Freshwater Aquarium Maintenance - Here Is the Routine to Follow

You must establish a routine if you want to keep your home aquarium looking stunning. Aquarium maintenance is not difficult provided you set aside a few minutes on a regular basis to do the job necessary to keep your fish and plants in peak condition.

Daily

• feed the fish no more than they can eat in 3 to 5 min


• check for unclear water, this is often a sign of overfeeding


• check the tank temperature


• check the air stones and the filter pump


• check the fish - really give them a good look. Sick fish usually don't eat well and they often hide away at the bottom of the tank in foliage. Check for strange or erratic swimming patterns. Look for tattered fins, a victimised fish is often sick. Look for very thin or very fat fish. Look for white or black spots or blotches. Look for fungus.

Weekly

• test the water using a test strip for pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate


• re-anchor plants that have become uprooted


• remove dead leaves from plants


• trim plants that have grown beyond the water surface

Excessive ammonia means that there are insufficent bacteria to convert it to nitrite. Excessive nitrite means that there are insufficient bacteria to convert it into nitrate. Excessive nitrate means that you need to change the tank water more frequently.

Fortnightly

• Scrape the algae off the glass. If you have an acrylic tank be careful that you don't scratch it


• Clean the gravel and change a quarter to a third of the tank water

The best way to change the water is to use a siphonic gravel filter which not only cleans the gravel but also removes some of the water. Make sure that you match the temperature of the replaced water with that of the tank and you should also also remember to treat the water with a conditioner which removes chlorine and ammonia. If you are doing this at the end of the month then you should retain the removed water and use it to clean the filter medium.

Monthly

• Clean your canister filter using the removed tank water. This will ensure that you do not kill the good bacteria


• If you are using a power filter you should replace the filter medium

Quarterly

• if you have an under gravel filter clean it thoroughly to unblock the holes

Annually

• Depending on your lighting you need to change the tubes


• In your canister filter you should change the filter sponges

Every Three Years

You need to give your aquarium a really thorough clean.

• Prepare a secondary tank to receive your fish


• Turn off all the electrics from your primary tank and let the heater cool down before removing it


• Remove everything else from the primary tank but save two thirds of the water


• Your secondary tank should be adequate to hold your fish for up to a week


• emove the gravel and ornaments and rinse them in salt water


• Thoroughly clean the inside of the glass with salt water


• Check the seams of your glass aquarium and reseal if necessary


• Replace air stones with new ones


• Replace everything except for the fish


• Fill the tank two thirds full


• After several days check that the tank water has stabilised using a test strip


• Add back one third of the old tank water and the fish


• Make sure the primary and secondary tank water temperatures match, if not go through the same procedure that you would if you were introducing newly purchased fish

I know it seems a lot of work but I can assure you that once you have applied this routine a few times you will find that it doesn’t take long and your efforts are always rewarded because your tank will always look perfect.

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John Thomson is an aquarium expert. For more information on freshwater aquarium maintenance, visit http://www.freshwateraquariumsecretsonline.com