Pampered Dog Blog

A saltwater aquarium requires a degree of commitment from the owner in order to stay clean, healthy and attractive to look at. fish tanks are available in a large range of styles and sizes, but maintenance and cleaning will be easier with a simpler setup. Online videos demonstrate the proper techniques to use. Any saltwater tank’s main cleaning issues will be food and debris settling down into the gravel or sand at the bottom, along with algae developing on the glass. The filters also require regular cleaning.

Before you start, gather up all the items you’ll need. If you want to remove your fish from your aquarium while you’re cleaning, you’ll need a large bucket or small, temporary tank to put them in. You won’t need to do this unless you have a very dirty or contaminated tank. If you do temporarily remove your fish from the tank, it’s suggested that you take out as much as a quarter of the water to remove some of the contaminants. The water you remove can be used in your temporary container for your fish to swim in while you’re cleaning.

Turn off the aquarium’s heater and let it cool before taking it out. This step will help you avoid breakage due to a sudden change in temperature. You’ll only need to do this if your heater has become dirty and cleaning it will help it run more efficiently. You can clean the inside of the glass in a couple of ways. A sponge with a long handle will work, but if the algae are bad, you can use a scraper if you’re careful not to scratch the glass. Use a siphon to remove debris and food particles from the substrate. Manual siphons and siphons with pumps attached can be purchased at the aquarium store. If you’re a newbie, ask an employee to explain how to use the one you buy. Once you start up the siphon, push the large tube into the substrate and give it a slight wiggle. This technique will stir up the debris, which will then be sucked up through the siphon and into the container you’re using to hold the dirty water. Be careful not to siphon up any of the creatures living in your tank.

Lift and re-insert the siphon into various areas of the substrate until most of the tank’s bottom has been cleaned. If your aquarium isn’t too large, you can temporarily remove your decorations and rocks to give yourself better access to the substrate. Just replace them after you’ve cleaned that area. This is also a good time to rearrange things if you wish, although you should be careful to avoid disturbing the roots of any plants in your tank.

After your aquarium is clean, the next task is to clean the filters. Remove the foam pads, clean them with de-chlorinated water, and then replace them. Removing as much as 25% of the water in the tank is a quick, effective way to reduce the amount of contaminants in your aquarium. When you add fresh water to your salt water aquarium, always use water that’s been de-chlorinated and is the same temperature as the water that’s already inside. You’ll also want to make sure the new water has the proper salt density. Mix the salt into the water thoroughly and use a tester to ensure the salt content is 1.025. Slowly add it to the aquarium so you don’t disturb the environment or the fish themselves.

Sixty to ninety minutes every week or two should be plenty of time to maintain a saltwater aquarium. Keep a close eye on your fish for signs of disease or sluggishness, and immediately separate any fish that don’t look healthy to prevent the others from becoming diseased. Regular brushing of the filter and glass will decrease the number of times you’ll need to do a major cleaning job. If the substrate contains a lot of food you should decrease how much you feed to your fish. They actually prefer more frequent but smaller feedings. Reef aquariums and other larger, more complex saltwater aquariums need more sophisticated filter systems than smaller tanks, and hiring a professional for any major cleanings might be required. Maintaining your saltwater aquarium regularly does involve some work, but keeping your fish healthy, beautiful and lovely to watch is definitely worth the effort.

About the author:
John Edwards is an tropical fish enthusiast with 15 years of experience in studying tropical fish. He has many aquariums filled with some of the rarest and most beautiful tropical fish in the world.