Handy Tips to Take the Strain Out of Keeping Aquariums

Keeping large or multiple aquariums can often seem enticing to any hobbyist, but maintenance can sometimes get away from and overwhelm even the most experienced of us, as life often finds a way to throw us curveballs. Many aquarists dread the coming day or night of maintenance and the buckets of water being drained and splashed everywhere. Worry not, because there are a few tips and tricks that can take the backache out of the hobby.

Water Changes and Plumbing

Water changes are the most crucial part of the aquarium maintenance schedule, and the quantity one changes out will vary depending on stocking levels. Add multiple tanks to this equation and an over-eager hobbyist can quickly become overwhelmed with too many gallons of water needing to be moved. That is where plumbing comes in to save the day. Plan out how many tanks will be kept and where they will be situated, and do a rough sketch of how the water will need to flow. The next step would be to plan flow rates and materials required, using this handy guide. With a clearer idea of what is required, it’s time to begin the installation. For those who are not so handy, the best avenue would be to contact a qualified plumber Columbus to come and lay the pipework. Once the plumbing is fitted, water changes are now a matter of opening and closing a valve.

Planted Tanks

Having an aquarium is easy, but having a thriving colony of happy fish can involve a lot of patience, effort, knowledge, and, unfortunately, money. Luckily for hobbyists, one can cut out a bit of the effort and money required for things like chemicals for treatments and water changes simply by adding aquatic plants and suitable light to the aquarium. One of the dangers in aquariums is the buildup of waste and the toxic amounts of nitrates that follow. Live aquatic plants consume nitrates to help them grow and lessen the impact of waste in the tank.

Clean-Up Crew

Aquatic plants can only consume waste that has broken down in the water. They are susceptible to being outcompeted by algae if the light in the tank is on for too many hours of the day and there are too many nitrates in the water. This is where cute and sometimes strange creatures can come in and help break down waste, algae, and decaying matter. Rally the critters of the clean-up crew! They will scratch, peck, nibble, and eat most decaying matter and algae. The clean-up crew can include shrimp, snails, crabs, clams, and even some fish. Hobbyists can research their issues and choose the right cleaner, no matter the problem!

Conclusion

This post only contains the tip of the iceberg when it comes to simplifying the aquarium hobby. The hobby is a rabbit hole of information, joy, and frustration, and it pays to be armed with knowledge. If you have been thinking about taking a load off of your maintenance routine, or want to expand but don’t want to tackle water changes as frequently or as laboriously, now you should have good foundations to make your first steps simpler.


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