Owning an aquarium can be rewarding and educational as there are so many fish to watch and learn about; there’s an element of design for the watery decorations and a bit of scientific exploration regarding water acidity and alkalinity. Though an aquarium can be beautiful and relaxing, keeping an aquarium clean and well-maintained can be just as daunting as managing a household. Once your aquarium is set up and running, the most important thing after is to keep your fish’s domain as clean and healthy as possible.
Before diving into the many aspects of successful aquarium maintenance, you may want to consider a few of the basic guidelines first. From there, you can research other methods and equipment for the maximum care of your tank.
Here are some important things that you should take care of as a beginner.
Fish Food
One great way to maintain your aquarium while keeping your fish healthy is to not overfeed your fish. This may sound strange, but fish food can cause a number of pollutants to your tank.
You don’t have to worry about starving your fish. As long as you feed your fish according to their type, one feeding a day is just fine. To ensure that your fish is getting the right amount of food at the right time, you can even invest in an automatic fish feeder from reliable brands, such as Fish Lab. Just be careful as to what kind of fish you own. Most fish will have their needs met through a good flake.
However, if you have any bottom-feeders, you may want to purchase some sinking pellet food. Scavenger fish, like catfish, won’t necessarily get their daily intake from floating flakes. If your fish are the algae-eating kind, you will need to add algae wafers to their diets as well.
As a rule of thumb, you don’t need to feed the fish any more than they can eat in a couple of minutes. Excess feeding will only lead to dirty tanks and dead fish. It can also spike the chemical compounds in your tank’s water, increasing growth in algae.
Water
For your fish to live, the water in your aquarium must be properly balanced. This means that it must have the proper alkaline or acid level for the livelihood of anything that lives in it. When dealing with the water’s condition, you must first cycle the tank.
Cycling the tank means to prepare the water in the tank to meet the conditions of your chosen fish. This needs to be done before any fish can be added. Also, by cycling the tank, you allow healthy micro-organisms to grow within the aquarium so they can eliminate any unhealthy waste that might be present. For the water to be secure for its inhabitants, cycling the tank can take up to a week.
The pH level of your aquarium is important, too. You can test the water by buying aquarium water tests that evaluate certain levels of nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia. These tests are easy to use and are clear with their results. If you test the water on a weekly basis, one kit can actually last for a while.
Though these chemical elements happen naturally in your tank, it’s best that they don’t accumulate too much as it’ll become unhealthy. By testing the water on a regular basis, you can ensure that your aquarium is fit for your fishes or any other aquatic life.
Water Changes
To keep your fish healthy and your aquarium clean, you may have to regularly change the water. Depending on the kind and number of fish you own and the size of the tank you have, the water may get dirty quite quickly.
When the parameters of your water are inconsistent or problematic, you can purchase products to keep the chemicals leveled. However, clean water is a much better alternative for your fish than a chemically-induced atmosphere.
By changing the water frequently, you can dilute the chemicals in your tank, giving your aquatic residents a fresh place to dwell. To keep your water factors under control, it only takes a third of the water in your aquarium to be removed and replaced. By not changing the water, you risk polluting the water with waste and other buildups, which is extremely unhealthy for your fish.
When changing the water, it’s also a good time to vacuum the gravel at the bottom of your aquarium. This will help get rid of any debris that accumulates. With the use of siphons and special vacuums, you can easily finish these tasks within a few minutes.
Conclusion
Aquariums allow you to watch different fish swim around. Their beauty and elegance can be quite soothing and relaxing. Keeping your fish healthy, however, can be a little more difficult to achieve.
There’s a certain amount of maintenance that needs to be kept for an aquarium to provide a good home for your aquatic pets. By following a regime of healthy tasks, you can keep your aquarium at its best.