Aquarium Care

Lighting is always a requirement for aquariums. Not only does it highlight the fish and the dcor but it also serves the ecosystem in the tank, particularly if you have decided to add fresh plants to your tank.

When buying an aquarium, getting a full tank setup means getting all the necessary equipment, and that includes the lighting. However, if you prefer to have a more customized setup, purchase separate lighting instead. The light you have to get will depend on the size of the tank and your selection of fish and plants.

The power of the aquarium lighting should be around 2 to 3 watts for every gallon of water in the tank. Keep in mind, however, that the lighting requirements for the aquarium with live plants would be more than that of the same aquarium with artificial plants. Be careful though, because more light is not always good for all fish. Some fish thrive in a brightly lit habitat, while some are bothered by too much light and end up being stressed. Furthermore, an environment with too much light causes algae to grow much faster.

For your lighting needs, you can choose between using fluorescent or incandescent bulbs. Incandescent bulbs are inexpensive, and therefore good for smaller aquariums, but their yellowish glow is not quite the same as natural light. They also generate heat so it would be a good idea to keep a thermometer handy, and monitor the water temperature regularly.

If you have live plants, you’ll need an aquarium fluorescent light. Available in the form of tubes or compact fluorescent bulbs, their light is much brighter and does not give off any heat. The fluorescent light can be used by your live plants. If your tank is very heavily planted, you may need more than 3 watts per gallon. A compact fluorescent bulb will fit into any fixture designed for incandescent bulbs, while fluorescent light tubes need to be purchased at the correct length for your aquarium hood.

Although ordinary household fluorescent lights can be used, full spectrum fluorescent light is best, especially for bright-colored fish and plants. Full spectrum lights are composed of all the important wavelengths of light with each part of the light spectrum having different effects on the aquarium. The bright colors of tropical fish are brought out by the purple end of the spectrum while the blue parts promote the growth of algae. Aquatic plants generally will thrive on the orange to red parts of the spectrum.

Although a lot of fish are nocturnal, it is still important for the main aquarium light to be turned off at night to imitate the natural order they are used to. The use of submersible LED lights will allow you to watch your fish when the main aquarium lights are off. You can use different colors to highlight the dcor or the fish. To watch the fish without disturbing their daily routines, use small red or blue LED lights.

Replacing your aquarium light bulbs is an inevitable part of aquarium maintenance. Regardless of whether the light is still working, replace the bulb every year, because they grow dimmer over time.

The well-being of the fish and plants as well as the appearance of your aquarium depend on how well you have chosen your lighting. It is therefore important to make the selection with great care.

Leonard Boyler has been keeping fish for more than 20 years. His favorite products make aquarium care and maintenance so easy from start up to clarifying cloudy aquariums. To find out more about how to have clear water and healthy fish please visit ONEdersave.com.

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Aquarium cleaning is a monthly task that must be done weather or not you want to do it. If you do it right the process can be very easy or difficult. The size of your tank can depend on how long it takes to clean. If you have a very big tank, and the tank is established then you may not want to vacuum out all of the debris it is good for the fishes growth and development. If you have a smaller tank the tank will take longer to be established and you may want to vacuum out all the debris.

When cleaning a tank, changing the filters is the first step. If you have a bio filter, or power filter changing the filters is a breeze. A under gravel filter is another story. You must remove all the plants, decor and accessories. Then you must pull it out from under the gravel to clean.

Once the filters are cleaned, replace them with new ones. If you have an underground filter do not replace it back in the tank yet. If you have an established tank then leave the plants and decor, even if they have algae on them. If you do not have an established tank or smaller tank (ten gallon or smaller) then wash off all the plants and decor. If you have real plants do not wash them.

After the accessories, decor and plants have been washed do not place them back in the tank yet. The next step is to siphon the tank. Siphon no more than one third of the water out of the tank. Siphoning the tank is just like vacuuming the tanks. Be careful not to vacuum up any small fish. If there is still debris at the bottom of the tank fill it with water and re siphon until all debris is gone. If you have an established tank then only siphon out some of the debris and leave a little in the gravel.

When replacing the water only use soft water so the fish do not die of shock. Soft water is water without minerals. Tap water or filtered water is considered soft water. After the water has been replaced remember to not fill the tank too high because, the plants, decor and filters have to still be added.

Replace the under gravel filter if you have one. Also consider in investing a power filter, this will make your life a lot easier. Then replace the plants and decor. You’re all done, and now your tank is clean. Remember that cleaning a tank can be traumatizing for the fish, so they might be timid for a while after the clean.

Roshan Goodman gives cool info on fish tank and advice on aquarium related things.

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Keeping the aquarium clean will ensure you some health fish. This means less time to treat them and more time to enjoy them. Taking care of the fish in the aquarium is not an easy task but if you get the hang of it, everything will go really easy. So use the proper equipment to clean the tank and use it well. There are a few tips and tricks that you can learn in order to be a good aquarium owner.

First of all, if you want to clean the tank, don’t use house cleaners. Some of them are really toxic for the fish and plants. So buy some proper cleaners for you tank.

Besides that, always monitor the water level in the tank and the water pump very clean. Also remember to clean the filtration system from time to time so that it doesn’t break. Many times, the life of the aquarium depends on the filtration system. When you choose a filtration system take into consideration the manufacturer, the fish species and the components.

Another important fact in keeping the fish healthy is the cleaning of the ornaments. They should be washed and cleaned with proper cleaners at least twice a month.

The cleaning will stop the algae from growing without a purpose. Another aspect is that the aquariums made of plastic need cleaning more often, sometimes even once a week.

When you do the weekly cleaning make sure you do some things like check the air pump. This is important because it provides the fish with oxygen. If the pump doesn’t work properly, the fish could die.

Change the water as often as possible. Don’t wait for it to turn green. It is not a thing of aesthetics but a matter of health. If you change the water often, the aquarium will look better for sure but the fish will be healthy too. Don’t forget to also clean the rocks and the sand inside the tank. Before you do all this, remove all the fish from the aquarium and put them in a bucket full of water.

You should also buy a water purifier. This will save you some time because you will need to change the water not so often. There are a lot of types, depending on the size of the tank.

And never forget to real all the instructions of the products you buy for your tank. If you have some doubts, ask the sales persons from the pet shop.

Also, don’t forget to keep a strict schedule of the cleaning operations you do.

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