Table of Contents
Introduction
Fish tanks are great for anyone looking to add a little life, color, and character to their living space. Whether you have a small tank on your desk or an enormous tank in your living room, it’s important to know how to properly maintain it so that you can keep the fish healthy while enhancing the aesthetic appeal of your home. Here are some tips for keeping your fish tank looking great:
Feeding
The second most important aspect of keeping a fish tank clean and healthy is feeding. It’s also the one that most people get wrong, so it’s important to get it right.
Everyone knows that you have to feed your fish at least three times a day, but not everyone knows what time of day or how much food they should be eating. If you’re stuck on where to start with feeding your fish, follow these steps:
- Choose the appropriate type of food for your specific species (there are many options available)
- Feed them at least 3 times per day—more if their bodies seem healthy despite this frequency
- Make sure that each meal doesn’t exceed 10% of their total body weight
Remove Waste
Use a gravel vacuum to remove waste. If you don’t have one, you can use a turkey baster or siphon.
If you have a net and are willing to get your hands dirty, then removing waste is as easy as scooping it up with the net and throwing it away!
Keep the tank top clear
Keeping the tank top clear is essential to maintaining a healthy aquarium. The tank top is where most of the water flow will be, so if there’s anything blocking it, it makes it harder for you to change out filters or clean your filter media. It’s also important to keep in mind what kind of fish you have; some fish are more likely than others to create additional debris that needs removing from the surface of the tank (see below). It’s important that any such debris does not build up too much in one area or else it could become an anaerobic environment for bacteria and other microbes which could cause your fish stress, illness and even death!
Monitor the temperature
One of the most important things to monitor in your fish tank is its temperature. The ideal range for most tropical fish is 76 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit, but if you have a large aquarium with several species of fish, you may need to keep it even warmer than that. If the water gets too cold, your fish may become sluggish or stop eating altogether; if it’s too warm, they can become sick and eventually die.
Keep it clean
Cleaning your fish tank is essential to keeping it healthy and beautiful. You should clean in a few different ways:
- Clean the filter by taking it apart and rinsing it with warm water, then re-assembling it. If you’re using an undergravel filter, take that out of the tank and rinse it as well.
- Rinse any decorations or plants you have in the tank with warm water each week—make sure all dirt gets rinsed off so none of the gunk builds up on them!
- You should also be cleaning the inside walls of your aquarium every 2 weeks—you can use a sponge or paper towel to gently wipe down these surfaces from top to bottom (don’t forget about corners!)
It is not hard to keep your fish tank looking great.
It is not hard to keep your fish tank looking great.
It is the most important thing to do.
- Keep the tank clean. Remove waste and algae from the aquarium glass, filter and decorations on a regular basis
- Feed your fish at least once a day; preferably twice or more if you have an active community of fish in your aquarium
- Monitor the temperature: Keep it between 76 degrees F (24 degrees C) and 82 degrees F (28 degrees C) for tropical species; cooler temperatures are suitable for coldwater species
- Keep the water clear by changing 25% every week or so
Conclusion
The key to keeping your fish tank looking great is keeping up with the maintenance. It’s not hard at all, and it will help keep your fish healthy and happy. If you have any questions about any of these tips, please contact us! We are here to help!