Aquarium Tips for Tropical Fish
Why Aquarium Fish are easy to keep
Compared to other pets keeping an aquarium is one of the easiest to keep. Once you have your aquarium up and running there are some basic steps for keeping your fish healthy. You should have a schedule for maintenance and fish care as certain things need to be done on daily, weekly and two weekly plan. It may sound too much but daily maintenance is minimal. Your first job may sound a bit silly but the major cause of fish death in aquariums is through stress so daily check that your fish are swimming around normally and look happy and healthy. Just take a quick look that your lighting and filtration system are operating and the water temperature is correct.
Your fish should be fed, normally once or twice per day depending on the species of fish. You should check on how much they eat and how long it takes to eat it because any food they do not eat will fall as debris to the bottom of the tank and become lodged in the substrate. As this food rots it can attribute to higher nitrite levels and sickness in the fish. So you should adjust the amount of food the fish are given to minimise this problem. When starting out you can check with your local aquatic store as to the amount of food you should be giving as different fish species will eat a different amount. As well as checking the water temperature the PH level should be checked on a weekly basis. If any variations in PH are found then you should rebalance it.
Another important job is keeping your filters clean. Most of the waste excretia and excess food is eventually collected by the filters. Unless the filters are cleaned regularly they will fill up with this waste and be unable to function correctly. Another job filters are assigned to do is act as an aeration device in which they cycle oxygen throughout the tank. This process is slowed down if the filters become clogged and limits the amount of oxygen when circulation slows down. This will become deadly if left untreated and your fish will not survive. When you purchased your filter you should have asked what maintenance it requires and how often it needs to be done. Cleaning and replacing filter materials should be carried out every two to three weeks depending on the state of your aquarium. By observing your tank you should be able to see when the water is starting to become cloudy or the water is starting to smell. Depending on the type of filter installed some have throwaway membranes and need to be changed while other just need to be removed thoroughly cleaned and placed back into the tank.
Water in the tank should be changed over a period of time and not all at once. But about once a month the aquarium will need to be emptied and cleaned thoroughly depending on the state of the tank. In between times you can change about one third of the water ever one to two weeks. Turn off any equipment and lighting before doing this task. Tap water can be used but should be properly treated to mimic the water already in the tank and the temperature should be the same as in the tank. Some treatments for the water only take about one hour while other treatments need twenty four hours so check with your local pet store how long your new water needs to settle before placing it in the tank.
Carefully clean the sides of the tank with a scrubber that is not too abrasive so that it does not scratch the glass or acrylic. Be careful the fish are not scared or disturbed during this processes. Any debris can be carefully loosened from rocks and ornaments. When removing the 1/3 water to be changed try collecting the debris in a bucket or better still use a siphon hose and vacuum it up. Any aquatic plants should be pruned of dead leaves. Clean the tank cover and the outside of the tank with clean water. Siphon the new water into the tank and turn on your equipment and lighting. Your aquarium should now look great once again and can be enjoyed as it was meant to be.
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