Proper care of a home aquarium for beginners can seem a difficult and troublesome occupation. But, according to experienced aquarists, it is not more difficult to take care of an aquarium than other domestic pets. The main thing is to properly equip, start and populate the aquarium from the very beginning. And, of course, not having enough experience, it is necessary to study in advance which species of fish can inhabit in one space, and which plants are best suited for selected fish species. And only after that you should choose the configuration and size of the aquarium, and also start its equipment and design. Since caring for a small round aquarium is much more difficult, and this requires some experience, aquarists recommend starting with large rectangular aquariums. Breaking the biological balance in a large aquarium is much more difficult, and even if this happens, it will be easier to fix the situation. At the same time, for the inhabitants of small aquariums, even minor errors common among beginners can be disastrous. But despite the differences in the requirements for the content of various aquariums, species of fish and plants, there are also general rules of aquarium care that every aquarist should know.
How to properly care for the aquarium?
To maintain biological balance in the aquarium, experts recommend the following scheme of care for the aquarium.
Daily care:
- feeding and inspection of fish. Feeding should be moderate, you need to monitor that the fish eat up all the feed, for the time set for each type of fish. Particles of food should not fall on the ground, as this can lead to the multiplication of bacteria. During feeding, you should count the fish, observe their behavior, make sure there are no signs of disease.
- check the tightness of the aquarium and the serviceability of the devices. The difference in water temperature between the ground and on the surface should not exceed three degrees, otherwise the heater must be checked for service. If the water becomes turbid, check the operation of the filters, if necessary, increase the capacity or replace it.
- inspect algae and plants, if necessary remove damaged leaves and excess.
Weekly care:
- clean the cover glass, the walls of the aquarium and the leaves of plants. If necessary, the plants are to be weeded out, placed under the roots of the fertilizer, to remove excess algae, and to clean the soil with a siphon.
- to measure the water readings, PH, KH, DH. Make a change of water, from 20 to 30%. To do this, use only dechlorinated water.
- clean the filter.
Care of water in the aquarium
The more competent the aquarium maintenance is, the sooner the biological balance will be achieved and the aquarium will "mature". The most common mistake is the complete replacement of water, or the substitution of too much water, without extreme necessity. With such frequent manipulations, it is impossible to achieve equilibrium. But you can not ignore the turbidity of water, as well as high levels of nitrates and ammonia. In each case, the cause of the violations should be identified and eliminated. Water filtration should also be given special attention, each filter has its own operating requirements, which
How to properly care for a small aquarium?
In fact, caring for a small aquarium consists of the same manipulations as caring for a large one, but it requires more accuracy when adjusting the performance of the equipment, calculating the amount of water for substitution. Also, with a small amount of water, you should pay special attention to selecting the inhabitants of the aquarium and scrupulously monitor the plants. You can not overdo it, too frequent cleaning can lead to an imbalance in the shortest possible time, while insufficient attention to aquarium hygiene can lead to the accumulation of toxic substances and the loss of fish. A small aquarium should be provided with good filtration and aeration.