How to Clean and Maintain a Salt Water Aquarium
Posted by PetFan on May 23, 2011 in Pets • No commentsSaltwater fish tanks require a lot of commitment from owners in order to keep them healthy, clean and beautiful. There are many sizes and styles of aquariums and the less complicated your set-up is then the easier it will be to clean. Videos can be viewed on the Internet that show proper cleaning and maintenance techniques. The main issues in salt water tanks are the algae growing on the glass and the food/debris that settles down into the sand or gravel. Filters also need to be cleaned regularly.
Assemble the needed item needed to complete the job, before starting. One requirement is a large pail or a smaller alternate temporary aquarium if the intent is to remove the fish. This is not required though unless the tank has gotten extremely dirty or contaminated. If removing the fish, it is recommended to take out up to 25% of the water in order to reduce the amount of contaminants. Use some of this water in your temporary container to put your fish in while you clean.
Turn off the aquarium’s heater and let it cool before taking it out. This step will help you avoid breakage due to a sudden change in temperature. You’ll only need to do this if your heater has become dirty and cleaning it will help it run more efficiently. You can clean the inside of the glass in a couple of ways. A sponge with a long handle will work, but if the algae are bad, you can use a scraper if you’re careful not to scratch the glass. Use a siphon to remove debris and food particles from the substrate. Manual siphons and siphons with pumps attached can be purchased at the aquarium store. If you’re a newbie, ask an employee to explain how to use the one you buy. Once you start up the siphon, push the large tube into the substrate and give it a slight wiggle. This technique will stir up the debris, which will then be sucked up through the siphon and into the container you’re using to hold the dirty water. Be careful not to siphon up any of the creatures living in your tank.
Continue moving the siphon around the bottom of the tank by lifting and re-inserting into various locations until the majority of gravel is cleaned. In smaller aquariums, move the rocks or decorations for better access to the gravel then replace to former location once that area is cleaned. This is a good time to do any rearranging that might be needed. Be careful not to disturb the roots of plants if at all possible.
Cleaning the filters is the next step of cleaning your aquarium. Remove and clean the foam pads with de-chlorinated water. Replace them once they’re clean. Taking out up to a quarter of the water in the aquarium is a quick, efficient method to reduce the amount of contaminants. The fresh water you add back in should be de-chlorinated, the same temperature as the old water, and have the right salt density. Mix the salt thoroughly into the fresh water and use a tester to ensure the salt content is the proper 1.025. Pour the new water slowly into the aquarium so you don’t stress your fish or disturb the environment.
Sixty to ninety minutes every week or two should be plenty of time to maintain a saltwater aquarium. Keep a close eye on your fish for signs of disease or sluggishness, and immediately separate any fish that don’t look healthy to prevent the others from becoming diseased. Regular brushing of the filter and glass will decrease the number of times you’ll need to do a major cleaning job. If the substrate contains a lot of food you should decrease how much you feed to your fish. They actually prefer more frequent but smaller feedings. Reef aquariums and other larger, more complex saltwater aquariums need more sophisticated filter systems than smaller tanks, and hiring a professional for any major cleanings might be required. Maintaining your saltwater aquarium regularly does involve some work, but keeping your fish healthy, beautiful and lovely to watch is definitely worth the effort.
About the author:
John Edwards is an tropical fish enthusiast with 15 years of experience in studying tropical fish. He has many aquariums filled with some of the rarest and most beautiful tropical fish in the world.
