Aquariums
Plecostomus species
Snails (assorted species)
Scarlet reef hemit crabs (paguristes cadenati)
Blue leg hermit cabs (clibanarius tricolor)
Astrea snails (Astrea tecta)
To remove algae, use algae scrub pads (available at your aquarium store or pet store) and clean the inside walls of your aquarium whenever the fuzzy little green stuff becomes visible. If you don't like sloshing around in the water with your hands, try a magnetic cleaning system. One magnet, attached to a scrub pad, goes on the inside of the glass, and another magnet goes on the inside of the glass, and another magnet goes on the outside for dragging the scrub pad around. Remember, algae thrive on light, so the more light your aquarium gets the more algae you're going to have to clean up.
Clean the filter in your tank once a week--or more often, depending on the feeding habits of your fish and how many fish you have. Most tanks have a mechanical filter, and models vary; follow the instructions that come with yours for removing, cleaning, and replacing the filter. A clean filter means better water, which means healthier fish.
Another filtering tool in your aquarium-cleaning arsenal is carbon. It gives your water that sparkling-clear look by removing the yellowish cast caused by food and waste. Carbon
may already be a part of your mechanical filter. If not, you can buy a carbon holder or even make your own: Put the carbon (available at your aquarium store or pet store) into an old pair of panty hose, tie a tight knot to secure it, and cut away the excess fabric. Place your carbon filter where it will get good water flow in the tank.
To thoroughly clean an old tank--especially if some of your fish were diseased--remove any fish to another container and empty the tank. Then refill the tank with fresh water and add 2 teaspoons of bleach for every 1 gallon of water. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes. Empty the tank, rinse it well, and then refill. Now neutralize any bleach residue by adding 2 or 3 drops of sodium thiosulfate (available at pet stores and hardware stores) per 1 gallon of water and let that sit for another 30 minutes. If you can't get
An Underwater Dirt Devil
That gravel at the bottom of your aquarium isn't just for looks. It's also a biological filter that traps gunk in the water. Give it a gentle vacuuming each time you change your aquarium's water. (If you're thinking of firing up your wet-and-dry vacuum, go stand in the corner.)
You can buy special aquarium vacuums, but making your own is easy, say Michelle Gunn and Lori Watkins, experts at the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanake Island. Attach a clear plastic siphon hose to the top of a small plastic soft drink bottle. ( The hose needs to be large enough to fit tightly over the bottle.) Cut the bottom of the bottle. Then place the bottle on the bottom of the tank. When the siphon starts drawing water (you thought to bring a bucket, didn't you?), it will suck up the dirt, waste, and old food without disturbing the gravel. Move from one patch of gravel to the next, working your way across the aquarium floor.
Since you'll be be using this technique at water-changing time, you'll have to stop when you've removed your target amount of water. It may take you two sessions to cover the entire aquarium floor. You can also install a special filter under the gravel, which will reduce the need for vacuuming.
sodium thiosulfate, pick up a dechlorinating product (see water-changing directions on previous topic) at your aquarium store and follow the directions for neutralizing bleach. Empty the water
once again and rinse. Now fill your aquarium with water that you have dechlorinated. Tell your fishy friends they can move in and unpack their bags.
Here are some preventive measures that can cut down on the time you have to spend cleaning your tank:
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With an aquarium, proper cleaning is a life-or-death issue for your finned friends, so take it seriously.
For a new aquarium, cleaning starts on Day 1. Clean all of your new gear--tank and accessories. Soap and detergent are no-no's. The residue will hurt the fish. For new equipment, just use plain old warm or cold water.
Check your aquarium's water once a week for its pH, nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia levels. Read up on the chemical tolerances of your particular fish species, so you will know when it's time for a change of water. (The folks who sold you all of that great will be glad to ring up a water chemical test kit as well.) A number of variables affect how often you will need to change the water: how many fish you have, how big they are, the species, the size of the tank, your lighting, and the kind of filtration
you're using. You don't really change all the water at once. Just change 10 to 25 percent of the water in your aquarium, and expect to do it about every two weeks.
To change the water, round up enough buckets to handle 10 to 25 percent of the water in your tank. (you can use the same bucket over and over, but you'll have keep stopping the siphon while you dump it out.) Use a siphon hose to draw the water out. A clear hose is best, so you can see what you're sucking up.
Don't refill the aquarium with water straight out of the tap. Nearly all tap water has chlorine added, and that will hurt your fish. (Many pet shops will test a sample for you, or you can use a home water chemical test kit.) To remove the chlorine, either use a dechlorinating product, such as Stress Coat, or let the water sit in a basin for 24 hours before pouring it in, giving the chlorine time to dissipate naturally. In any case, make sure the new water is about the same temperature--within one or two degrees-as the water left in the aquarium.
Simple Solutions
Nature's Vaccum Cleaners >
Why not hire some live-in workers for your tank? The folllowing species are happy to gobble up algae so you won't have to. Just make sure they're compatible with the other critters in your tank. You're inviting them to have dinner, not be dinner.
With an aquarium, proper cleaning is a life-or-death issue for your finned friends, so take it seriously.
For a new aquarium, cleaning starts on Day 1. Clean all of your new gear--tank and accessories. Soap and detergent are no-no's. The residue will hurt the fish. For new equipment, just use plain old warm or cold water.
