5 Fish Tank Maintenance Tips for Beginners

More than 13 million households in America keep fish as pets. Fish make the perfect companions for small or large homes and can be incredibly calming.

They’re also relatively low maintenance compared to other pets. However, you still need to look after your fish and their environment properly if they are going to thrive and survive!

Proper fish tank maintenance will keep your beloved pets healthy and happy. So what exactly do you need to do? If you’re a new fish owner, read on to find out our five top tips from our tank maintenance guide.

1. Treat Your Water Properly

You can fill your fish tanks up from the tap.

However, tap water contains minerals that can harm your fish and aquatic plants. So it is important to treat this water properly before putting your fish in their new home.

You can get treating agents and supplements for your fish maintenance online or from your local pet store.

2. Monitor Your Chemical Levels

Once you have treated your water, you need to monitor its chemical levels. You should do this on a regular basis.

You should check your tank’s:

• pH levels (6.6-8.8 for freshwater fish and 7.6-8.4 for saltwater fish)
• Nitrate levels
• Nitrite levels
• Ammonia levels

These will change over time while you have fish in the tank. You can balance out the levels in your tank using water treatment supplements. Make sure you remove your fish before doing this.

3. Get the Temperature Right For Your Fish

Your tank needs to be at the correct temperature for your fish to survive. This depends on what type of fish you own.

Freshwater fish need their tank temperature to be between 72 and 82 °F. In contrast, saltwater fish need to live in an environment between 75 and 80 °F.

Because of this, it is also important to make sure you buy kinds of fish that can survive in the same environment. For example, Picasso clownfish are saltwater fish. So you should never put them in a tank with freshwater fish.

4. Change the Water Regularly

Dirty tank water can increase the phosphate levels in your fish’s home and affect the temperature of the tank itself. This can make your fish very sick.

Changing the water in your tank helps you keep it clean and balances out the nitrate levels in it. This will also get rid of any debris or waste that has built up in the water.

5. Clean the Glass and Decorations

Debris in your fish tank doesn’t just build up in the water. Algae can also grow on the glass and on any decorations you have in your tanks.

This makes it difficult to see your fish and also reduces how much oxygen there is in the water.

You don’t have to wait to change the water before cleaning your tank. You can clean the glass easily while the fish are still in the tank. If you have any decorations in your tank, remove these and give them a thorough clean over the sink.

Keep Your Fish Healthy and Happy With Proper Fish Tank Maintenance

When it comes to fish tank maintenance there are a lot of things to keep in mind. Setting up your tank properly and regularly checking on it will ensure your fish stay happy and healthy for years to come!

Are you looking for more great homecare tips? Then keep scrolling through our website now.