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Overcome Aquarium Grunge!
Getting a new fish aqauarium is exciting to people of any age. The beautiful fish in a gleaming fish tank bring the viewer a sense of peace and joy. The enjoyment quickly wears off however when the water in the tank gets murky and old.
Have ever seen a grungy algae-laden aquarium in someone's home? It is quite likely that the aquarium owner tries their best to properly maintain the fishes' abode and are frustrated by the results. The location of the fish tank may be the problem as well as lack of plant-life.
Solution: Move the aquarium away from direct sunlight which is often the reason for an algae problem.
It also wise to keep the tank away from drafts and heating ducts to help keep the water condition as stable as possible. Also, add plants to your aquarium. In addition to giving your fish important space to hide and snooze, plants can help to control the algae and maintain the PH balance of the water.
Soaps or detergents are a definite no-no when cleaning a fish tank again because of the PH Balance of the water. A change in this balance can adversely affect your fish.
Solution: Use specialized aquarium cleaning tools and cleaners that will keep your hands out of the water in the fish tank as well. Anything from your hands such as lotions, soaps or bacteria could contaminate the environment and put stress on your fish.
Major changes to the aquarium environment will stress your fish!
Solution: When changing the water it is advisable to change a little at a time. Instead of emptying it all at once, just take out about a third of the water. This helps you maintain the PH balance and minimize the stress to the fish in the aquarium. Same goes for your filter. Aquarium specialists recommend that you
change only half of your filter media at a time, again to retain the established PH balance.
Hint: Determine a cleaning strategy that you can easily follow to maintain your aquarium on a regular basis. Keeping a checklist of these steps if will ensure that you won't miss any steps and that others can help in your absence.
Overpopulation can add to the aquarium's maintenance requirements.
Solution: Resist the urge to add to the fish population of your aquarium unless it can support them. The more fish, the more food, the more... well, you get the picture.
If you do have room for more fish then take time to get advice about the best fish to buy. You'll want to make sure that the new fish are compatible with the current fish population in your aquarium. Look for fish that enjoy similar temperatures and water chemistry.
Hint: Fish that help to control algae in an aquarium are Ancistrus, Livebearers, Pencil Fish, Otocynclus or Sailfin Plecostomus. Select fish the same way as you would a plant. Look for a healthy, strong, active and unblemished fish.
To maintain the best environment for your aquarium check out these great aquarium supplies from our friends at amazon.com
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