Aquarium Services Penticton / British Columbia / Canada

COMMON AQUARIUM MAINTENANCE AND CLEANING SERVICES

There are a few services that are commonplace around all aquarium maintenance and cleaning services. Firstly, they will be able to assess the quality of the water.

A test of water quality can highlight any problems that an aquarium maintenance provider will be able to solve. Aquarium maintenance provider will be able to correct pH levels, plus remove any unwanted traces of nitrates and phosphates, neither of which will do something good for the aquarium occupants. By contrast, aquarium maintenance professionals will be able to add calcium and other elements. These are beneficial, if not essential to maintaining reef systems.

Also, as part of the usual cleaning services, a water change should be carried out every time the aquarium maintenance pros visits. Over time, toxins and by-products from the filter accumulate and grow in the aquarium water. That, of course, can be harmful to the fish and other life in the aquarium. Therefore, every time during the visit, the aquarium maintenance provider should change the water, to dilute these harmful elements. Furthermore, introducing freshwater also brings nutrients to aquarium life.

SERVICES OTHER AQUARIUMS SERVICES

Many aquarium owners are full-time workers and parents. As such, finding the time to handle all the tiny details involved in aquarium maintenance is very hard. Having a professional to deal with it all is much more time-efficient and stress-saving. Look out for services that can provide any combination of the following:

• Aquarium Sand or Gravel Cleaning – this is necessary for some reasons. The hoggin on the bottom of the aquarium tank is not just for prettiness’ reason. It provides a pleasant habitat and less stress for the fish. Clean gravel will also provide a safe landing place for fish eggs. Finally, enlisting a gravel cleaning service will improve the chemistry of the aquarium water.
• Aquarium Filter System Maintenance – a profoundly relevant service. Anyone who has seen Finding Nemo will know what a broken filter in a fish tank can cause. Filters may keep the harmful bacteria and fish waste out of the aquarium environment, but that means there’s a gradual build-up of toxins and other such things in the filter itself. An aquarium maintenance specialist will be able to clean the filter professionally, but also ensure everything is still functioning correctly. Those bacteria and waste products will start to circulate in the same water as the fish if the filter breaks or faults.
• Aquarium Internal and External Glass Cleaning – cleaning the inside and outside of the aquarium tank removes other organisms that can be potentially harmful to the fish, such as algae. Also, if water has a higher pH, i.e., alkaline, calcium deposits can start to build upon the inside of the tank glass. In noticing this, it may indicate a water quality test or water change is due to neutralizing the water’s PH. Great care will be taken with changing calcium levels in aquarium water, since sudden alterations will cause more distress in the fish, even kill them in more extreme cases.
• Aquarium Decoration Cleaning – like with other aquarium cleaning services on this list, this is to prevent potentially harmful waste products and bacteria circulating in the aquarium water. The aquarium filter does most of the work, but algae can build upon the little decorations inevitably found in fish tanks. A small buildup for an aesthetic, natural look is all very well, but a drastic build-up of algae can make the environment toxic for the fish.
• Aquarium Plant Maintenance for Planted Aquariums – regular maintenance for plant life in aquariums is encouraged. Improper maintenance of aquatic plants can exacerbate algae growth. Measures, like removing dead and decaying plant leaves and ensuring liquid carbon dosages are kept up will satisfy these requirements sufficiently. Trained aquarium maintenance professionals will know what to look out for and how to administer the appropriate measures effectively.

RISKS AND CONSEQUENCES OF IMPROPER AQUARIUMS MAINTENANCE

As self-explanatory as it may sound, there are some risks to not taking proper care and investing in necessary aquarium maintenance. If care not done correctly, the fish and other occupants living in the aquarium may die.

If not changing the water in an aquarium regularly, some toxins can build up. Because toxins absorbed through a fish’s gills rather than its skin, they act much faster. For example, ammonia poisoning. Ammonia is very common in fish tanks and, as such, some things can cause it to build up in the water and circulate. Improper filter cleaning routines, prolonged power cuts, even fish deaths themselves will cause levels to spike. The presence of ammonia causes the water’s pH level to fall into more alkaline regions, which is, in turn, harmful to the fish. A kind of “first aid” can be performed by lowering the pH level back to 7.0 – neutral – and reduce the damage in turn.

What is another problem with fish tanks? Algae, of course, since algae do a lot to help a healthy aquarium as much as it causes hazards. The sad thing about algae is that certain species are toxic. Such as the Harmful Algal Bloom or HAB, which is as harmful to humans as it is to fish. By contrast, the presence of some algae, in controlled proportions, can help reduce carbon dioxide levels, plus those of deadly ammonia and nitrite.

Putting measures to limit and control algae growth is the most appropriate direction what the aquarium maintenance service provider can take. Nitrogen levels should be monitored –nitrogen forms by way of plant decomposition, from the waste products that the life in the aquarium produces, as well as from fish food. If they remove any excess organic matter as part of the cleaning service, that will also help.

The risks don’t always arise before cleaning. Once an aquarium maintenance session completed, the aquarium may be ready for some new inhabitants. However, do not be tempted to make one of the biggest and common mistakes in aquarium keeping. That is, do not attempt to introduce new fish all at once. Overloading an aquarium can be highly problematic and even dangerous to the fish already living in the tank.

Introducing new life into the aquarium should be done in small steps. Regardless of introducing fish, corals, or invertebrates, you shouldn't put more than one or two into the aquarium at a time. It’s primarily for a chemistry reason. After any additions, time must be given for the aquarium’s nitrifying bacteria and for adjusting the overall system to the increase in population. As such, there must be no further additions for at least a week.

After the necessary time has passed, test the aquarium water daily. That may prove expensive for some aquarium owners to have the aquarium maintenance service provider out every day, so ask them for advice on how to perform a quick test. Doing these tests will alert aquarium keepers to the presence of ammonia and nitrite. If these readings show up as zero, then this indicates that you can further increase the fish population.