Aquarium Maintenance by Dallas Aquarium Experts

Once a new aquarium is up and running properly with a population of fishes, the next step is to keep your aquarium this way. Without keeping up with regular aquarium maintenance, even the nicest aquarium with the a great filtration system will lose it’s sparkle.  Algae will begin to cover the glass and aquascaping, the life support system won’t perform at the highest level, the water chemistry will decline, and  problems, such as fish illness and fishes deaths will eventually begin.

This is where a Dallas Aquarium Experts comes in, we are the leader in Aquarium Maintenance Service in Collin, Denton and Dallas counties in the DFW Area.

Saltwater Aquarium and Reef Tank Service

Most of the aquariums under our supervision receive weekly or bi-monthly care. The exact frequency of scheduling depends on the type of aquarium (fresh, reef tank or saltwater), the species of fish being cared for, as well as the size of the tank.

During a typical service visit, a Dallas Aquarium Experts technician will perform a partial water change, water analysis, algae and detritus removal from the insides of the tank, and a filter cleaning. The decorations inside the tank will be cleaned and miscellaneous vitamins and trace elements are added to the water as needed.

A general health analysis will be taken of the livestock as well as recommendations for new specimens to be added. Time is also spent at the end of each service visit to remove any traces of water or salt marks from the surrounding aquarium furniture.

We have expertise in reef, saltwater and freshwater systems. A typical service will include the following:

• Partial water change
• Water chemistry analysis
• Algae and detritus removal
• Filter cleaning
• Health analysis of your livestock
• Recommendations will be made for any new specimens you would like to add

If your aquarium is currently under the care of another company and you think it is not reaching its full potential, please do not hesitate to give us a call. We offer pressure-free consultations at no charge.

Call Dallas Aquarium Experts today 469-450-3900 to learn how we can help with any aquarium needs you might have.

Our Online Aquarium Store – Saltwater Aquarium and Reef Supplies  has a massive inventory of Saltwater Aquarium and Reef Supplies

Maintaining and Cleaning a Saltwater Aquarium

Step 1 Inspect the fish, if they are ordinarily out and swimming around and are now hiding there could be a problem. Make sure their eyes are clear, they are not breathing heavily and the body and fins are clear of any abnormalities such as tears or chunks missing.

Step 2 Test the water chemistry, use aquarium test kits to test ammonia, nitrate, carbonate hardness

Step 3 Clean algae from the Interior glass, clean or scrape algae off the inside walls of the aquarium with a hand held algae pad or algae magnet.

Step 4 Clean Decorations and Live Rock, normally there is no need to scrub live rock. Fish and invertebrates like to graze on them. If detritus builds up use a turkey baster to blast water at the rocks blowing off the detritus.

Step 5 Unplug Equipment, during a water change it is necessary to unplug or turn off the electrical equipment

Step 6 Vacuum Substrate and Remove Water, Try vacuum as much of the substrate as possible. Small water of changes of 10-15% per week are recommended or you can do 25% every two weeks.

Step 7 Clean or Change Filter Media Clean all mechanical filter media, including foam blocks.  Replace filter socks and filter pads. Replace carbon once a month

Step 8 Harvest Algae When using a refugium to help absorb excess nutrients, harvest part of the macro algae whenever it becomes dense.

Step 9 Clean the protein skimmer, dump and clean out the skimmate collection cup.

Step 10 Clean the Exterior Glass and Outside of Stand

Step 11 Clean Light Bulbs and Fixtures, if light bulbs are exposed to saltwater, salt will accumulate on them, cutting down their efficiency. Unplug the lights, lets them cool and gently wipe them down with a damp towel.