Pet Care 101: 10 Tips to Maintaining a Healthy Aquarium
Pet Care 101: 10 Tips to Maintaining a Healthy Aquarium
Owning an aquarium helps you learn about marine life and improve your home’s ambience. Purchasing aquarium products for your lovely pet fishes can also help you become a responsible pet owner.
While having an aquarium at home can be beneficial, you must realise that keeping an aquarium balanced and healthy needs hard work and dedication, especially if you’re a new aquarium owner.
If you want to enjoy a glimpse of aquatic life better, this article will enumerate ten tips for keeping a healthy and balanced aquarium.
- Condition the Aquarium Water Properly
Your fish tank’s water quality is crucial for your pets’ health. Tap water has many properties, like minerals, that you should adjust to make a suitable environment for your aquatic life. You can also use aquarium products that help to remove these properties.
- Get the Right Water Temperature
Place your tank away from direct sunlight and cooling vents, and research the recommended temperature range for each type of fish. Freshwater fish love water that's between 23°C and 28°C, while saltwater fish prefer temperatures between 24°C and 27°C. You can also invest in a water heater for cold tanks.
- Maintain pH Balance and Other Chemical Levels
You can keep your pets healthy by regularly monitoring your aquarium’s pH balance. Invest in a pH test kit to measure the acidity and alkalinity levels. Freshwater fish thrive in pH levels from 6.6 to 6.8, while saltwater fish favour a range of 7.6 to 8.4.
You should also check your tank’s nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia levels which vary across fish species and aquarium types. Moreover, you can ask pet counsellors for professional advice.
- Select Compatible Fish Species
Before purchasing aquarium products, you should research what species can coexist peacefully in enclosed spaces. Many fish species can live together harmoniously as long as their owner meets their needs. However, you must also remember that some fish can be aggressive towards other species in their territory.
- Never Overcrowd the Tank
Adding too many fish in your tank can cause oxygen levels to drop, increasing your fish's risk of illness. It can also create too much waste and contaminate the water, killing your pets.
- Float Fish in Their Bags
You can also help your new pets adjust to the new environment by floating the sealed fish bag in the aquarium for 15 to 20 minutes. Next, add a quarter cup of aquarium water to the bag every five minutes. Then, remove some water from the pack and lower it into the aquarium to let the fish swim freely.
- Acclimate Them to the New Water
You can also help your new pet adjust to the environment by testing your aquarium water levels and asking your pet counsellor for your pet's most suitable acclimatisation procedure. This step is especially crucial if you buy certain fish species that are highly sensitive to different environments.
- Never Overfeed
Feeding your fish too much food can dirty your tank, impacting the water quality and oxygen levels. You can keep your tank clean and fish healthy by following a regular feeding schedule and giving them the right amount of food.
- Regularly Change the Water
Changing 25% of your tank’s water monthly can help keep it clean and stable and minimise the stress on your fish.
- Clean Tank Glass and Other Structures
While little tank algae aren’t something to worry about, too much can be dangerous because it can make the tank look cloudy and swampy and reduce the oxygen in the water.
Thriving Aquatic Life at Home
Aquariums are one of the best ways to learn about aquatic life at home. Purchasing the best aquarium products and consulting professionals can help you become a responsible pet owner.
If you need the best aquarium products in Hurstville, Sydney, check out Hurstville Aquarium! Our store offers an extensive range of livestock and a variety of products from different brands.