You’ve finally set up your new fish tank—only days later, it’s starting to go cloudy.
What could possibly have gone wrong?
Keeping aquariums clean is easy, if you know what you’re doing. If you don’t, then you’ve put the lives of your new fish at risk.
Read on to learn the best ways for new fish owners to keep their tanks clean and healthy.
- Change Tank Water Frequently
One of the easiest ways to keep your reef tank clean and your fish healthy is by changing out the water regularly.
Ideally, try to replace a third of the water from your tank with clean water. This helps remove waste from the tank, which can make the water murky, and it also keeps your fish healthy as they are dependent on freshwater.
Note—this is best done by leaving your fish in the tank. Taking them in and out can cause them a great deal of stress.
Ceramic Biomedia can also be a great thing to add to the tank, as it helps keep water clean naturally.
- For Keeping Aquariums Clean, Use a Magnetic Scrubber
One of the best tools for cleaning tanks is a magnetic scrubber. One part is on the inside of your tank and it connects with a magnet to a handle on the outside of the aquarium.
Use it to wipe away algae growth from the walls of the tank, without having to get your hands wet or disturb your fish.
Anything that goes in your tank, such as a scrubber or net, should always be clean and completely rinsed of any soap or bleach residue.
- Don’t Overfeed
As fun as it can be to watch our beautiful fish dart and swim to catch food flakes, be careful not to overfeed your fish.
Only feed as much as they will eat in about two minutes, and then they may start to lose interest. Any extra food that then goes into the tank is wasted, and will just end up breaking down and clouding the water.
If you’re new to aquariums, experiment in the beginning and watch your fish, seeing how much they eat.
- Add Live Plants
A great way to keep your tank healthy is by adding live plants. They’re much nicer to look at than plastic plants or accessories, and they will work to help keep your water clean.
Live plants add oxygen into the water, and also take nutrients from the water, stopping algae from getting it and growing.
Easy aquarium plants include Java Moss or Fern and Amazon Sword.
- Avoid Placing Tank Near Intense Sunlight
Algae grows quickly in sunlight, so an aquarium placed near a window in direct is going to be harder to keep clean than one in a more shaded part of the house.
If you use a light in the aquarium, try to turn it off for at least 12 hours per day. This will both reduce algae growth and also replicate the natural light and dark within a 24-hour cycle for your fish.
Start Enjoying Your New Aquarium Today
Keeping aquariums clean can seem tricky at first, but once you understand what causes tanks to get dirty, it’s easy to keep your tank looking its best with little maintenance.
Use these tips for a beautiful, clear, and healthy fish tank, and enjoy the wonder and relaxation that fish can bring. And keep reading our blog for more tips.
Image Credits: Frantisek Czanner
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