Aquarium Care

Aquarium care and maintenance involves certain tasks that should be done daily, and others that are less frequently needed. All these routine tasks are necessary to keep fish healthy and the aquarium environment clean and problem free.

Daily care involves checking over your fish by observing their behavior. Healthy fish will swim freely, with their fins erectly held. Their skin and gill areas will be free of any puffiness or marks that show parasites or infections. Check that all the equipment is working properly, and that water temperature is not fluctuating.

When you feed your fish, never give them excessive amounts. Uneaten food falls to the bottom, and will encourage algae growth, ammonia production and water to cloud. You can keep it cleaner and clearer by using one of the EcoBio-Block products. These products introduce beneficial bacteria that rid the water of toxic ammonia that is produced from excess food particles in the water.

Keeping the exterior of the fish tank clean is another important step in aquarium care and maintenance. Wash it every week, using only clean clear non-chlorinated water. Any soap or chemical cleaners must be avoided, as they can get into the tank’s water and kill fish. Maintaining a clean fish tank not only makes it easier to observe your fish, it also promotes the growth of aquarium plants as it allows more light to enter.

Generally, a partial water change is recommended every two weeks or so, the timing depending on how large your aquarium is and how many fish it holds. Changing the water will reduce the ammonia content. An easy way to keep ammonia levels acceptably low is by using any of the EcoBio-Block products which introduce ammonia-controlling bacteria and reduce the need for water changes. Choose the product according to the size of the fish tank.

Periodically, you will need to remove any algae growth from your fish tank. Some algae thrive with light, and grow on the inside of the tank so must be scraped off. Other kinds live in the gravel bottom, thriving with the organic waste in the water. By using EcoBio-Block products, the production of ammonia and nitrites is controlled, so less algae will grow.

Uneaten fish food and fish waste drops to the bottom of the aquarium constantly, and settles between the pieces of gravel and sand. This can form harmful gases and nitrites as it decomposes, so cleaning it away monthly is part of your aquarium care and maintenance. This is generally done by vacuuming the gravel.

If you make use of EcoBio-Blocks, then the ammonia and nitrite produced is kept under control. Less frequent cleaning and washing of the gravel is necessary, and tank water will be much clearer and cleaner. These products have a life of up to two years.

Aquarium care and maintenance can be made easier with the introduction of beneficial bacteria. As long as these bacteria are present and able to proliferate, they will keep the tank water clean and clear and so ensure the health of the fish.

Find the right techniques to aquarium care by going online. There you will find many methods to clear water of organic waste that will harm your fish. Head online and learn more today.

Technorati Tags: Algae Growth, Ammonia Levels, Ammonia Production, Aquarium, Aquarium Care, Aquarium Environment, Aquarium Fish, Aquarium Maintenance, Aquarium Plants, Beneficial Bacteria, Chlorinated Water, Excess Food, Excessive Amounts, Fish, Fish Aquarium, Fish Tank, Food Particles, Maintenance Tasks, Partial Water Change, Routine Tasks, Toxic Ammonia, Water Changes

Replacement Cartridge for Penguin 160 170 200B 300 330 350B Filters 6 pk

Each preassembled Penguin Filter Cartridge filters aquarium water through a double thick polyfiber pad which traps more dirt and debris, faster. The filter cartridge is packed with super-efficient pure Magnum Activated Carbon…it keeps working long after most carbons stop. It’s better than a bag: just shake and rinse. The patented ribbed backing evenly distributes carbon for maximum water to carbon contact. No bypass, no tea bag effect…just crystal clear, crystal clean aquarium water. Each Penguin Filter replacement cartridge includes a foam pad and carbon for superior mechanical and chemical filtration. The easiest way to superior aquarium filtration. Rite-Size Cartridge: C

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Great - but a warning
The Penguin Bio-wheel pumps are great: quiet, effective and long-lasting. (I have a 170 filter in a 39 gallon tank.) These size C filters are widely available, but the Amazon price is much lower than at my not-so-nearby pet store.

