How to Clean A Fish Tank Easily

Maintaining a fish tank should not cause you too much trouble as long as you know some of the tips for making the chore a bit easier. It's important to take on such a task in steps. So, you'll need to organize your cleaning so you first tackle the inside glass of the aquarium, followed by the plants and rocks and gravel. Once you are done cleaning the inside, you'll need to proceed with cleaning the outside glass, filter, and fixtures.

Clean the Inside Glass

So, start by scrubbing the inside glass with an algae pad or scraper. Make sure that you buy a pad at a pet store as pads used for cleaning in the kitchen can contain chemicals or soap that can hurt or kill fish. If residue has accumulated on the glass that is hard to remove, take time to scrape off the offending dirt by using a razor blade. If you have a fish tank made of acrylic, then you'll need to use a plastic blade.

Clean the Artificial Plants and Rocks

Once you've taken care of cleaning the inside glass, you'll need to remove the artificial plants and rocks that need to be cleaned. Again, use an algae scraper for the task. Avoid using detergent, which can kill aquarium fish. If you have a difficult time removing the debris, prepare a diluted solution of water and bleach (10%) for the items. Scrub off the dirt and rinse and dry naturally.

Clean Aquatic Plants

You can clean live plants with a 5% diluted solution of bleach and water, soaking the plants for a couple minutes before rinsing. In addition, make sure any bucket or container you use for cleaning has not been used previously. Again, soap is lethal to fish. So, you'll need to set aside a special bucket or container for cleaning the fish tank.

Clean the Gravel in the Tank with a Siphon and Vacuum

Clean the gravel in the tank with a vacuum and siphon, making sure that all dirt and debris are eliminated and removed.

Don't Clean the Glass with an Ammonia-based Cleaner

After the inside has been cleaned, you'll need to clean the outside of the aquarium, or the top, light and glass. Don't use a glass cleaner containing ammonia as ammonia, like soap, can kill your fish. Instead, use vinegar to clean the outside or a cleaner that has been certified as being safe for aquarium cleaning. After you use the vinegar or cleaner, rinse away the substance thoroughly.

Wait about Two Weeks before Cleaning or Replacing the Filter

Return the decorations-rocks and plants-to the fish tank after the above step. Don't clean the filter, however, until after about two weeks. That's because cleaning the fish tank can also upset the bacterial balance of the aquarium. Therefore, wait a couple weeks to clean or replace the filter. If the filter is made to absorb ammonia or if it contains carbon, then replace it if it is a month old. Mechanical filters should be carefully rinsed rather than replaced. Use a brush designed for filter cleaning to remove build-up in the tube and fish tank assembly.

Regular Maintain the Aquarium after its been Thoroughly Cleaned

After a thorough cleaning, you can keep your aquarium sparkling by scraping the glass each week, siphoning the debris from the gravel when you change the water, and making sure you clean away any algae as soon as it accumulates on the plants and rocks in the tank. Clean the filter or change it every four weeks.

Having a clean fish tank is very important for the well being of your fish. Take a look at FreshwaterAquariumFish.net for ideas on freshwater fish for your aquarium.

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Worried About Your Aging Betta?

You may not realize it but your prized betta is aging right before your very eyes. Well, okay not exactly. But close enough. And given they don't come with a birth certificate you really have no idea how old they are when you first lay eyes on them. Some Petco bettas might only be about six months old. Others on display at Walmart may be 15 months old. Or visa-versa. Or anything in between. Which is to say unless you are buying from a breeder who knows the age of the spawn that produced your veil tailed beauty you have no way of knowing how old the fish is when you bring him or her home.

So the pace of decline as your fish ages may be faster or slower depending on that unknown starting point. But given they may live four or five years under the best of circumstances the speed at which they age is still going to be fairly rapid. So much so you'll sooner or later recognize they aren't the fish they once were. Having slipped from robust enthusiasm to a more staid lifestyle more befitting middle age and then the golden senior years.

So do you suspect you have noticed signs that your betta is aging? If you answered not yet maybe you want to what are they and what should you look for? To help with that let's compare the reality then and the reality now so you'll know how to recognize what's going on with your betta fish's ticking biological clock.

