The custom aquarium professionals at Normal Aquatics have encountered many questions and literature regarding the most common problems associated with maintaining an aquarium once it has initially been installed. Once you have setup your your aquarium and added your plants and fish, there is a lot of things that could potentially go wrong. It is possible to make costly and damaging mistakes without even being aware of it. All these costly errors can be circumvented with the proper research and understanding. The expert aquarium maintenance technicians at Normal Aquatics have compiled a list of the most common mistakes we have encountered from some of our clients over the years.
- Starting off with a tank that is too small. As you make your way into the world of being an aquarium hobbyist, you may be tempted to start off with the many mini-aquarium packages that are available. This can be a risky endevour because common knowledge might tell you that owning a smaller aquarium would require less maintenance, but in reality the smaller volume of water in your tank will allow the PH levels to change more quickly, which will leave hardly any room for error. If you are an newbie aquarium owner, we recommend that you start off with a tank that is at least 25 gallons in size. This way, if you do make a mistake, there will be less of a hazardous shock to your fish.
- Buying incompatible fish and adding them to your tank too soon. Before you begin to choose and purchase which fish will be occupying your tank, you really should do some research to be certain that the different types of fish inhabiting your tank will be compatible. The livestock specialists at Normal Aquatics are extremely knowledgeable on which combination fish will create a peaceful and interesting environment for you tank, so don’t hesitate to contact us for a free consultation. As a recent fish tank owner, you are most likely very excited to add fish and plant life to your aquarium and you may be considering adding fish immediately. It is very important that you give your tank at least 24 hours to allow your water to run through your filter and let your Ph levels stabilize.
- Overfeeding your fish. The most common mistake we seem to encounter is when new aquarium owners overfeed their fish. Overfeeding can be extremely hazardous to your fish because it can increase the nitrate levels in your tank, which can lead to disease and excess algae growth. We all know that feeding time can create exciting activity in our tanks, but it is important to exercise patience when feeding your fish. If you are uncertain about the amount of food and nutrition your fish require, you can contact the livestock specialists at Normal Aquatics of Greenwich and Fairfield, Connecticut with any of your questions.
- Insufficient filtration levels for your aquarium. Many people who are new aquarium hobbyists don’t fully understand how to identify water quality problems within their tank. One of the main reasons why fresh and saltwater fish die is because of poor water quality due to insufficient filtration. It is very important that your aquarium maintain the proper amounts of filtration. A filter should be able to turn the entire tank at least 2-3 times per hour, for example sixty to ninety gallons of filtration for a thirty gallon tank. There are many variables to consider when setting up your filtration. You can contact the aquarium maintenance technicians at Normal Aquatics to have all of your questions answered concerning the filtration for your aquarium.
- Overstocking your aquarium with fish. It is important not to add too many fish to your tank, which is a common mistake during the initial setup. This can be hazardous to the ecosystem of your tank, because your biological filtration will not be equipped to handle the large amount of livestock that has been added. The wastes levels created by the influx of fish into your aquarium may be too much for your filtration system to handle, which can lead to disease. The most appropriate way to add livestock to your tank is to do it slowly over the span of weeks, which will give you the opportunity to expand your filtration system to meet the demands of your aquarium.
We hope that this list of common aquarium mistakes to avoid will assist you in maintain a healthy environment for the fish, corals, reefs, and plants of your aquarium. Any one of the common mistakes listed above, which can easily occur when setting up your first aquarium, can lead to catastrophic problems for your tank that can be very costly for you. Owning an aquarium can be rewarding and therapeutic, but it can be a challenge to maintain a healthy balance in an aquarium.
If are interested in Normal Aquatics aquarium maintenance services, you can contact us at anytime for a free consultation. A typical aquarium maintenance service includes a aquarium cleaning, change all filter bags and media, Water testing (calcium, alkalinity, nitrate, phosphate, PH, ammonia, nitrite, salinity, etc.), water changes, livestock, equipment checks and much more.
Normal Aquatics provides custom tank installations, aquarium maintenance and repair, and custom pond installations. Our service area includes the following towns and surrounding areas Fairfield Connecticut, Greenwich Connecticut, Westchester County New York, White Plains New York, New York City, Northern New Jersey, and all of New England.Contact us today for a FREE Consultation!
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