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The Goldfish Gazette, Issue #032 -- Goldfish Aquarium Cleaning August 30, 2016 |
Goldfish Care Tips and GuidelinesA Free Monthly Resource For Goldfish Enthusiasts In This Issue
I haven’t found anyone yet who likes doing aquarium cleaning, but because Goldfish are a relatively large messy species compared to most aquarium fish, keeping their water in perfect condition by doing regular aquarium maintenance is vital. Goldfish Aquarium Cleaning
There is plenty of information on the Internet about how to clean an aquarium, so what I want to do in this issue is focus on how the job can be done more quickly and easily as Goldfish aquariums tend to require more frequent maintenance. How much maintenance your aquarium will need and how often starts with its location. Location Is EverythingLight is the enemy of aquariums. If you can locate your aquarium where it gets no direct sunlight and no strong artificial or indirect light, the amount of maintenance goes down significantly, as well as the size of the filter required.Total Strip DownsWhen we discuss aquarium cleaning, we are not referring to a total strip down of the aquarium. This should only be necessary if there has been a disease outbreak (and many of those can be removed by medications), or the aquarium is being moved. What we are describing here is the regular maintenance that accompanies a water change.EquipmentThe right tools are the key to a quick aquarium clean. The most important is the size of the siphon hose. Too small and it takes forever just to take the water out, too large and it is difficult to handle or kinks easily.Match the siphon hose to the size of your aquarium. Garden hose is not suitable for anything but the smallest aquariums. I use a 15mm ID hose for aquariums up to 150 liters but it is more suited to aquariums half that size. I make up siphon hoses from large filter intake tubes that reach three quarters of the way down the aquarium. The advantage of using these is because a filter intake strainer can be fitted on the end. This means I can set the siphon going and start another task knowing the siphon will stop before all the water is siphoned out and fish aren’t going to be sucked up accidentally. Water ConditionerIf you are going to replace more than half the water, and you are using water straight from the tap, a water conditioner such as Stress Coat is required to avoid burning the skin and gills of your fish.If your water contains enough chlorine or chloramine that you can smell it when you agitate the water, you definitely need to use a water conditioner. Even if you can’t smell any, local water authorities aren’t always consistent with the amount of chemicals they put in the water. Also, if repairs have been made to water pipes in your area, raw chlorine is spread around the area to disinfect it. Add the conditioner as you fill the aquarium, not after as burning will have already happened. Filter MaintenanceFilter maintenance comes a close second to aquarium cleaning for unpopular jobs.Make sure you have a filter that matches the size of the aquarium, and go larger if you can. Choose the style of filter that best suits your needs and is easy to clean. As an example an internal sponge filter is easy to clean, but takes up space and needs to be hidden in the aquarium. An external canister filter doesn’t detract from the aquarium enviroment but some of the cheaper filters are very fiddly to clean. Bare AquariumsMost Goldfish breeders or Goldfish keepers with many aquariums keep their fish in bare aquariums, apart from a filter.The reason becomes obvious. Bare aquariums are quick and easy to clean. A quick siphon of the bottom, remove as much water as you are changing and you are ready to refill. Aquariums with plants, gravel and decorations will take 3 to 4 times longer to clean.
To read more about aquarium cleaning click here, and to learn how to set up an aquarium to minimize maintenance click here... What's New On The WebsiteAfter one of my Water Bubble Eyes developed an ulcer above its left pectoral fin, I realized I didn't have a page on how to treat the disease.This disease is usually caused by poor water conditions or injury, and neither situation applied to my fish, however, it still developed one. Researching on the Internet to see how much of a problem it was, I was surprised at how common the disease is, especially for carp species such as Goldfish and Koi. Here is the link... Comments? Ideas? Feedback? I'd love to hear from you. Just reply to this e-zine and tell me what you think, or what topics you want covered. Next Month's Topic How Much Room Do I really Need?www.facebook.com/aboutgoldfish |
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