary amongst fish species.
Maintaining filter hygiene is vital. The aquarium filters will collect all the wastes that the fish produce by way of excretion. The filters will eventually fill with debris and be unable to do their job unless they are cleaned. The filters have another important job to do apart from removing the waste materials from the tank – this is to cycle oxygen within the tank.
In case your filters get congested, the movement of gases in them will also slow down. This can cause a lowering in the amount of oxygen available in your tank. If left untreated, this could be deadly for your fish. Change the filter on the aquarium every two to three weeks depending on need. One indication that tells you that the filters need cleaning is when the water becomes murky or develops bad odor. The kind of filter you are using will decide whether you need to simply clean the filter with water or to replace it entirely.
Go slow when you are changing water in your aquarium. See carefully if you have removed the lights and other arrangements from the fish tank before starting to clean it. Each seven or fifteen days, remove a third of the water from your aquarium and put in fresh water in its place. You can add direct water from the tap if this temperature limitation is maintained. The retailer at the pet store will guide you on the proper kind of water to be used. For some kinds of tap water, a half hour treatment is enough, but for some kinds you may need to go in for an overnight treatment procedure.
Clean the sides of the tank with a scrubber to remove any built up algae. Be careful not to disturb or scare the fish. Move the rocks and other decorations of your tank slightly to allow the debris trapped in them to move out. When replacing the water, try to get this debris out using a small bucket or a vacuum siphon. Regularly pick out the decaying leaves of the plants in your tank. For cleaning the outer area of the fish tank, just sponging the area with a squeegee soaked in tap water will do. Do not forget to clean the cover of the tank, from the inside and the outside. Lastly, plug the aquarium back in, and enjoy the freshly cleaned tank.
