Some Of The Best All Year-round AQUARIUM TIPS

Fish in marin aquarium. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When it comes to looking after your aquarium you need to be focussed on providing care all year-round. Below we look at some of the most important points

Temperature Control For Your Aquarium

When it comes to caring for your aquarium fish, temperature control is one of the most important aspects. Although we may really feel the weather outside, your aquarium fish are more likely to suffer from any drastic changes to temperature which occurs inside the aquarium. So the following tips are worth noting:

1) Ensure that you switch the lights off during the hottest part of the day.

2) Check that your heater is properly working and keeping a steady temperature. Water which is too warm may result in the fish suffocating.

3) If you need to make any change in temperature always do so gradually.

Regular Care and Maintenance of Your Aquarium

Regular care is needed if you have an aquarium. This regular maintenance should involve vigorous aeration and filtration. Make sure that you clean your tank out regularly to ensure that the fish remain healthy.

Aquarium General Tips

Following these general tips should lead to a better environment for your aquarium fish:

1) Limit the number of fish in your aquarium to maximise the amount of oxygen for each fish. It will also help minimise the number of times you will need to clean the aquarium.

2) Make sure that you think about the positioning of the aquarium – it shouldn’t be in direct sunlight as this may increase the amount of algae.

3) Research the fish before you buy. You need to check that each fish you put into the aquarium is compatible with the general environment and with the other fish. 

4) You should change 25% of the water in the aquarium weekly to help maintain a healthy water balance for your fish

---

---

A Beginners Guide to a Clean and HEALTHY AQUARIUM

aquarium (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A clean aquarium is the best habitat for all kinds of fish or other living organisms like crabs for example. A clean aquarium means your fish and plants will live for a long time saving you time and allowing you to enjoy watching them grow. The best way to keep an aquarium clean is to have all the proper equipment and use it often to clean with. It is also a matter of know how. There are a few things that every aquarium owner must know to clean an aquarium and maintain it in the best possible way. 

People who don’t know much about aquariums might use harsh household cleaners to clean their aquariums. This would have detrimental to the small ecosystem you ought to be striving to create. Good tips for keeping your aquarium clean is to keep the water supply clean by cleaning the water pump. To do so one should always keep the filtration system in mind. A good clean filter is what the life of your aquariums ecosystem depends on. Cleaning the filter too often might also have a negative impact on your aquariums life. 

It is therefore important to maintain a balance and to clean your aquarium's filter only when needed or specified by the manufacturer of the filter. Many aquariums experts recommend that the ornaments as well as the glass ought to be cleaned at least once every two weeks. Cleaning the aquarium ornaments and glass prevents algae from building up inside. If the aquarium is made from plastic materials then cleaning should be performed at smaller time intervals, perhaps once a week. When performing maintenance operations to your aquarium, you should always keep in mind a few things to ensure that things are going smoothly inside your aquarium. Check the air pump and see if it is running ok. It is imperative that there is enough oxygen for the fish but also to allow for proper flow of the water. 

Another thing that will ensure a longer life for your aquarium is ensuring that the water is changed often. This way your fish and plants will live longer and your aquarium will definitely look better. One more thing that you should do to maintain a clean aquarium is to clean, or at least rinse the gravel that sits on the bottom of your aquarium. This process entails that you remove all contents of the aquarium including the fish. Therefore, its viability depends highly on how many as well as what kind of fish you have. 

Keeping a clean aquarium does not only entail cleaning it every week or two weeks. You should also consider acquiring a water purifier. There are many kinds of purifiers out there for different types of aquariums as well as sizes. When you use a water purifier to clean the water contents of your fish tank you should always let it sit and mix with the water to allow it to dissolve. If you are new to aquariums, always remember to read the instructions on every product used. Be careful; keep a schedule for maintenance operations and treat your aquarium with love and it will eventually flourish.

---

---

Cleaning Your CICHLID AQUARIUM

Cleaning your cichlid aquarium is a big job at the best of times. Even with the best mechanical filtration system in the world your aquarium water will become stale and this is why every week you should replace at least 25% of the water with fresh. I am lucky enough just to be able to use tap water which I treat with a product called Aquasafe. This treats the metals found in tap water and makes it safe for the fish. Depending on the type of fish you have you may need to add a little aquarium salt to the fresh water.

