| By :
Bob Finklea
Keeping fish as pets in aquariums is one hobby that is still as popular today as it was hundreds of years ago. Together with the saltwater aquarium hobbyists, freshwater fish-keeping ranks as the 2nd most popular hobby in the world. (Gardening is number one.) As far as these enthusiasts are concerned, there is only one downside to this fascinating hobby - freshwater aquarium maintenance. However, the hobbyists also knew that maintenance is the key to the cleanliness (and the resulting beauty) of their fish and their aquariums. Water as a medium of life is alive with energy for the animals and the fish that dwell in it more so than a maybe garden or a dog house. Freshwater maintenance is the all-important ingredient in owning a bunch of fish living in an aquarium because the lives of the pets themselves depend on how well (or lousy) it is done by the owner. The following are some of the more important maintenance features. Algae Like the proverbial fly in dry land, algae are the scourge in wet and watery regions like the insides of an aquarium. Algae can totally ruin any aquarium tank, and not just its looks (it makes clear glass blurry) but also its total hygiene. A plecostomus can do the job of cleaning the inside panel of the aquarium. Like any other non-systematic cleaner, the tiny aquatic janitor cannot do all the work. You really have to do the manual scrubbing yourself. (Side note: Do not overfeed your pets. Aside from the clutter, these can provide fertile nutrients for your dreaded algae as well.) Filters The most obvious sign that you need to change your filter is the color of the tank's water. Today, power filters are used instead of the manual filters of yesterday hobbyists. These are devices that regulate the particles in the water, filter them, and store the filtered dirt inside the device. Today, instead of cleaning the power filter itself, the up-to-date method is to replace the filter once every three to four weeks. For that fishy smell of the water, it is recommended that you replace the filters more often. The strong smell is an indication that the dirt in the water is getting lethal to your aquatic pets swimming in it. Water For regular "cleaning" of the aquarium's water, you have to change it once every two weeks. It is not as hard as it sounds because only about 20% of the water is drained and replaced. A simple siphon is used on this. The Tank Once a month, your aquarium tank had to be scrubbed clean. It is not as painful as tooth extraction. With some planning and some system, it can be done and done well enough. First, move your aquatic pets to a temporary container. Next, drain the tank's water. Afterwards, gently scrub both sides of the glass panes with a sponge, taking off the accumulated dirt. Next, take out the decorations and immerse them in hot water that had salt in it. Scrub them with a sponge, and under no circumstances should you use soap. Soap is deadly to anything alive in your tank, your pets included. Take out the plants (if any) and do your trimming and cleaning while the water level is low. (Do not flush out the trimmings because it might enter into your local waterways. Set them aside to dry and dispose of them with the trash.) Use your gravel vacuum to suck away the remaining dirt around. Rinse everything with clean water and vacuum again and again until you see clean water. Water Refill Refill your tank with water that has the same temperature as the old one. (Note: Regular tap water cannot be a substitute to the original water content.) Pasteurize your water first and cool it down to the right temperature. (Some people use distilled water to make sure about the purity. It is expensive, though.) Equipment Look into your lighting and see if anything needs cleaning and replacements. The bulb must be cleaned of dust buildup. The airline tubing of your air pump should be flexible still. If hard and encrusted with mineral deposits or algae, immediately replace it. If the airflow is reduced, replace the air stone. Look at your heater's glass tube for cracks. Check on the temperature to see if the heater is still functioning. More Equipment Checks Are your water circulation devices still working? Dismantle your filter to clean the parts. A clean bottlebrush can scrub out the pipes and tubes. The gaskets and the O-rings have to be cleaned and oiled if needed. Remove and clean the impeller and the impeller housing for obstruction or replace it. Do not as yet discard or replace any old media right away. Replace them if you want, but have a little portion of the old media in the filter for sometime. This is to "seed" the new media with the nitrifying bacteria. Maintenance Schedule The schedules of maintenance should be your own making. Every system is different from person to person, and from aquarium to aquarium. This is because the wear and tear of the things in your system is dependent on the pets and the aquarium. Keep a log of everything related with your aquarium - the maintenance expenses, schedule, equipment replacement reciepts. Here you will get a big help for all the things that matter about your aquarium. Maintaining your aquarium is a lot of work and slightly time consuming but well worth the trip especially if you do not fall behind on it.
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