Aquarium Maintenance

Aquariums are a great addition to the interior of any home, office, or even restaurant. They bring an aspect of life and beauty into a room that may otherwise feel boring and droll. However, aquariums are not an item that can be set up and then left unattended. They must be cared for on a regular basis or they will become dirty and stagnant, causing the inhabitants of the tank (the plant life and the fish) to suffer and to eventually die.

Aquariums are not difficult to keep up with as long as tank maintenance is performed periodically and with a little care. Here are a few tips for maintaining a healthy aquarium environment for your fish that will ensure they live a healthy and happy life for you to enjoy for some time to come.

Perform a visual check of your aquarium every day. Look for fish that may be injured or sick. This can be judged on the way that they swim, their color, and their overall "feistiness". Check that the temperature is adequate and that the aquarium filters, aquarium lights and aquarium heaters are all operational. Use a net to remove any foreign debris such as dead plants or, in the unfortunate occasion, dead fish.
Every week, replace between 25 to 30 percent of the water in the tank. When doing so, remove any debris and waste from the gravel using a gravel cleaner. Wipe down the inner and outer glass of the aquarium to keep any algae from accumulating on the inside; this helps to improve the conditions of the water as well as your view of the fish.
Each month, you should clean the filter impellers and replace the filter media. This is also a good time to check supplies such as aquarium fish food to make sure that you are stocked up.
Never use any kind of detergent or soap to clean in or around the aquarium, as the chemicals will cause harm to the fish.
Take care in cleaning the inside of the aquarium glass as gravel will scratch it if you happen to pick some up when you put your hand inside.
Fish are very sensitive to the ecosystem balance in the tank and dramatic changes can cause a large shock to their systems. Because of this reason, only replace and maintain half of the aquariums filters at a time; leaving the other 50% in place until your next scheduled maintenance. If you wish to clean the filter fabric instead of replacing it, don’t rinse it off in the tank, simply pool some of the tank water into a small bucket and rinse it there.
Although you may think it’s a good idea to periodically change all of the aquariums water to give the fish a ‘fresh start’ this is a very bad idea. No more than 40 percent of the tank water should be changed at any one time. Replacing more than half of your tank’s water at a single visit can cause undue stress on the fish and can lead to them becoming sick or even dying.