Herichthys cyanoguttatum
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Using a siphon you should remove the waste water to a large bucket. For best results the bell end of the siphon should be dragged backwards through the gravel to suck up any waste debris lying on the surface. This will help to clean the gravel and remove uneaten food from the aquarium. This water should be then used to wash any items from inside the aquarium, such as rocks, caves, plastic plants etc. To wash these items in fresh running water would destroy the friendly bacteria and effectively require the aquarium to cycle again.

Each week the filter should also be cleaned. This is normally done by removing the filter media from inside the filter and rinsing it out in the old water you have just removed from the tank. This allows you to remove fish waste from the filter media while not destroying the friendly bacteria needed to process that same waste. Sometime the very fine filter media will have to be replaced with new to maintain effectiveness. On my own 5ft cichlid aquarium I have used two external filters due to the amount of mess that the fish made. Although I cleaned the aquarium weekly I only cleaned one filter on each alternate week to minimise the bacterial disruption.

My own preference has always been for an Eheim Canister Filter. I have always been pleased with the performance and clarity of my aquarium water. An external canister filter is much easier to clean as you can disconnect it from your aquarium setup and remove it to a better location for cleaning. Internal filters on the other hand give rise to the opportunity of fish waste falling back inside the aquarium

The main tank glass should be also cleaned every week using a blade edged scraper or a plastic scourers. I find magnetic cleaners are more of a gimmick than any practical use so, yes, you have to get your hands wet. It is important to thoroughly clean the glass as any trace of algae will give it a foot hold and comeback quicker next time.

I should point out that algae on the aquarium glass is purely a presentation issue. It does not look nice but makes absolutely no difference to your fish. Some fish even like to graze on the algae but providing you are feeding them correctly they can manage without it.

Article Directory: EzineArticles

---

---

Aquarium Care Guide- NEW TANKS

A fish tank at the Oklahoma Aquarium (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When starting a new aquarium it is important to understand the nitrogen cycle. Many new aquarium owners jump into the hobby of fish keeping too quickly. Before purchasing fish, the aquarium must be cycled. This could take anywhere from twenty four hours to four weeks. In an established aquarium there are certain bacteria that help the breakdown of ammonia to nitrates, but they are not present in a new tank because they are generated from existing fish. If there are no existing fish, then there are no good bacteria. 

The basic principle of the nitrogen cycle is this. Fish eat food and generate waste. That waste along with excess food and plant debris become ammonia in the aquarium. Ammonia is toxic to fish and needs to be broken down. That's why the nitrifying bacteria is important. This bacteria, turns the ammonia into nitrites which are more tolerable to fish than ammonia. Next, different nitrifying bacteria will turn the nitrites into nitrates, which are even less toxic to the fish and other aquarium life. The nitrates are collected and minimized by filters; however they will eventually accumulate in the tank. Regular water changes are required to remove the nitrates from the water.  

It is important to set up and run an aquarium before any fish are introduced into the environment. Wash the tank and any substrate and decorations thoroughly with water. Don't use any soap. Fill the tank with de-chlorinated water and attach filters and lighting. Allow the tank to cycle until the water is no longer cloudy and sufficient P.H and water temperatures have been established.  

Now it is time to purchase the fish! Buy hardy fish such as danios, barb, gouramis, and live bearers. They should be able to withstand the high nitrite levels and ammonia in the new aquarium. Only introduce about four fish at a time. Float the fish in the bag in the aquarium for about fifteen minutes before adding them to the tank. This will help the fish become acclimated to the water temperature in their new home. When adding the fish, be careful not to allow the water from the bag into the aquarium. It may be contaminated, or will at the very least, throw off the temperature and P.H. Allow the fish about two hours to become acclimated before feeding. 

Only feed an amount that can be consumed in the first two to five minutes. Overfeeding is a common problem in an aquarium. It is important not to overfeed, because excess food will become debris adding to the ammonia levels. This is especially important in new aquariums that lack nitrifying bacteria. Test the water P.H. every day within the first month. Watch the tank for cloudiness; if the aquarium becomes cloudy, it may be necessary to add a clarifier. Monitor the fish for signs of stress or illness. A healthy fish will be swimming regularly. Lethargic fish will usually hover near the surface of the aquarium. After about a week change approximately ten percent of the water and begin regular maintenance.