Aquarium Care

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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Testing of water in a fresh water aquarium involves two steps, the first is when you first start an aquarium and the second stage is when the tank has already been established and you have fish in them.

Fish thrive or die, depending on the water quality, so it is imperative for their health that you understand the sort of conditions and the quality of water that your fish need to live healthily. This is not uniform for all fishes, so a bit of study is necessary.

Procedure for a new fish tank:

You first need to establish that the nitrogen cycle has taken place. This is important because after this cycle has occurred it is safe to add fish. Fish waste and undigested food lead to an ammonia spike. This is the first stage of the nitrogen cycle and you can detect this by an Ammonia test. After this friendly bacteria called Nirosomonas start to breed, causing a nitrate spike. This is the second stage of the nitrogen cycle.

The third stage occurs when nitrospira bacteria breed converting the dangerous nitrite into less harmful nitrates. Once this occurs it is safe to add fish. Add the fish gradually, testing the water every couple of days, partially changing the water if there is too much ammonia or nitrite in it. This cycle takes place over a few weeks so it is important to keep testing the water so that you know which stage of the cycle you are on.

There are three test kits that are a must for any fish tank owner, to monitor the nitrogen cycle, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate testing kits. You also need a pH testing kit to check the water for acidity. This is important because if there is too much of a difference in the acidity level of the tank they lived in before you bought them, they may die of stress or shock.

Once your tank is established you do not need to keep on testing all the time. However, you still need to check the water for nitrates. Even though nitrates are not as harmful as the nitrites and ammonia, too much nitrate can also be detrimental to the health of your fish. To avoid any kind of problems, make it your habit to check the water quality and carry out regular water changes so that your fish are healthy and active. You can control the nitrate build up by adding plants and nitrate eating fish to your tank and monitoring the quality of water.

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