Having an aquarium requires a lot of care that is often overlooked, especially regarding cleanliness. In general, cleaning is recommended, but different factors may influence the frequency, essentially the size of the aquarium, fish tank filter you are using and the species you are keeping.
It is essential to be careful about cleaning the aquarium, which involves the exchange of water. Total change is not recommended, as depending on the aquarium, it can severely compromise the ecosystem and, consequently, the health of fish, often leading to death.
The optimal maintenance of any fish tank always goes first thorough deep cleaning. In this way, there are two types of cleaning that can be adopted. Below is a simple steps guide which explains how to keep fish tank clean.
1. Annual cleaning
The annual cleanup is the one that gives more work, but it is also the one that compensates the most. To do it correctly, you must remove everything that is inside the fish tank, being careful to reserve 80% of the water for the welfare and survival of the fish. This is a golden rule in cleaning a fish tank: never change the water completely. Check out Oilers Depot for tank cleaning equipment that you can choose from.
It is also essential that you perform the following cleaning work
Wash the stones at the bottom of the fish tank and the interior glass with a little detergent. In the end, be careful to pass everything through clean water so that no foam remains.
Add a conditioner for aquatic plants, since they also need to be fed in case you have natural plants inside the fish tank.
Clean the biological filter with the aquarium water itself so as not to kill the bacteria that help to clean it. The carbon from the mechanical filter must be substituted entirely for the aquatic environment to be balanced
Insert water with only two days of rest. Thus, the water will lose much of its chlorine, which will not constitute any threat to the fish. Always check the pH of the water and the temperature if you have tropical fish before putting the fish tank into operation
Check the condition of the lighting lamp, since it must be changed every year. If you have an aquarium instead of a fish tank, you probably have a lamp to illuminate it.
You should know that over time, the lamps are losing their properties and, as such, it is convenient to make the change smoothly, so that the plants and animals gradually get used.
2. Bimonthly cleaning
Bimonthly cleaning is directly related to the moderate washing of the filters and the change of coal. In this way, the fish tank will always maintain its natural balance, and the fish and plants will feel comfortable in their natural habitat.
The pruning of natural plants should also be bimonthly, as some species grow more than others and cover the light of the rest. It is, without a doubt, a safety procedure that restores the balance and balance of this ecosystem.
Fish tank maintenance
Regardless of the cleanliness of our fish tank, you must always perform complete maintenance consisting of:
- Clean the crystals inside.
- If the dirt is stuck to the glass, you can use some degreasing product to remove it. You can also use some utensils to scratch the dirt but be careful not to scratch the glass.
- Acquire a siphon.
- In addition to having an affordable price, the use of this object prevents filter overload. The placement of the siphon at the bottom of the fish tank allows the “aspiration” of impurities and animal waste. On the other hand, the process of partial water exchange is resolved.
- After using the siphon, you must replace the missing water, never forgetting that the pH and chlorine levels are the most appropriate.
- Remove dead leaves found on the surface.
- This type of dead matter immediately breaks down and overloads the natural habitat of fish and plants. For that not to happen, they should be removed whenever they are detected.
In conclusion
If you have fish at home, you should always ensure that your fish tank is clean and in good condition because if not, you can cause your fish to die in a short time.
At first glance, the maintenance and cleaning of a fish tank seem to be very tedious tasks, but if you do it regularly and thinking about the good of your fish, you can enjoy them for years.