A word of warning. The day after changing my filter three months ago fish started dying. Next morning my 6″ long Plecostomus was dead. Then three Clown Loaches, each about 5 ” long. Within a week I had lost 18 of my 20 fish. Yet there was no sign of disease.

A water test and much internet searching finally pointed out what I had done wrong. I had neglected my tank for a few weeks. In a rush to catch up, I siphoned out about 30 percent of the water (more than usual), did a “better” than usual job of siphoning up detritus from the gravel. Then - my biggest mistake - I replaced the Penguin filter too! The result is the water chemistry changed too quickly. The Nitrates spiked to a deadly level. My tank, healthy for more than two years, needed to be started over. Took two months and many water changes before I could safely add new fish.

I visited perhaps a dozen “fish forums” and only one had a comment saying “don’t change filters when you do a water change.’ The Penguin filters and the box they come in carry no warnings. What I (and you) should do is simple: space your water changes and filter changes a week or two apart.

Now knowing how important the “aged” filter is (especially in a tank like mine with no under gravel filter) I’ve started this habit: there’s just enough space to get a second filter flat against the old filter. After a couple of weeks, I remove the older filter and put the newer one - by now doing some biological filtering - in its place. That way the tank is never depending on only a new filter. For larger tanks (say 55 gal and up), the 330 or 350 Penguin pump holds two filters side by side, so just change one filter at a time.

Hope this helps you avoid the disaster that hit my tank

5 Stars Great filters for a great price
This is one of the easiest systems to use and finding these filters for a good price is a bonus

5 Stars PENGUIN REPLACEMENT CARTRIDGE
I BOUGHT THESE PENGUIN REPLACEMENT CARTRIDGE FOR MY PENGUIN POWER FILTER MODEL 200 VERY GOOD FILTERS. THIS IS THE WAY TO GO WITH THIS SETUP .

5 Stars speedy service
I live overseas and I found it hard to purchase this item here so ordering online was well deserving. A Company that ships to an apo address always deserves kudos! speedy service

5 Stars As promised
Item arrived in a timely fashion and in good condition. Was the best price I could find on the internet. Will order from again.

Buy/More Info

Technorati Tags: Amazon Price, Aquarium Filtration, Aquarium Water, Carbons, Cartridge Filters, Chemical Filtration, Clown Loaches, Dozen Fish, Filter Cartridge, Filter Replacement, Foam Pad, Gallon Tank, Maximum Water, Plecostomus, Polyfiber, Size C, Tea Bag, Water Changes, Water Chemistry, Water Test

Replacement Cartridge for Penguin 160 170 200B 300 330 350B Filters 6 pk

Each preassembled Penguin Filter Cartridge filters aquarium water through a double thick polyfiber pad which traps more dirt and debris, faster. The filter cartridge is packed with super-efficient pure Magnum Activated Carbon…it keeps working long after most carbons stop. It’s better than a bag: just shake and rinse. The patented ribbed backing evenly distributes carbon for maximum water to carbon contact. No bypass, no tea bag effect…just crystal clear, crystal clean aquarium water. Each Penguin Filter replacement cartridge includes a foam pad and carbon for superior mechanical and chemical filtration. The easiest way to superior aquarium filtration. Rite-Size Cartridge: C

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Great - but a warning
The Penguin Bio-wheel pumps are great: quiet, effective and long-lasting. (I have a 170 filter in a 39 gallon tank.) These size C filters are widely available, but the Amazon price is much lower than at my not-so-nearby pet store.

A word of warning. The day after changing my filter three months ago fish started dying. Next morning my 6″ long Plecostomus was dead. Then three Clown Loaches, each about 5 ” long. Within a week I had lost 18 of my 20 fish. Yet there was no sign of disease.

A water test and much internet searching finally pointed out what I had done wrong. I had neglected my tank for a few weeks. In a rush to catch up, I siphoned out about 30 percent of the water (more than usual), did a “better” than usual job of siphoning up detritus from the gravel. Then - my biggest mistake - I replaced the Penguin filter too! The result is the water chemistry changed too quickly. The Nitrates spiked to a deadly level. My tank, healthy for more than two years, needed to be started over. Took two months and many water changes before I could safely add new fish.

