How to Care For an Aquarium?

Looking after an aquarium is extremely basic. Aquarists should do it regularly to make the aquarium with its inhabitants healthy. Since, aquarium is a closed artificial reservoir and aquarium care techniques can be done daily, weekly, monthly and seasonally. Well, You may also like to read Best HOB Filters: Reviews Of The Top Ones.

Daily Basis Care:

  • ​You should check any leakage of your aquarium; if any leakage is identified, it should be recovered with the help of clay.
  • You should check the water with your naked eye, if a lot of suspensions, blooming or clouding of water is present then you must have eliminate these phenomena using mechanical filter. After filtering the aquarium water, if any dust or suspensions already exists, the filters are washed or increase the performance of the filter or replace it.
  • You should check the water temperature regularly; if the water temperature difference between the ground and surface is 30 C, you introduce or strengthen aeration or filtration in your aquarium.
  • ​You should examine soil, plants or other objects to detect any algae formation.
  • You should check and count mollusks, if you see numerous mollusks, some of them should be removed.
  • Feed should be given 2-3 times daily with sufficient amount but in the morning, you should give the food in small amount to avoid waste of food.
  • During feeding period, fish should be tallied; If their number has diminished, it is important to locate the missing; If the fish died, set up the cause; If this should not be possible, then on the next days a few times each day check the behavior of the fish, they may be sick.
  • After feeding your fish, if any food remains on the ground, then you should clean the aquarium by using a mud cleaner to prevent pollution.
  • You should inspect the behavior of fish and plant growth for least 20-25 minutes and record it in the exercise book.
  • ​Lighting should be provided in your aquarium for 10-11 hours daily.

Weekly Basis Care:

  • ​You should examine water quality parameters using freshwater test kit box; in this case if any fluctuation of water quality parameters is detected then you should take proper measures immediately;
  • You should check the aerator for proper aeration;
  • ​You should remove the cover glass and clean with vinegar from the lime deposits and rinse with warm water;
  • ​You should eliminate the layer or coat from the surface of the water;
  • You should wash the mechanical filter;
  • You should clean the inside aquarium glass using aquarium wipers;
  • Top layer soil should be loosed using a stick, after settling and cleaning the mud using mud cleaner, you should drain out one fifth of the water;
  • ​You should eliminate any dead parts of plants and fish;
  • You should eliminate the lime spot from the aquarium walls;
  • You should change 20-20% water with the freshwater of the same water parameters;
  • You should clean the outside glass of the aquarium using cloth or sponge;
  • ​You should wash the dust from the cover glass using aquarium wipers;

Monthly Follows:

  • ​You should wash the stems and leaves of plants  to remove any  settled turbidity;
  • You should  wash  the wall of the aquarium to remove algae  and lime;
  • You should use cover glass on the top of the aquarium to prevent the jumping of the fish;
  • You should observe the behavior  and health of fish;
  • You should examine the equipment and their expiration date;
  • You should eliminate dust or suspensions from the aquarium with a wiper or using the suction level of a light backpack vacuum. Clean the gravel around the column of moving water inside the aquarium. For loosening and carrying off the trapped debris in the gravel, use an aquarium vacuum cleaner;

Seasonal Basis:

  • Take care of brood fish to enhance the spawning;
  • Before breeding, the parents should be conditioned with meaty food; 
  • Fry should be fed with proper feed such as newly hatched brine shrimp, infusonia, rotifers etc;
  • Prepare dry and combined feed and give the fish in sufficient amount;

In the Fall:

  • Shorten the overgrown plants;
  • ​Perform a general cleaning of the aquarium;
  • Set up the heaters and lighting system;

In Winter: the aquarium needs daily and weekly cleaning;

Aeration:

Fish inhale oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide (CO2). If the proportion of the quantity of fish and plants is effectively selected in the aquarium, then both gasses are adequate for them, and they feel wonderful. But plants are little, however there are many fish, in this case, fish needs oxygen, and for this situation, the aquarist should install aerator for air circulation. In addition, aeration is required in the developing aquariums, when a relatively small aquarium contain a substantial number of fish. 

During the time of photosynthesis, aquatic plants take carbon dioxide (CO2), subsequently, release oxygen (O2) into the water. In actuality, aquarium vegetation accept a significant part in keeping up the ideal measure of this gas for the inhabitants of the aquarium. In water, oxygen (O2) is contained as atoms. With the correct extent of the amount of fish and plants in the aquarium, oxygen(O2) and carbon dioxide(CO2) is adequately enough. If this proportion is chosen incorrectly and the plants are clearly not enough, in this case, the aeration system helps. The use of aeration is especially important for aquariums. Air circulation or aeration plays the following task:

See Also: Cat, Dog, and Fish – Which One Is The Better Pet For Your Child?

  • Saturates the water with oxygen;
  • ​Creates course of water in the aquarium;
  • Level the temperature in the whole volume of the aquarium;
  • Destroys the bacterial activity on the surface of the water;

The adequacy of mixing water layers is checked by measuring the temperature at a few points in the upper and adjoining layers of water, and if the distinction reaches 3° C, then increment the air supply, and if this does not help, then introduce on the sprayer in the left and right parts of the aquarium. The air that can be pumped into the aquarium can be cleaned by going through a water filter. In the room where the aquarium is found, you should not do smoking, since nicotine at a grouping of 1 mg/l is as of now destructive to fish.

Filtration:

Transparency of water is one of the most important indicators of a safe life of the aquarium. The filtration of water helps to get the fresh and healthy aquariums. All filter parts in contact with water and the filter media must be water resistant, non-toxic and resistant to weak acids and alkalis. 

Role of Filter in Aquarium:

  • ​Cleaning of water from inorganic particles in suspended water;
  • It helps to  remove dissolved organic compounds and nitrogen-containing metabolic items from water;
  • It eliminates certain dissolved substances from aquarium water;
  • It creates water flow in the aquarium;
  • It helps in aeration of water;

​Final verdict

An aquarium is a balanced biological system where aquarium residents live together. To keep aquarium residents healthy and cheerful, aquarium water should be changed mostly at regular basis. For making your aquarium excellence and sound, it is better to clean at regular intervals. In this case, you should do proper aquarium care to keep your aquarium fresh and make water quality great.

Leave a Comment