Check your aquarium's water once a week for its pH, nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia levels. Read up on the chemical tolerances of your particular fish species, so you will know when it's time for a change of water. (The folks who sold you all of that great will be glad to ring up a water chemical test kit as well.) A number of variables affect how often you will need to change the water: how many fish you have, how big they are, the species, the size of the tank, your lighting, and the kind of filtration
you're using. You don't really change all the water at once. Just change 10 to 25 percent of the water in your aquarium, and expect to do it about every two weeks.
To change the water, round up enough buckets to handle 10 to 25 percent of the water in your tank. (you can use the same bucket over and over, but you'll have keep stopping the siphon while you dump it out.) Use a siphon hose to draw the water out. A clear hose is best, so you can see what you're sucking up.
Don't refill the aquarium with water straight out of the tap. Nearly all tap water has chlorine added, and that will hurt your fish. (Many pet shops will test a sample for you, or you can use a home water chemical test kit.) To remove the chlorine, either use a dechlorinating product, such as Stress Coat, or let the water sit in a basin for 24 hours before pouring it in, giving the chlorine time to dissipate naturally. In any case, make sure the new water is about the same temperature--within one or two degrees-as the water left in the aquarium.
Simple Solutions
Nature's Vaccum Cleaners >
Why not hire some live-in workers for your tank? The folllowing species are happy to gobble up algae so you won't have to. Just make sure they're compatible with the other critters in your tank. You're inviting them to have dinner, not be dinner.
- Freshwater
Plecostomus species
Snails (assorted species)
- Saltwater
Scarlet reef hemit crabs (paguristes cadenati)
Blue leg hermit cabs (clibanarius tricolor)
Astrea snails (Astrea tecta)
To remove algae, use algae scrub pads (available at your aquarium store or pet store) and clean the inside walls of your aquarium whenever the fuzzy little green stuff becomes visible. If you don't like sloshing around in the water with your hands, try a magnetic cleaning system. One magnet, attached to a scrub pad, goes on the inside of the glass, and another magnet goes on the inside of the glass, and another magnet goes on the outside for dragging the scrub pad around. Remember, algae thrive on light, so the more light your aquarium gets the more algae you're going to have to clean up.
Clean the filter in your tank once a week--or more often, depending on the feeding habits of your fish and how many fish you have. Most tanks have a mechanical filter, and models vary; follow the instructions that come with yours for removing, cleaning, and replacing the filter. A clean filter means better water, which means healthier fish.
Another filtering tool in your aquarium-cleaning arsenal is carbon. It gives your water that sparkling-clear look by removing the yellowish cast caused by food and waste. Carbon
may already be a part of your mechanical filter. If not, you can buy a carbon holder or even make your own: Put the carbon (available at your aquarium store or pet store) into an old pair of panty hose, tie a tight knot to secure it, and cut away the excess fabric. Place your carbon filter where it will get good water flow in the tank.
To thoroughly clean an old tank--especially if some of your fish were diseased--remove any fish to another container and empty the tank. Then refill the tank with fresh water and add 2 teaspoons of bleach for every 1 gallon of water. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes. Empty the tank, rinse it well, and then refill. Now neutralize any bleach residue by adding 2 or 3 drops of sodium thiosulfate (available at pet stores and hardware stores) per 1 gallon of water and let that sit for another 30 minutes. If you can't get
An Underwater Dirt Devil
That gravel at the bottom of your aquarium isn't just for looks. It's also a biological filter that traps gunk in the water. Give it a gentle vacuuming each time you change your aquarium's water. (If you're thinking of firing up your wet-and-dry vacuum, go stand in the corner.)
You can buy special aquarium vacuums, but making your own is easy, say Michelle Gunn and Lori Watkins, experts at the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanake Island. Attach a clear plastic siphon hose to the top of a small plastic soft drink bottle. ( The hose needs to be large enough to fit tightly over the bottle.) Cut the bottom of the bottle. Then place the bottle on the bottom of the tank. When the siphon starts drawing water (you thought to bring a bucket, didn't you?), it will suck up the dirt, waste, and old food without disturbing the gravel. Move from one patch of gravel to the next, working your way across the aquarium floor.
sodium thiosulfate, pick up a dechlorinating product (see water-changing directions on previous topic) at your aquarium store and follow the directions for neutralizing bleach. Empty the water
once again and rinse. Now fill your aquarium with water that you have dechlorinated. Tell your fishy friends they can move in and unpack their bags.
Here are some preventive measures that can cut down on the time you have to spend cleaning your tank:
- The location of your aquarium has cleaning ramifications. If you put it in direct sunlight, you'll have a constant algae battle on your hands, not to mention problems with overheating (the same problems you'll have if you leave your aquarium lights on too much).
- The cleaning considerations are not very different for freshwater and saltwater fish. But if you're a beginner, start with freshwater fish. They're less sensitive to variations in the chemical levels in the water. Besides, trackling the salinity of a saltwater tank is yet another aquarium-management issue that could push a beginner over the edge.
- Don't give your water beasts too much food. Fish don't have refrigerators, so the leftovers float around, driving up the levels of harmful chemicals. watch your fish at feeding time. When they begin to slow down their rate of eating, dinner's over; don't add more food.
- Inspect your fish every day to see whether they have any injuries, infections, or parasites. When you buy new fish, let them stay in a "guest room" for a month--a separate quarantine tank--so you can monitor them for any diseases that could wipe out the rest of your fish.
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