Having a pet fish is a wonderful hobby. Looking at the colorful and graceful marine life is truly amazing. Not only that, keeping an aquarium at home is also said to be therapeutic. Staring at the beautiful fish and listening to the soft murmur of the water for a certain time apparently relaxes the mind and gives a sense of peace. Maybe this is why a great number of people have become “hobbyists” when it comes to keeping a pet fish. It has both aesthetic and therapeutic benefits.
But keeping an aquarium is not all play. In fact, regular fish tank maintenance is needed in order to ensure the cleanliness of the water and health of your fish. Who wants a dirty aquarium in the first place when the main reason for getting into this hobby is to be able to admire and appreciate the beauty and marvel of marine life? And who can appreciate that in a dark, murky water? So when you notice that your aquarium water is starting to get dirty, or you need to top off some of that evaporated water, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get working.
To some people, cleaning the fish tank can be bothersome because of the tedious and delicate work it requires. But to the real hobbyists, the secret is keeping a fish tank maintenance routine. This makes cleaning the tank in fact an enjoyable task. Besides, you don’t have to “break down” the tank every time it needs cleaning. Most of the time, you just need to perform a partial water change of approximately 20%, a good gravel vacuuming, and scraping off the front viewing panel of algae. You also need to be aware of the gravity of your algae problem in order to know what kind or how often you need to clean the tank. Algae problem may be a cause of any or a combination of these: overfeeding, tank may be overstocked, you may not be performing enough water changes, feeding the wrong kind of food, etc. You may also need to find out about the “cloudy water” problem.
There are two methods in cleaning or maintaining your fish tank, the Vacuum and Bucket Method and the Python Vacuum Method. The first is basically the traditional way of cleaning an aquarium while the second is a faster and easier process. In the bucket method, you will usually need an aquarium glass scrubber, aquarium vacuum and a 5-gallon bucket. In the second method, you will need a “python vacuum system.” There are basically four important steps in cleaning and maintaining a fish tank: 1. Develop a fish tank maintenance schedule. As mentioned, you don’t need to do a major cleaning all the time. Once or twice a week is enough. This makes cleaning less bothersome than what is perceived, and makes it even something to look forward to. 2. Turn off the fish tank electricity. This is mainly for safety purposes. Turning off the electricity while cleaning will also keep the filter from clogging up with the debris you pull from the gravel. 3. Clean the fish tank. As mentioned, replace only about 20% of the tank water. Use your algae scrubber to scrape off the algae off the front and sides. Check your filter media. If it needs cleaning, rinse it in discarded tank water. Filter media has beneficial bacteria needed for aquarium nitrogen cycle. Rinsing it in tap water will destroy these good bacteria. 4. Refill water with de-chlorinated water. Before putting water into the tank, be sure to put in the proper amount of chemicals that will remove chlorine and chloramine first. Make sure your water has the same temperature as your tank as high temperature may cause stress on your fish. For saltwater aquariums, mix and ready your saltwater at least a day before you clean your tank. Freshly mixed saltwater may be dangerous to your fish.
In case of leaks, use a water-resistant glue to cover the damage. A hardware type sealant may not be as tough and you can apply it only outside the tank. But an approved water-resistant glue can be applied inside the fish tank and in fact prevents water pollution inside the tank. Check where the leak is coming from. It usually comes from the seals that join the pieces of aquarium glass together. But if the leak comes from the glass, you may have to buy a new aquarium since the crack may eventually cause the whole aquarium to break. A water-resistant glue however, like any other glue, will lose its strength over time. So take regular checks to keep the safety and health of your fish.
Keeping a pet fish as a hobby takes a lot of dedication and work. You have to be a genuine marine lover if you decide to keep one. But looking at the beauty and wonder of the fish as they swim gracefully around in their bright and colorful coats make it all worth it.
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