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Introduction
One of the reasons that hobbyists failed in
sustaining an aquarium is the lack of time to maintain their aquarium and
this results in dying fish, overgrown algae and subsequently the dismantling
of the aquarium.
Aquarium maintenance is essential to keep the
fish healthy and thriving. Maintenance for an
aquarium need not be troublesome if one knows what are the requirements and
do them with discipline. A 30-45 mins regime a week or even 2-weekly will
normally suffice.
Start with the end in
mind
For those with deep pockets, leverage on good planning
can further ease the time and effort required for
aquarium. Provision of certain automation can further make the maintenance
effort a breeze. These includes :
a. Position of the Aquarium. This
should be near to water points and drainage points to facilitate water
changing. Often, one position the aquarium in the living room as a display
and subsequent water chaning becomes a chore. Be prepared for long hoses if
such positioning is unavoidable.
b. Tank intake and outlet.
For those with deep pockets, intake and drainage points can be constructed
onto the tanks controlled by valves.
c. Ensure easy access to
filters. Aquarists like to hide their in-tank filters such that
removing them for washing becomes a chore. External canister filters are the
best to ease maintenance. Top of the range filters that boast easy dismantling and washing
and technology (better filtration material, bigger filter) can even reduce
this to a 15-30 mins task while enjoying a coffee beside the
aquarium.
Automating the feeding
regime
Although not a maintenance task, daily feeding
is required for the fis to thrive. As we all know, it is best to feed fishes
frequently but in small portions to aid their digestion. A automatic fish
food feeder will return your investment many time over as they can be
programmed to drop food at the desired intervals. This does not deprive the
aquarists from manually feeding the fishes as these food feeder are easily
by-passed for the particular feeding interval as desired by the aquarist.
e. Right and adequate equipment.
f. Timer for lights
g. Other tips, - drawing water from
tank, place inlet at the right level, use 2 hoses,
Other
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Food
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TetraPro
Vegetable Crisps
Set-up
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Set-up
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Automatic
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Routine
Maintenance
Daily. Observe any abnormalities such
as functionality of the filters, sick/injured fishes etc.
Weekly.
Change about 30% to 50% of water including siphoning of waste accumulated on
the coral stones. Clean the glass as required. Read more on water changes.
2-Monthly.
Alternate the washing of the filter material. Clean the filter hoses
and the substrate if required. Additives During the water changes, 3-4 tablespoonfuls of marine salt
can be added to the water. |
Use
the BLISS
to check for trouble:
Behavior. Observe for abnormal fish
behavior, example, breathing heavily, hiding, not eating, etc.
Live
Indicator. Watch the weakest fish. They are the
most likely to perish when the water condition is bad.
Smell. The water would not smell right is something is
wrong.
Sight. Water
should be clear and not
milky.
Other
Related Topics:
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