Once your aquarium is up and running and you have introduced some fish to their new home there are things you must do to keep the aquarium in prime condition and your fish healthy. If you don’t do these things your tank will some look a mess and your fish will die, it’s as simple as that.
Everyday jobs
- Feed your fish (but not to much).
- Check your fish are healthy.
- Check all your fish are alive.
- Check the water temperature is correct.
- Check the filter, heater and lights are working.
Every two weeks
- Use your test kits.
Test the pH level of your water and test for harmful chemicals such as ammonia. Some aquatic centres will do this for you but test kits are not that difficult to use yourself.
- Do partial water change.
To reduce the levels of harmful chemicals you will need to do a partial water change every couple of weeks. Carefully remove 15% to 20% of the water (mind the fish) and replace it with new water. Remember to treat any water you add to your tank with an aquatic conditioner, and try to make it a similar temperature to the water in the tank.
Every few months
- Change the sponges in your internal filter.
However do not change every single sponge in the filter or you will loose all the good bacteria that break down the waste.
When necessary
- Clean your tank.
© Fresh Water Fish Keeping.com 2006
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