Aquarium care: daily and regular maintenance

2. Partial water change and tap water conditioner

Change part of the water regularly, never all of it at once. A partial water change removes substances that build up and keeps conditions stable, while sudden changes stress the fish. How much and how often depends on the tank, its stocking and its plants, so follow your water tests and the needs of your species.

Tap water needs treatment before it goes into the aquarium. Aquaforest Water Conditioner instantly prepares tap water for the tank and, according to the manufacturer, reduces chlorine and binds heavy metals. The manufacturer recommends 10 ml of conditioner per 100 l of tap water at every water change.

Dose the conditioner for the new water, not for the whole tank volume, and bring the new water close to the tank temperature. Keep the bottle tightly closed at room temperature and away from sunlight.

• Aquaforest Water Conditioner
• Water conditioners

3. Cleaning the gravel with a siphon

Food remains and other debris collect on the bottom and load the water over time. A convenient moment to clean the bottom is the water change, as the water drawn out through the siphon is the part you replace anyway. Move calmly over open areas and do not dig under plant roots.

The Aqua Nova GC is a gravel cleaner with an adjustable valve and comes in three sizes for small, medium and large aquariums. The GC-10 is 25 cm, the GC-18 45 cm and the GC-24 60 cm long, so choose the size to match your tank. The valve lets you regulate the water flow, which helps keep sand or fine gravel from being sucked out.

• Aqua Nova GC Gravel Cleaner

4. Glass and filter care

A film of algae on the glass is normal, and removing it is part of regular care. The AquaEL Magnetic Cleaner has two parts held together by magnets: one inside the tank and one on the outside of the glass, so your hands stay out of the water. According to the manufacturer, the coated surface does not scratch the glass and removes even stubborn algae.

Choose the size by the thickness of the glass: S suits glass up to 6 mm, M 6–10 mm and L 10–15 mm. Keep sand grains from getting between the cleaner and the glass.

Bacteria that keep the water clean live in the filter, so rinse the filter media only in water taken from the aquarium, never under the tap. Do not replace all the media at once; always keep part of the old media. When replacing media, follow the manufacturer's instructions.

• AquaEL Cleaner Magnetic

5. Water tests, plants and algae

Water can look clear and still have a poor composition, so test it now and then. Nitrate builds up gradually and shows whether water changes and feeding are in balance. JBL Test PRO NO3 is a colour test for measuring nitrate yourself.

The manufacturer recommends 0–50 mg/l for a community freshwater aquarium and 10–30 mg/l for a planted aquarium with few fish. Fill both test tubes with 10 ml of sample water using the syringe, add the reagents to one of them and shake hard for exactly one minute. Read the result with the comparator and colour scale.

Plants use nutrients and compete with algae, so remove yellow and decaying leaves. If algae suddenly spread, check the lighting time, feeding and test results. In a fertilised aquarium the nitrate test helps choose the right fertiliser dose.

• JBL Test PRO NO3 Nitrate Test

6. When to ask for advice

If fish behave unusually, for example hide, gasp at the surface or stop eating, test the water first and check the temperature. Check the filter as well, because a stopped flow makes the water worse quickly.

Do not guess at a disease or add products to the water at random. Describe the problem to a specialist or a veterinarian and bring your water test results, as they help to understand the situation. Before adding new fish, always check the needs and compatibility of the species.

• Water tests