Thursday, September 24, 2015

Useful Tips On Aquarium Maintenance

By Della Monroe


Fish tank maintenance has to be done every once in a while. When one gets a fish tank, it is bound to start getting untidy after some time. One may also need to top off water that has evaporated over time. These are things that will need routine maintenance and a schedule will need to be developed for the best outcomes. When it comes to aquarium maintenance the tank does not have to be broken down every time you maintain it.

You will need to have the tank cleaned after every two weeks or so. It is even better to clean once every week so that not much effort is required for subsequent cleanups. Whenever water is changed, just about 20 percent of the water will need replacement. For the removal of algae, there is the use of an algae scrubber. The sides and front need to be scrubbed. For acrylic aquariums, you should be careful not to scrub the acrylic.

Before adding water to the tank, you need to add adequate amounts of chemicals which get rid of chlorine. You should also ensure that the water has the same temperature as that which was inside the tank. Should there be temperature swings, fish will be stressed. As a matter of fact, any water added to the tank needs to be of the same composition as that which was removed. Otherwise, fish will be negatively affected.

In the event that the water in the aquarium is salty, you will need to have the water ready some one day or so in prior. The reason for this is that freshly mixed salty water is toxic to fish because the salt will not have mixed properly. The water will need time so that all salt dissolves. The other important thing that should be checked is the concentration of salt. It should not be too concentrated.

The filter is a very important component when it comes to maintaining tanks. Depending on how bad the water is, the filters should be replaced once every three to four weeks. With regular change of filters, there will be less stress when it comes to maintenance practices. There is likelihood of development of rust near connections with filter or water inlets. This should be checked.

Algae growth needs close monitoring. Algae tends to thrive when there are many wastes within the tank. If they are in excess, there will be eutrophication which is a situation where they utilize too much oxygen in the tank. Fish will die because of suffocation. Oxygen is one of the important components that should be in the tank.

In order to control algae in the best way, there is a type of fish that consumes them that will need to be introduced into the tank. They are known as the sucker fish. Whereas they are not the best looking kinds of fish, they are cost effective and efficient when it comes to the control of algae. If this is not an option, the tank will need to be kept away from the sun so that algae growth is controlled.

Using air conditioners is vital when doing change of water. They will remove chlorine. That notwithstanding, there are impurities such as excess ammonia that are removed as well.




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