Tips On Aquarium Maintenance

If you need catching up on routine saltwater aquarium maintenance, now is the perfect time.

Scrub algae, check filters, and change bulbs for overall system health.

A strict maintenance schedule must be in place for your saltwater fish and other inhabitants to thrive and survive in your aquarium.

A suggestion on saltwater aquarium maintenance is included at the bottom part of this article.

Proper and routine cleaning is the key to success and is beneficial. Your inhabitants will stay healthier and your saltwater aquarium?s physical environment will look cleaner.

Start by checking if all your equiments are working properly and efficiently. It’s good to find out if one or more of your equipments are stealing energy that can cost electric bill to go up than usual.

Dusting the exterior equipment should also be added on your saltwater aquarium maintenance checklist. Check the chords to see if any had been tangled up. Remove algae with a scraper, clear your protein skimmer’s collection cup.

Change lamps as well if necessary. If you don’t remember when the last time you changed it, then it’s probably time to get a new one.

But how often should the saltwater aquarium maintenance need to take place?

Well it all depends on the following questions:

  • - How big is your aquarium?
  • - What kind of saltwater aquarium filtration do you use?
  • - What types of inhabitants to you have?
  • - How many inhabitants do you have?
  • - How often do you feed them?

Decide on how often your saltwater aquarium needs cleaning based on the question above.

Here is a suggestion or recommendation on how often your saltwater aquarium should be checked and what should be checked and/or be monitored.

Daily

  • - Make sure all equipments are running properly.
  • - Salinity (refer to the guideline of acceptable water parameters)
  • - Temperature (at least twice a day – in the morning and at night)
  • - Check your fish making sure their activity is normal. Checking this daily will help you find out the first signs of disease and treat it early.

Weekly and/or Bi-Weekly

  • - Partial water change (15-20% of your saltwater aquarium)
  • - Vacuum gravel or sand.
  • - Check water parameters – pH, Hardness, Nitrite, Nitrate (refer to the guideline of acceptable water parameters)
  • - Rinse your filter. It’s a good idea to rinse it with your old aquarium water that you are changing. Using chlorinated water will cause temperature change and can kill the bacteria that accumulated.

Monthly

  • - Replace filter media or as required by the manufacturer.
  • - General inspection of all equipments for proper operation.
  • - Check expiration dated on the boxes and bottles of your aquarium supplies that you use.

When required

  • -Algae clean up on aquarium glass and decorations.