| Before you buy an aquarium and fill it with fish, you | | | | Freshwater aquarium maintenance means changing |
| need to find out what is involved in freshwater | | | | the tank water every two weeks. While this is |
| aquarium maintenance. One thing you cannot do with | | | | necessary, it is not always the thing people most |
| success is buy a group of fish, place them in your | | | | love about having an aquarium. Luckily, you only need |
| tank and then think that all you have to do is feed | | | | to take out about 20% of the water, not all of it. |
| them. Aquariums are a lot of fun but they are not | | | | Around once a month you will want to do a more |
| maintenance free. You need to do everything you | | | | thorough cleaning, where you take out one-half of |
| can to keep your fish healthy and happy. | | | | the water. This too is when that second tank is going |
| One of the things you can do to limit freshwater | | | | to come in handy. If you have one, you can keep |
| aquarium maintenance is to start out by equipping | | | | the water in it just right so that when you clean the |
| your aquarium with the best equipment and the right | | | | primary tank, you can move all the fish into the |
| types of fish. For instance, a power filter is the | | | | backup tank. |
| answer to making your tank the most user-friendly. | | | | Water is usually removed from the tank using a |
| With one of these filters, you do not have to worry | | | | siphon and fish are moved from one tank to another |
| much about odors, cloudiness or water impurities. All | | | | with a net. If you have to clean your tank with the |
| you have to do is change the filter once a month | | | | fish still in it, be very careful not to hurt any of the |
| and you are good to go. | | | | fish. |
| A fish that can help you clean | | | | A two-week cleaning means using a sponge to scrub |
| When you fill your aquarium with fish, get a bottom | | | | the inside and outside of the aquarium. Do not ever |
| dweller. These fish are more than worth their keep | | | | use soap. A small amount of salt applied to the |
| because they live on the bottom and keep the | | | | sponge will clean the glass beautifully. Either rinse or |
| gravel and plants clean from any food that has fallen | | | | change your filter. Check the hoses if you have an air |
| down there. They also keep the bottom of the tank | | | | filter in your tank, and use a gravel cleaning device to |
| algae-free. One of the best algae eaters and a real | | | | get the substrate clean. If you have a bottom |
| boon to freshwater aquarium maintenance is the | | | | dwelling fish, this will be much easier as he will already |
| plecostomus. This fish's name has lots of letters and | | | | have done most of the job. |
| is hard to pronounce but it is the easiest solution to | | | | Tank refills |
| algae problems. They come in all sizes. | | | | When you do your monthly cleaning, take out all of |
| Daily fish checkups | | | | the structures and plants and clean them with water |
| Each day you should check to make sure that there | | | | and salt as well. Check the pH of the water to make |
| is no leftover food floating around tank. Only feed an | | | | sure it is what it's supposed to be. The best way to |
| amount of food that your fish can eat in three to | | | | fill your tank up again after a cleaning is to use |
| five minutes. Feeding too much food will make the | | | | distilled water and heat it up to the right temperature |
| water in the tank cloudy. Also check to make sure | | | | before adding it. Tap water should only be used in an |
| that your water is clean, your heater is working (if | | | | emergency as it is never the best choice for your |
| you have fish that need one) and that the lights are | | | | fish. It often contains chlorine and other organisms |
| going on and off when they are supposed to. The | | | | which can be deadly to fish. |
| biggest thing is, of course, to make sure there are | | | | The biggest thing to remember about freshwater |
| no sick fish in the tank. | | | | aquarium maintenance is that you must never change |
| Ideally, you need to have a small tank all ready to go | | | | all of the water at once. Only add a small amount of |
| for isolating sick fish. Not everyone does but it will | | | | water to the pre-conditioned water in the tank--not |
| make life a lot easier if you can manage to have one. | | | | more than 20% weekly or 50% when you clean the |
| A sick fish should be isolated until you can determine | | | | whole tank. |
| what is wrong with him or her and whether or not | | | | Fish are a wonderful hobby and you can spend |
| the illness is contagious. This is especially critical with | | | | endless hours engrossed in watching their |
| an injury as a fish that is not well will often be | | | | movements and behavior. Make sure that you help |
| mistreated by the other fish in the tank. If the fish | | | | them to be as healthy as possible by feeding the |
| does have a contagious disease, you will have to | | | | right types of food and performing regular |
| treat all the other fish as well. | | | | freshwater aquarium maintenance. |
| Aquarium cleaning | | | | |