| It is important to provide your pets a clean | | | | reduce the amount of nutrients in your tank that |
| environment for them to have a long and healthy life. | | | | come from fish waste. This same waste increases |
| Freshwater aquarium maintenance is a must to | | | | the amount of nitrogen that algae and plants love. |
| maintain the lifespan of your fish, but is definitely | | | | We would rather this nitrogen be used by aquatic |
| desirable to reduce the amount of maintenance if | | | | plants. Now, if you have plant eating fish this could |
| you can. There are several things you can do to | | | | actually increase your fish tank maintenance. |
| reduce the amount and frequency of maintenance | | | | 6) Obtain fish that like to eat algae and food waste |
| for your aquarium. | | | | in the tank such as an algae eater or a plecostomus. |
| 1) Use an adequate filtration system by choosing a | | | | 7) Run your aquarium filter and setup for a week |
| filter system that is rated for the size of your | | | | before adding fish to your aquarium. This allows the |
| aquarium. In fact, going a little bigger will not hurt. I | | | | water quality to equilibrate and time for important |
| use the external canister filter systems and they | | | | micro-organisms to grow that will filter your fish tank |
| seem to work well. | | | | naturally. This by itself could save you a couple of |
| 2) Do not overload your freshwater aquarium with | | | | fish tank cleaning adventures right from the beginning. |
| fish. A general rule is to add 1 inch of fish per gallon | | | | 8) Change a portion of the water about once a |
| of water. I prefer to be conservative and load my | | | | month, but do not change too much. Do not change |
| tanks much less, I have about 1 inch of fish per 2 | | | | more than a third of the volume and I would change |
| gallons of water. | | | | less if you can. Changing too much can remove too |
| 3) Do not set up your aquarium directly in front of a | | | | many of those important micro-organisms and add |
| window that gets a lot of sun. Too much light can | | | | fresh nutrient rich water that could cause algae |
| cause an algae bloom in your fish tank, therefore, | | | | problems. Depending on your setup, you may have |
| more maintenance. | | | | to change more of the water. However, if you have |
| 4) Do not heat your tank too warm. This does | | | | an adequate filter system and do not overload your |
| depend on the heat requirements of your fish of | | | | tank you should not have to change that much |
| course, but heating your tank too much can also | | | | water. |
| increase the likelihood of algae problems. I keep many | | | | Doing these things can decrease the amount and |
| of my tropical freshwater aquariums around 78 | | | | frequency of maintenance for your freshwater |
| degrees Fahrenheit. | | | | aquarium. The less maintenance, the more enjoyable |
| 5) Add live plants to your aquarium. Live plants can | | | | raising aquarium fish at home will be. |