I visited perhaps a dozen “fish forums” and only one had a comment saying “don’t change filters when you do a water change.’ The Penguin filters and the box they come in carry no warnings. What I (and you) should do is simple: space your water changes and filter changes a week or two apart.

Now knowing how important the “aged” filter is (especially in a tank like mine with no under gravel filter) I’ve started this habit: there’s just enough space to get a second filter flat against the old filter. After a couple of weeks, I remove the older filter and put the newer one - by now doing some biological filtering - in its place. That way the tank is never depending on only a new filter. For larger tanks (say 55 gal and up), the 330 or 350 Penguin pump holds two filters side by side, so just change one filter at a time.

Hope this helps you avoid the disaster that hit my tank

5 Stars Great filters for a great price
This is one of the easiest systems to use and finding these filters for a good price is a bonus

5 Stars As promised
Item arrived in a timely fashion and in good condition. Was the best price I could find on the internet. Will order from again.

5 Stars PENGUIN REPLACEMENT CARTRIDGE
I BOUGHT THESE PENGUIN REPLACEMENT CARTRIDGE FOR MY PENGUIN POWER FILTER MODEL 200 VERY GOOD FILTERS. THIS IS THE WAY TO GO WITH THIS SETUP .

5 Stars speedy service
I live overseas and I found it hard to purchase this item here so ordering online was well deserving. A Company that ships to an apo address always deserves kudos! speedy service

Buy/More Info

Technorati Tags: Amazon Price, Aquarium Filtration, Aquarium Water, Carbons, Cartridge Filters, Chemical Filtration, Clown Loaches, Dozen Fish, Filter Cartridge, Filter Replacement, Foam Pad, Gallon Tank, Maximum Water, Plecostomus, Polyfiber, Size C, Tea Bag, Water Changes, Water Chemistry, Water Test

Coralife Digital Thermometer

Ideal for aquariums and terrariums. Readings in 0.1 degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius. Temperature range -10 degrees F to 140 degrees F (-23 degrees C to 60 degrees C). Mounting suction cups and battery included. 39 inch long temperature probe cord.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Good, inexpensive tank thermometer
I’ve had the thermometer in my tank for a couple of weeks now. Right out of the box, it was easy to set up. It comes with a really long cord on the temp probe, which for me is a little excessive. But there are two suction cups to help with cord management. So, you can position the probe exactly where you need it. Beyond that, it’s just a basic thermometer, which is just what I wanted. I was tired of watching my little LCD gauge slowly peel off the side of the aquarium, and this is the perfect affordable solution. The other benefit of the portable nature and the long cord is that I can test the temp of any water I’m putting in the tank. It’s often too cold or too hot coming out of the faucet; now I can get it just right before I do my water changes. I can’t speak to its accuracy, because I don’t have another to compare to, but it seems about right. All in all, a good purchase.

4 Stars Better than expected, inexpensive, would purchase again
I have a new 90gal SW reef tank with a 50gal sump set up. I needed a digital thermometer that could be reliable, at the same time not break the bank, since my eventual live stock need to be in a certain tempature range. After reading several reviews of the Coralife Digital Thermometer from various vendors, I was a bit nervous in purchasing since some of the reviews reflected inaccurate temp readings….some complaining of even being several degrees off!!..eeek. Since they were rather inexpensive and I was on a limited budget, I went ahead and purchased 2 of them to compare and also have a ‘fail-safe’ set up. I also have a removable digital thermometer already at home in which I have been using and is accurate (tested) to <0.1 degree…but needed a permanant set up.

The delivery was fast from time of order. The CDT came with an attached probe, both of which had suction cups for easy/flexible placement. I placed them in the same area of the sump to see what reading I would get….and to my suprise, they both read exactly the same!!! I compared to my tested removable themometer which indicated that they were reading about 0.5 deg F cooler….which is reasonably managable. This is the only reason I am giving them 4 and not 5 stars.

