5 Tips on how to maintain your Aquarium. The easy way.

How to maintain your Aquarium. The easy way.

Some people say there is no way to overclean an aquarium. Some people say it is hard and takes a lot of effort. Would you love to have a fish tank but don’t have the time? Do you already have one but can’t maintain it? Well, you have come to the right place. I will explain some myths about aquariums and how to maintain them, also some ways to decrease maintenance.

Water changes

Water changes are essential to the well being of your aquarium. You should do them regularly. Most aquarists do it every one or two weeks but a healthy aquarium can go a month without one. You should remove around 15% to 30% of the water using a bucket and dispose of it safely. Top Tip- It is great for house plants!

Now top your tank up with either R.O. or tap water with tap water conditioner in. When using tap water conditioners be sure to use the right amount because it is a concentrated chemical. When you put the water back in make sure you don’t slosh it all in otherwise it will stir up the substrate and the water will turn a murky brown color. And who wants that after cleaning their fish tank?

One common thing that beginners do to their tank that is terrible for it is, they remove all the water. This is extremely bad for your aquarium because the old water has all the beneficial bacteria which break down nitrites and ammonia into nitrates. By removing this the tank will cycle its self again and have big ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate spikes which will almost definitely kill your fish .

2. Cleaning your aquarium

There are many ways to clean your tank including a siphon and scrubbies. When you are changing the water you can use a siphon to suck up all the poo gunk and rotting food from the bottom of the tank. This will reduce the ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite from forming. Top tip- When you siphon make sure not to suck up any fish!!

When you scrub the plants and tank side do not scrub everything really well. A tank is supposed to have green in and grow plants even if they are unwanted! Although, if you really hate the algae, lower the light level or reduce the amount of time it is on each day. Top tip- Remember not to over clean!!

3. Clean up crew

The clean-up crew is another name for a group of fish that includes: Shrimp, Plecos, Corydoras, Sharks, Loaches, Snails, and many others. As you probably guessed from the name these eat algae decaying bodies or plants and anything that gets leftover from feeding time. They reduce the nitrates by eating the “nitrate causing things” and makes maintaining the tank much easier because you don’t have to feed them as long as there is a steady flow of waste, so saves you more time to just look at your beautiful aquarium. Top Tip- They all do like to be fed vegetables or special flakes once and a while but this takes no time and the food doesn’t cost much, and it's all worth it for more time to just look at your beautiful aquarium.

4. Cleaning your filter

Cleaning your filter is another crucial part of the health of your tank. Without a functional filter, your fish couldn’t live. Therefore, cleaning it is important. When you clean your filter, clean it in TANK WATER. This is very important, very, very important. If you wash it in tap water it will destroy the colony beneficial bacteria in the filter and can completely ruin the ecosystem. Many people do this and it is extremely bad. When cleaning the filter, try not to do it on the same day as changing water because you need the colony of beneficial bacteria to reproduce. Think of your filter and tank water as a whole living organism. You need to keep the tank water healthy and provide for it so the bacteria can flourish. Remember this simple equation:

Healthy Water = Healthy Fish!

5. Natural filters

You can use a natural filter that grows in the tank e.g. Plants that will suck up the nitrates. This will make the tank healthier and not need so much attention. Some tanks can even be run just on plants and don’t have a filter, although this isn’t a good idea unless you are an experienced hobbyist. Plants will reduce the maintenance needed because there won’t be any need to clean healthy water. Fish like the cover and nipping the algae off of plants. They provide a very good natural cover is an essential part of an ecosystem.

Some popular plants to remove nitrates are:

Java Moss or any mosses

Java Fern

Guppy Grass

Floating Plants: Water Lettice, Frogbit, or Duckweed

Pothos (This is special because it is a house plant but if you dip the roots in the tank and let it hang down it will guzzle nitrates like there's no tomorrow!)

Almost any aquarium plant will absorb nitrates but faster-growing ones will absorb it faster.

End

Thank You for taking the time to read this article: How to maintain your Aquarium. The easy way. I hope you have found some useful advice and good luck with your tank if you have got one or not!!

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