Whether you are an experienced aquarium hobbyist or not, you probably already know the importance of keeping your tank clean. The health of your aquarium fish depends on the health and cleanliness of the environment in which they are kept – if the tank is dirty or the water quality low, your fish will not thrive. Maintaining a saltwater tank does not necessarily need to be a difficult and time-consuming task. In fact, if you create a schedule for routine maintenance tasks it will become a habit rather than a dreaded chore. Read more to learn how to schedule your saltwater aquarium maintenance tasks properly.
Daily Tasks
The most important task you need to perform on a daily basis is, of course, feeding your fish. Providing your tank inhabitants (both fish and invertebrates) with a proper diet is essential for keeping them healthy. Remember, aquarium fish enjoy a varied diet – saltwater fish especially may become picky and refuse to eat if they become bored with a bland diet. In addition to feeding your tank inhabitants, you should also take a few minutes each day to observe them. The more familiar you are with the appearance and behavior of your tank inhabitants, the more quickly you will be likely to notice symptoms of disease or changes in behavior. You should also do a quick check of your tank equipment to be sure everything is running properly.
Weekly Tasks
Once a week you should plan to perform an aquarium water test. These tests serve to help you monitor the chemical levels in your tank in addition to other aspects of water chemistry --- pH level, water hardness, etc. You can find an aquarium water test kit online or at your local pet store – you may also be able to bring a sample of aquarium water into your local pet store to have it tested for free.
In addition to testing your aquarium water, you should also perform a 10% to 15% water change. If you have a sump system installed this will be as easy as refilling your top-off reservoir with prepared saltwater. Some aquarium hobbyists prefer to perform water changes every other week, topping off the reservoir tank during the weeks in between water changes. No matter how often you perform water changes, you must always do so using saltwater that has been prepared 24 hours in advance. Make sure to test the salinity of the prepared saltwater to ensure that it matches the salinity in your tank.
Monthly Task
Depending on the type of filtration system you use for your saltwater tank, you may need to replace your filter media every 30 days or so. Keeping your filter media fresh is essential for proper mechanical and chemical filtration in your tank. Keep in mind that biological filtration is also important so, if you can avoid it, do not completely clean out the filter on the same day you replace the filter media – this could result in the decimation of the beneficial bacteria population in your tank which could have a negative impact on the nitrogen cycle.
Quarterly Tasks
Throughout the year you will need to occasionally remove and clean the equipment in your tank. For the reasons already discussed, you should avoid cleaning all of your tank equipment at once – rather, try to clean one piece each month or come up with some kind of schedule for the job. You may also need to restock your tank occasionally, depending how long the inhabitants in your tank live. As long as you are caring for them properly, your fish should last several years. Certain invertebrates, however, do not have such long lifespans and may need to be replaced more often.
Performing these maintenance tasks on a regular basis will help to keep your saltwater tank running properly. In the meantime, you can easily boost the water quality in your tank through the simple task of installing an EcoBio-Stone. These stones are made from natural volcanic rock and they are infused with beneficial bacteria as well as the nutrients they need to thrive. Adding extra beneficial bacteria to your tank through the EcoBio-Stone will help to maintain the nitrogen cycle, thus keeping your tank water clean and clear in between water changes.