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Why should you
clean your aquarium?
No matter what type of filtration type of filtration
you have you will need to regularly clean your aquarium.
In a balanced, stable aquarium, uneaten food or fish
waste turns into ammonia “Good” bacteria
then convert these polluants into non-toxic “nitrates”.
Without regular water changes the “good”
bacteria will not be able to keep up with accumulation
of uneaten food or fish waste and the ammonia will
quickly reach a dangerous level.
How often should you clean your aquarium?
There are many different opinions as to how often
a tank needs to be cleaned. In general, the more often
you clean our aquarium the healthier your fish will
be. In new aquariums (less than 3 months) we recommend
a 1/3 to ½ water change every 2 weeks. As the
aquarium becomes older a water change one a month
should be sufficient. We do not recommend you take
more than ½ of the water out at any one time.
How should I clean my aquarium?
1)
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Before starting always take a
minute to monitor your fish. Look for any signs
of illness and stress. Clamped fins, loss of
color, lethargy or tiny white dots (ICH) are
all signs of stress. If you see any of these
symptoms proceed with your water change and
consult our pet store about water testing or
medication.
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| 2)
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Unplug all equipment and wait 10 minutes for
your heater to cool down before starting to siphon
any water out. |
3)
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During this time you can clean any algae off
the glass so it will be siphoned out. Always use
aquarium-approved products when scraping algae.
Many other products will scratch the glass or
could introduce harmful chemicals into the tank. |
4)
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Always use a “gravel cleaner”
when siphoning water out of the tank. Never
siphon water off the surface of the aquarium
because waste accumulates at the bottom of the
aquarium. By using a gravel siphon you will
be able to lift up the gravel and get rid of
the waste without removing any of the gravel
or the fish. If you need to see a demonstration
of how to use a gravel-cleaner, stop in to our
store and ask for a demonstration.
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5)
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Siphon the water into a bucket that is only
used for the aquarium to prevent any type of
accidental contamination.
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6)
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Before dumping the water out you can clean
the foam part of your filter in the dirty water.
This way you will not harm the beneficial bacteria
growing on the sponge. Replace any of the other
cartridges that need to be cleaned (carbon should
be replaced one a month). If you need to replace
both the carbon and the foam we recommend you
do this three to seven days apart so your filter
will keep some of the established bacteria.
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7)
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Refilling the tank. Fill one bucket at a
time with tap water. Try to get the temperature
close to the aquarium temperature. Add any water
conditioners that are necessary into the bucket.
Gently pour the water into the aquarium. Repeat,
until the tank is filled. Wait 5 minutes and
plug your equipment back in.
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Hints:
NEVER USE SOAP OR ANY HOUSE CLEANERS ON THE INSIDE
OR OUTSIDE OF THE TANK.
IF YOUR FILTER DOESN’T START BACK UP, MAKE SURE
THE IMPELLER IS CLEAN OF GRIME.
NEVER CHANGE MORE THAN 50% OF THE WATER AT ANY ONE
TIME. IF YOU MUST CHANGE MORE, TAKE OUT 50% EVERY
24 HOURS FOR 2-3 DAYS INSTEAD OF MORE IN ONE DAY.
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