Sunday, February 19, 2017

Useful Tips On Ohio Aquarium Care And Maintenance

By Sarah Thomas


The practice of maintaining aquariums ensures the fish are in an environment that is healthy for their survival. Most time consuming and costly problems can be prevented by spending some time every week doing maintenance of the tank. Stability of the tank is perhaps the most important aspect of maintaining it. So long as everything is running smoothly and the fish are doing well, you will not need major changes. For those who reside in Ohio aquarium care and maintenance is done in various ways.

One of the most important aspects is water maintenance. This is something that should be done at least once after every two weeks. In most cases, just 10 to 15 percent of the water gets changed. Water change is done by replacing it as you vacuum the gravel. This eliminates any uneaten foods or residues that may have settled on the substrate. This is an easy way to make water change.

It is important to check water parameters of both tank and water added afresh. In most cases tap water will have chlorine or chloramine. Chlorine loses air very fast while chloramine does not. Chloramine is a mixture of ammonia and chlorine. In both cases, a water conditioner neutralizes chlorine. Ammonia will however still be present if the water has chloramine. Ammonia would have to be broken down by nitrifying bacteria in the aquarium. The process might take longer than fish can tolerate.

There are various other elements such as iron and phosphates that can be found in the water too. The exact composition of water can be gotten from the local water company. This way, you will be able to know which elements need to be controlled. Filtered water should be checked on a regular basis during routine maintenance. Filter membranes might get damaged or ought to be replaced prior to their expiry.

Proper function of filters is important. The inserts of filters, that is floss, algone and activated carbon need to be changed every month. If however the fish load is high, the replacement should be done after a shorter period. Trapped particles decompose within filters just as they do in the tank. Filters should be cleaned monthly using water extracted from the tank when water is being changed.

Eating pattern of fish needs to be closely checked. This is so that daily routine is observed to determine frequency of feeding. There are fish which require food on a regular basis while there are those that are fed just once daily. If the fish get overfed, there will be left overs within the tank.

You will need to strive to get rid of debris such as gravel within the tank before water change is done. It is important that one checks for impurities such as ammonia. This is done using a tester kit and buffer system that are easily gotten from various stores. The tester is used to check chemical levels in the tank. They can also check pH level.

Patience will be very important when maintaining a tank. It is advisable to proceed gradually. The variables of water parameters should be changed slowly. There are useful bacteria that should also be protected. The tank needs the useful bacteria for it to stay healthy.




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