Bubble nesting

Reality Then: When you first brought your finny friend home they probably displayed real nest building zeal. They may not have been blowing bubbles nonstop but some days is sure seemed like it, am I right? But back then they were likely in their breeding prime. And one never knows when a female may happen by who is ready, willing, and able to make a love connection, if you would. Your boy had no idea odds of that happening in their five gallon world were slim to none. Hence a bubble nest building we do go just in case.

Reality Now: Bubble nest? What's that? Okay so it not like someone flips a switch and the nest building activity ceases. But the fervor with which the process proceeds does tend to diminish over time. Which is only natural. As bettas age the urge to prepare to mate naturally diminishes too.

Flaring

Reality Then: Anything that could be a threat was flare worthy what with machismo bred into these fish. It might be your finger. It might be his image in a mirror. It might be the cory in his tank that dared dart off the bottom. Besides when you're young and viral there's territory to defend. And a physical verbal cue used to do that in a betta's world is by flaring.

Reality Now: Flaring? Not so much. Rather than dash to rise to the occasion your betta might glide over to investigate first. Because constant flaring takes energy. It can wear a boy out. Over time your pet may find better ways to expend their energy than by flaring at anything that might be a threat.

Colors on Display

Reality Then: The finned one initially put on quite a display without even trying. In some cases the colors of their body and fins might rival a 4th of July fireworks display.

Reality Now: Like it or not, just as human males lose their hair, betta males experience a subtle dulling of their colors over time. Not that they go pallid gray on you. But some of the eye catching brightness these boys display naturally is going to diminish over time.

But relax. None of this is to suggest your fish is ready to cash in their chips any time soon. But as we age our ability to maintain the vigor of youth passes. The key is to enjoy your betta fish as they change. Sure they may not dance like a whirling dervish at the sight of you like they did before. But that's not to say you still can't enjoy their more sedate behavior which now more rarely rises to the occasion than previously.

And for more info on what to feed betta fish maybe you should visit http://www.better-bettas.com. Better-Bettas is a popular site providing proven tips and advice for caring for Siamese fighting fish.

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How To Set Up A Freshwater Tropical Aquarium

A well set up and cared for aquarium is a tranquil and beautiful addition to your home and will provide you with hours of relaxed viewing as you enjoy the delight of watching your fish swim effortlessly through the tank.

Owning Tropical fish as pets can rewarding it does require commitment and regular care just as owning any pet does. Before you begin here are some things to consider

Where in your house will you place the aquarium?It is best not to have your aquarium in direct sunlight as this will enable excessive algae growth. Make sure there is a power outlet nearby as you need power for filters, heaters and lights. You will also need to consider what to place the aquarium on - the surface must be flat and level and sturdy as they become very heavy once filled with water.

Many aquariums, especially the larger ones come with their own stand, which are great as they generally have space under them to store filters and other necessary equipment.

Make sure the position you choose is safe from pets and children.

What types of fish to buy?This is something you should research even before you purchase your aquarium as the types of fish can impact on the size of aquarium, the best filter, heater and other equipment and the ideal rocks and plants for your tank.

Seek advice from your local aquarium supplier or pet shop, research on the internet and library or ask other fish owners for their experiences.

Once you have made the decision on the types of fish you own, you will then need the following equipment and supplies

A tank that is large enough to accommodate plants with sufficient space for your fish to manoeuvre around comfortably.A filtration device is important for the health of your fish. There are quite a few to choose from. Consult with the supplier of your tank which filtration device is suitable for the size of tank you wish to purchase.A water heater is important for keeping control of the temperature of the water.Lighting is very important for the wellbeing of your fish and also the plants in your tank.Substrate and rocks to decorate the tank.A water siphon or vacuum to remove debris.Plants that are suited to the climate, location, and types of fish in the tank. Beware of some plants as they may be toxic for your fish.

The initial set up of your tank is very important and must be done well in advance of bringing home your fish. It takes time to stabilize the tank and remove all harmful chemicals from the water before it is safe enough to house your fish.

So once you have positioned the tank where you want it you should arrange the rocks inside then half fill the tank with water. This is the time to add the plants and other accessories and to arrange the tank aesthetically.

Once you are happy with the planting and the look of the tank, fill to the top. Set up the filtration system and connect to power so to circulate the water. Add the necessary chemicals to remove chlorine from the water.

Turn on the lights and heater and leave the tank for several days before adding your fish to it. This will enable time for the water to stabilize and allow bacteria and other organisms to grow.

You are now ready to bring home your fish and enjoy watching them explore their new environment

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