Saltwater Aquarium Maintenance

Saltwater Aquarium Maintenance

Saltwater Aquarium Maintenance

Whilst a saltwater aquarium can provide for hours of relaxation and enjoyment they also require steady ongoing upkeep to maintain optimum conditions.  Some saltwater aquarium maintenance must be conducted daily whilst other saltwater aquarium maintenance tasks are required weekly or monthly.  Keeping a saltwater aquarium isn’t necessarily a hobby intended for everyone but instead something better suited to the enthusiast. Proper saltwater aquarium maintenance will reward you with a healthy aquarium and years of enjoyment. It is recommended you keep a calendar of the required saltwater aquarium maintenance to make the task easier. There is also numerous software packages available on the market to assist with saltwater aquarium maintenance allowing you to log all of your sea life, water tests, maintenance tasks etc.

Health of Fish and Inhabitants

One of the most important tasks of saltwater aquarium maintenance is the process of checking each day for the wellness of the fish and invertebrates.  This should consist of a visual inspection of the scales and fins of the fish in addition to the coloring and vibrancy of the fish and invertebrates.  If any of the fish are dead or appear to be dying, they ought to be removed at once and any creatures which appear to be unhealthy should be transferred to a quarantine saltwater aquarium and treated accordingly.

Saltwater aquarium maintenance also requires you to familiarize yourself with the behavior of the fish in order for you to better ascertain if one is becoming unhealthy.  Should a fish or other creature die and be overlooked the deterioration and decomposing of their body will rapidly diminish the quality of the water due to the increase of ammonia to toxic levels.

Majority of all species of  fish will bear similar symptoms as they’re falling ill. Major symptoms include fins held tight to the body, sluggishness, swelling of the eyes, unsettled swimming patterns, erratic change in behavior, drifting to the bottom or gasping for air at the surface, decrease in appetite, patches on the fins or body, or fish that are normally active staying motionless. Keeping a saltwater aquarium maintenance log will allow you to see trends in water conditions that may contribute to such illness.

Aquarium Equipment

A major element of saltwater aquarium maintenance comes down to your equipment. Correct maintenance of your equipment is essential to the well being of your reef and fish. The protein skimmer cup should be cleaned daily.  It will not hurt the aquarium greatly if this skipped one day every now and then, however skipping any more could jeopardize the health of the aquarium.  Whilst monitoring the health of the fish and cleaning the skimmer, the water temperature should also be checked and any required adjustments should also be made.

On a monthly basis it is recommended that the whole protein skimmer be completely cleaned, including the cleaning of the cup in addition to all hoses and tubes.  If any air stones are present in the tank they should either be substituted with a new one or alternatively cleaned and any carbon from carbon filtration systems should also be changed.

It is recommended when conducting saltwater aquarium maintenance that every three months, all filter canisters and hoses should be comprehensively cleaned inside and out in addition to switching air pads within the air pump.  Care should also be taken to inspect for any signs of damage to impellers, interchange air valves and replace UV tubes if a UV filter is being utilized.

On a daily basis as part of your regular saltwater aquarium maintenance the equipment and accessories should be inspected and care should be taken to ensure that everything is functioning suitably.  Check that there are no leaks on the floor surrounding the aquarium and that the pump sounds like it is running properly.  As you become more acquainted with the saltwater aquarium equipment it becomes easier to detect any peculiar sounds from the equipment which may suggest that it is on the way out.

Water Changes

Water changes are an essential part of your saltwater aquarium maintenance schedule. Each week any evaporated water should be replaced with prepared saltwater and any algae growing on the glass removed appropriately. Partial water changes can be performed either weekly or fortnightly depending on how well the system is maintained overall in addition to the species of fish and other creatures within the tank. Siphoning of any excess debris or waste matter should be undertaken with fortnightly water changes.

An important tip when undertaking water changes is to have the saltwater pre-mixed a day early as the mixture is less caustic and this will ensure your fish are not harmed or shocked with the sudden addition of new water.

Salt Build Up

Salt build up is one area of saltwater aquarium maintenance that is often overlooked. It is crucial that any build up of salt around or on the saltwater aquarium be cleaned on a weekly basis.  If this isn’t done regularly the salt will build up into large chunks that risk falling back into the tank which will dramatically alter the salinity of the water.  Salt is highly corrosive to various types of metal so ensuring the equipment is cleaned regularly will assist in proper functioning.

PH, Conditioners & Vitamins

A priority of Saltwater aquarium maintenance is ongoing water testing. On a weekly basis you should be testing the salinity and pH balance, in addition to adding any required trace elements, conditioners, and vitamins for the fish and coral. Ph kits, conditioners and required vitamins are all available at your local aquarium specialist.

You can improve your saltwater aquarium maintenance by undertaking some research of individual livestock and coral that inhabit your saltwater aquarium. This will allow you to identify the required vitamins and foods necessary in the upkeep of the various livestock and this should be incorporated into the daily, weekly and monthly saltwater aquarium maintenance schedule.

Light Globes

Regardless of whether they are blown or not it is important to replace all lighting bulbs around every six months.  This is because that even if the bulbs are not blown they suffer loss of intensity and quality over time which is particularly crucial in a reef saltwater aquarium.

Not all of your saltwater aquarium is inside the tank, after all your aquarium is most likely the center piece of your home and it should be in pristine viewing condition. Once every two weeks the outside of the tank and its equipment should be dusted. Special saltwater aquarium cleaners are available for this task; alternatively a water and vinegar mix will suffice.  Under no circumstances should any harsh chemicals, including Windex, be used near the aquarium as these can easily kill the fish, remember these are very sensitive creatures.

In summary, saltwater aquarium maintenance may appear to require a sizeable level of work, however by spreading out the required saltwater aquarium maintenance into small doses it can become relatively controllable and results in an aquarium that gives ongoing pleasure to you and anyone else in its presence, for years to come. Just like anything, you get out what you put in.