An aquarium is a great addition to any home. It can provide hours of entertainment, and it’s also an opportunity for you to observe nature up close. However, taking care of your aquarium requires more than just filling it with water. If you want to keep your tank healthy and clean, then there are some things that you need to know before setting up the aquarium in your home.
In this blog post, we will discuss different ways on how you can properly maintain your planted or freshwater fish tank so that it stays clean and beautiful.
How to Properly Maintain Your Freshwater Fish Tank
#1. Clean the Aquarium Every Two Weeks or So
The first thing you need to do periodically to maintain your freshwater aquarium is clean it. The best way to go about this would be by using a gravel vacuum and a water changer. You want the tank as pristine as possible for when your fish come home, so make sure that all of the gunk from stirring up algae goes out of the tank.
If you want to go the more natural route, you can also use a plant press to suck up the algae. In addition, you must clean your plants every couple of weeks with either an underwater vacuum or by using a leaf blower.
#2. Feed Your Fish Once a Day With the Same Type of Food They are Used to Eating
One of the most important things to do to take care of your freshwater aquarium is to make sure that you feed them. I highly recommend feeding your fish once a day, and with food from the same type, they are used to eating.
As highlighted by the professionals from AquariumStoreDepot.com, there are many ways you can feed your fish, including supplementing their diet by trying different frozen foods or adding live plants to their tank. Ensure that you stay away from giving them human food like bread or pasta, as this can cause your fish to get sick.
Ensure that you have a healthy amount of the food on hand for when it’s feeding time so that they don’t go hungry! However, it is important to note that overfeeding them will make your tank unhealthy and may lead to higher ammonia levels in the water, which could kill your fish.
#3. Change Up Their Water About 25% Every Week
The next thing that you need to do is to change up their water. One of the most important things is that you should never let it get stagnant, as this can lead to all sorts of problems such as algae growth and breeding bacteria. You want your tank at its best for when your fish come home, so changing up their water once a week should do the trick.
I recommend a 25% water change every week, or if you have an automatic filter system, it could be done more often as long as they are running properly and there is only one type of fish in your tank.
You also want to make sure that when changing up their water, not all at once, but by adding a little bit of new water to the tank at a time, you use clean and purified water.
#4. Keep Any Live Plants in the Tank for Decoration and as Hiding Places for your Fish
It is important to keep live plants in your aquarium for decoration and as hiding places and keep the tank healthy. You want a good balance of plants that can act as food for your fish, making sure you have different types in their tank.
When it comes to plants, there are two options: plastic or real ones. If you’re not really caring for them, use the plastic ones because they are much easier to maintain (make sure that you change them out every few months). If you want something more natural, then feel free to use real plants, as long as your tank is large enough for them.
#5. Clean out all Dead Leaves, Bugs, and Other Debris From the Bottom of the Tank At Least Once a Month
It is important to keep the bottom of your tank as clean as possible because it can lead to all sorts of problems, such as algae growth and breeding bacteria. You want your fish at their best, so make sure that you are regularly cleaning out any dead leaves, bugs, or debris from the bottom of the tank every month. You can do this by either using an underwater vacuum or a leaf blower.
It’s important to clean out the bottom of your tank at least once a month; otherwise, you risk having all sorts of problems such as mold growth on the surface and in crevices.
You may have a beautiful fish tank, but that doesn’t mean taking care of itself. If you want to keep your aquarium looking its best and operating at peak performance year-round, follow these easy steps for maintenance. Remember that the more time you put into keeping up with routine cleanings and feedings now will pay off better health for your pets later on.
