Fish Haven-Cleaning

While feeding your fish, take a minute to check your fish for any visible signs of disease or abnormal behavior. The sooner you catch the disease and treat it, the greater the chances for a successful cure. Remove any dead fish or plants. Make sure you check the filter strainer for any plant leaves or other debris that may block the flow of water. Check the heater and filter to make sure both are working properly. Turn on your aquarium lights when feeding your fish in the morning and night. If you have a plant or reef tank, leave your lights on approx. 6-8 hours.

Check filter pads. Clean/change if necessary. Check the water level for evaporation. If you have a saltwater tank, you'll want to check the salinity before adding any water, although you'll most likely add freshwater. Make sure you remember to dechlorinate your tap water and match the temperature to your tanks temperature.

For fresh water, a 25% water change (see below) should be done on your system. For saltwater systems, you may want to water change 15% every two weeks. Scrub any algae. Change filter pad and/or carbon. Test your water conditions - this should also be done anytime you suspect your fish may have a disease of are behaving abnormally.

Water changes:

Partial water changes are necessary for a healthy aquarium. Water changes provide fish with a clean and stable environment, as well as replenishing depleted nutrients and trace elements. With the use of a gravel vacuum, you will remove waste buildup by cleaning your gravel. Before adding your new water in, make sure you remove chlorine from the water with a proper water detoxifier. Also, be sure to match the temperature, pH, and salinity (if applicable). If you have a freshwater aquarium, you may want to add non iodized rock salt; this helps reduce stress, adds beneficial electrolytes to the water, and makes it easier for the fish to breathe by improving the oxygen exchange over the gill plates.