Interiors

Tips for Maintaining Your Aquarium for Tropical Fish

A love for pets remains a key component of Western culture, as citizens in the U.S., Canada and the UK in particular are renowned for embracing animals as a part of their family. This brings considerable responsibility, however, as you must take great care to protect the welfare of your pets and create a safe, warm and humane living environment for them. For those of you who own a high volume of exotic fish, for example, this means ensuring that they have a suitable aquarium that is big enough to meet their needs.

Aquarium for Tropical Fish

To keep your tropical fish happy and healthy, it is also imperative that you correctly maintain your aquarium over a prolonged period of time. It is particularly important to invest in a high quality aquarium in the first instance, as this insures that your tropical fish and plants have the best possible environment in which to flourish. If you want to be a responsible owner and fully safeguard the physical well-being of your pets, follow these simple and actionable steps for success for maintaining your tropical fish tank: –

Clean the Filter in your Aquarium

Filters vary in terms of size and replacement media and this must be changed in accordance with directions. It's recommended that you do this every couple of weeks. For non-bio wheel filters, rotate which one you replace every week or so. Once a month, the whole filter should be removed and cleaned to insure that it is operating at maximum efficiency. Rinse your filter without using any kind of soap as this can damage the health of your fish, then replace the filter with fresh media and leave it unplugged until there is enough water in your tank to stop it overheating.

VacuumYour Tank

Every month, make sure that you remove the fish waste and debris by vacuuming your aquarium. Vacuums can be bought cheaply from most pet stores. Use a bucket to collect the dirty water and put the tube end of the vacuum into this. The other end should go into your tank. Pump to get the siphon action started and place the head of the vacuum into the rocks. Be very careful not to damage your fish or plants and only empty a third of the aquarium's water, as this will insure that you retain some of the good bacteria that has built up in the tank. It will also enable you to clean the aquarium without injuring or endangering the well-being of your fish.

Remove the Algae from your Tank on a Regular Basis

Whenever there is a combination of water and light, algae will grow. This is especially true in relation to aquariums, so when you have removed some of the water it is important to clean away any algae that may have accumulated over time. Tanks with plants will have more algae because your aquarium lights will probably be on for longer periods of time. To clean away algae, use a special algae sponge or scraper that is appropriate for the material of your tank, whether this is acrylic or glass. Using the wrong sponge or scraper can scratch your aquarium and damage your aquarium, so this should be avoided at all costs.

The Last Word

Being a pet-owner is not all fun, and it is crucial that you take responsibility for the well-being of the creatures in your home. By following these steps as an owner of domestic or exotic fish, you can create warm and loving environment that gives them the best possible life.

This article was written by Laura, who is a keen animal lover and home blogger from the UK. She has previously worked for All Pond Solutions, which can help you to locate a high quality aquarium for your home.

If you have any questions, please ask below!