Too many aquariums have the reputation of being algae-covered fish death traps. For many of us, our busy lives tend to take over. As a result, aquarium maintenance becomes one of the neglected items on the household to-do list.
However, the easiest way to ease the burden is to choose a fish tank that cleans itself. If this is what you decide then go here for self-cleaning fish tanks.
Alternatively, by planning, you can arrange your aquarium so all you need to devote to it is a few minutes a week.
Here are some of the useful fish tank maintenance tips you can follow.
Fish Tank Maintenance Tips:
The Low-Maintenance Plan
Start by avoiding these things:
- Overstocking. Keep fewer fish because this means less waste and less need for cleaning.
- Overfeeding. Leftover food fouls. It also makes fish sick.
- Goldfish! Goldfish have very high metabolisms so they produce a lot of waste and naturally grow to be large.
- Small tanks. Larger tanks are much easier to maintain. Their higher volumes of water mean the water chemistry, as well as the temperature, are more stable. The larger tank will be able to function more easily and be able to self-clean.
See also: What to Say to Someone Who Loses a Pet?
When planning your tank:
- Place the aquarium out of direct sunlight to stop algae growth.
- Add some sort of algae eater. Certain catfish eat algae. But keep in mind that algae eaters also produce waste and this needs consideration when you come to decide how many fish to stock in your tank.
- Under-stock the aquarium because fewer fish means less waste.
- Over-filter the aquarium. What you need is a filter that cycles the water at least four times each hour. To ensure low maintenance go for a filter designed for a tank much larger than yours.
- Get a large tank. Water in larger tanks is more stable and easier to maintain.
- Regularly change the water partially. Once every fortnight, use something like a gravel vacuum to clean your gravel and drain up to 20% of the water. This small maintenance effort will mean your tank stays nice with no real need for a major clean-up.
- Use the fish water on house plants. The plants will love it, and you will effectively be carrying out small water changes frequently. This is much better for your fish and easier for you.
Having said all of this though, the major reason why the majority of people opt for buying a self-cleaning fish tank is because it’s a low-risk way of needing to do less maintenance when you are a keen fish keeper.
Let’s face up to it, a huge number of us loathe changing the water in our tanks. Some of us do like to get our hands wet, but we are very few. Along with our colleagues in the world of aquascaping, we find it very therapeutic to trim our plants back once every week. It makes us feel good reshaping growth and then carrying out a precision siphon. It gives us a chance to refresh the tank and wipe the slate clean.
I hope these tips can help you maintain the fish tank. Stay tuned with us for more pet news.