5 Stars Works, appears accurate, and inexpensive
Purchased this for our new tank. The heater has degreed temperature settings. Both are almost exactly matching. What more can one ask for?

Inexpensive. Yes, the price was a factor in my purchase. This thermometer is a good value and I recommend it.

Buy/More Info

Technorati Tags: 23 Degrees, Affordable Solution, Aquarium, Aquariums, Coralife, Cord Management, Degrees Fahrenheit, Digital Thermometer, Eeek, Fahrenheit Celsius, Faucet, Gauge, Live Stock, Reef Tank, Suction Cups, Temp Probe, Temperature Probe, Temperature Range, Terrariums, Usi, Water Changes

It is best to set up a fish tank if you love the aesthetics of displaying a clean, glittering, and well-decorated aquarium. A fish tank requires regular cleaning and maintenance checks. So, you should put in some time to care for it. A little love will really make fish tank maintenance a whole lot fun.

Water clean-up and conditioning

Probably, the first thing you might notice about your fish tank is the scummy water. If the water is no longer clear, you know that it is time for a total change. Do not wait for the water to look like something out of a drainage pipe. Make use of a method of changing water that suits you best. There are people who use a bucket to keep the fish in water, while a hundred percent of the fish tank water is being replaced. Others prefer changing about 20% of the water at a time, two times a week. Whatever the case, you should de-chlorinate the water that you will be putting into the tank.

Change the water.

Aside from the tank, the water is one of the primary clues as to how much scum is invading the aquarium. Dank smell and dark coloring are signs that your fish tank needs a total change in water. If you do not want to have to change every droplet of water at one time, you may have to change about 20% at a time. This process, however, should be done at least twice a week. If you want to follow this method, you need to make sure that you change a percentage of the water before the water changes in coloring and smell. This means that you cannot miss the twice a week regularity

Check the filter and bacteria growth.

Fish tank maintenance does not only focus on the tank itself but also on the organisms living in it and the equipment attached to the tank. The said equipment are installed for the reason of helping the fish survive at ideal conditions. The devices should be maintained in tip-top shape so that they can continue serving their roles.

Keep on checking the temperature in your fish tank.

The temperature is vital to fish tank maintenance. This is because your fish may not survive temperatures that are too cold or too hot. If temperatures are allowed to go haywire, you may not have anything to call your aquarium. Aquarium thermometers should make it easy for you to see if fish tank temperature is going over or under the limits.

Provide a certain amount of light.

How much lighting do your pet fish need? Find out the amount of light your particular breed of fish. This means that you cannot mix fish with very different lighting requirements. When you know the amount, maintain this level. Do not overdo lighting because this can cause fast algae growth.

Provide enough oxygen to your fish.

Fish tank maintenance entails fish survival as one of the top objectives. You should ensure that your fish have enough oxygen. This means that the water has to be cleaned regularly so that oxygen can be properly absorbed. If there are too many organisms competing for oxygen in the tank, then it would be best to install an aerator. The aerator can ensure that there is enough oxygen for every organism.

Do not forget that an important point of fish tank maintenance is the care of your fish. Check your fish regularly for a change in coloring, listlessness, and other odd behavior. Immediately remove any dead fish.

Sean Kerring is a marine fish enthusiast and breeder who has been raising and breeding fish for over twenty years, when his parents gave him his very first betta. He always uses the highest quality aquarium products, including various brands to get the highest quality results out of his regular fish tank maintenance. Learn more at marinedepot.com.

Technorati Tags: Aesthetics, Aquarium Cleaning, Aquarium Fish, Aquarium Maintenance, aquarium producrts, Aquarium Tank, Bacteria Growth, Dark Coloring, Drainage Pipe, Droplet Of Water, Fish Cleaning, fish keeping products, Fish Tank, fish tank maintenance, fish tank products, maintaining fish tanks, Maintenance Checks, Organisms, Regularity, Shape, Suits, Tank Cleaning, Tank Maintenance, Tank Water, Water Changes, Whole Lot