If you are new to fishkeeping or buying your first aquarium, you should understand that maintaining the water quality and temperature is imperative for any fish to remain healthy and swim swiftly. To maintain pristine condition in your aquarium here are some key and helpful points to remember:
- Temperature of the water
- pH of the water
- Level of nitrogen compounds
- Hardness of water
- Presence of any toxic compounds
Let’s dive deeper into the matter.
Filtration
Purchasing the right filter for your aquarium is crucial. It helps to reduce the amount of waste in your fish tank and acts as your tank’s biological filter. Why so? They consist of friendly bacteria required in the cycling process of your aquarium which makes sure to vanquish any harmful ammonia and nitrite and then convert them to nitrate. Changing your tank water oftentimes will help remove the nitrate from your aquarium because even though it is less harmful, it should still be removed from the water.
Always be sure to check if your filter is working properly and is in good condition. One example of a filter is a sponge filter where the sponges need cleaning regularly, or any filter that originally came with sponges. You can take a separate bowl full of tank water and gently rinse the sponge from the filter. You must be wondering why it has been advised to use tank water. That’s because tap water contains chlorine and/or chloramines which will damage the biological filter when rinsing.
Replace the filters often as well but try not to replace all of the filter sponges at the same time since this will remove a lot of friendly bacteria from your fish tank and can downgrade the quality of your water in the future.
Regular water changes
It is recommended to change your tank water every two weeks to help remove the nitrate. However, the nitrate consistency or percentage will vary depending on the size of your aquarium and the number of fish you have in your tank, still consider changing around 25% to 30% of your water to stay on the safe side. Most times we can see solid waste in the tank, sinking or being stored at the bottom of your tank, this can be cleaned using a gravel cleaner while removing your water. Use a dechlorinator before adding fresh tap water to remove the chlorine or chloramines. You can also use Filter aids every week to add good bacteria to your aquarium to maintain the biological filter and reduce harmful ammonia and nitrite from the water.
Water conditions
Test the water quality regularly besides checking the temperature to maintain the correct conditions for your fish in case you keep tropical fish you should also test your tank heater. There are available test strips to check for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, water hardness, carbonate hardness, and pH; the instructions are always provided in the leaflet. Different species of fish require different water conditions for survival so if your tank does not meet the requirements of these species that may cause stress to your fish which leads to health problems. Since keeping the water temperature at an ideal point could get confusing, try to position your aquarium in a proper place. For example, if the tank is facing direct sunlight the water in the tank can heat up pretty quickly beyond the required temperatures which can be problematic for the care of your fish and also increase excessive algae growth. As for tropical fish, your heater must be checked daily. Have a spare aquatic heater around the house in case your current heater isn’t functioning properly.
Overfeeding your fish
Unintentionally or intentionally if you overfeed your fish it will only cause problems and build up at the bottom of the tank. Any uneaten food remains in the fish tank can and will begin to decompose as well which will release harmful ammonia to the water that will add to the already existing ammonia in the tank. This can tire your filter from doing its rightful job and in turn, the filter may not work as effectively. Hence, keep an eye on floating food in the water so you can remove it before it starts to decompose and feed your fish enough food which will last for 2 minutes per feed.
It will be much easier for you and is also a common practice to start with a small fish tank for maintenance. That’s what you would normally think. The truth is that a larger tank is much easier to maintain when it comes to water quality. In a larger tank, the changes in water quality are less concentrated and can be tolerated by your fish well. Water changes, filtering, and tank cleaning will take up more time and work in a larger tank though. You can always visit your aquatic shop for further advice on any tank-related topic.
Tank ornaments and decor
Checking the substrate and fish tank ornaments from time to time can help you maintain the pH levels of the water because these aid in increasing or decreasing the pH levels. Adding new ornaments can add to water contamination in your tank so it’s a good idea to clean them before dipping them in your sand and gravel for your fish to play around; this process is similar to cleaning the sponge for your tank filter. A tank with colorful fish is a beautiful sight in itself. But the plants, rocks, and decorations you would be putting in will surely add more story to your tank and complete the look. For example, Corals have vivid hues and interesting shapes; they also make your fish happier and healthier as they mimic their natural habitat. Most aquarists would advise against using real corals however for obvious reasons. So you can instead use artificial corals which are environmentally friendly and sustainable options moreover they can used for freshwater and saltwater aquariums. Remember to:
- Not overcrowd the tank with fish and other aquatic organisms
- Put plant fertilizers only within the recommended dose
- Clean out the debris from the substrate while changing the water