Due to being new to fish tanks or being up to the neck at work, are you still on the fence about setting up a fish tank? Hey, my friend, take it easy. Actually, there are some low-maintenance fish tanks. Why not take a look at these tanks? Sounds not bad, right? If so, just continue reading, this article will walk you through something about low-maintenance fish tanks and maintenance tips, along with the low-maintenance fish for a 5-gallon tank. After reading, we believe you may take action to have your fish tank. OK, rant over, let’s dive in.
Low-maintenance fish tank
What constitutes a low-maintenance fish tank? Commonly, a tank, pieces of aquarium equipment, and some low-maintenance fish are necessary. In general, the equipment includes an aquarium heater, a thermometer, an aquarium filter, an aquarium light, a water pump, a wave maker pump, and others.
Aside from that, here is an example of a low-maintenance fish tank. You can keep a betta fish with some aquarium plants, such as Java moss, Java fern, and Anubias. The substrate can be gravel or sand, plus aquarium soil. Additionally, you should add an aquarium heater to keep warm water for the betta tank. While it is better to build a great filtration system to keep clean water.
Proper fish tank maintenance tips
Low maintenance does not mean that it never needs any care. So, given below are some low-maintenance tips for fish tanks.
Keep regular water changes
The recommended frequency of water changes is once a week. It is feasible to change 20-30 percent of the water once a week, but for low-maintenance tanks, it is not necessary, you can do it every two weeks. In this case, an electric vacuum cleaner will help you a lot, which makes sense in easier changing water, removing dirt, and cleaning the substrate.
Aquarium filter cleaning
The frequency of cleaning the aquarium filters is determined by the quantity of fish in your tank, the amount of food you feed, and the number of aquarium filters you add. In general, it is feasible to rinse the filter once a month. However, never let your filter keep working until the water flow becomes slow. It is not good for filters and reduces their lifespan. Furthermore, there is also one tip. It is best not to clean your filter with chlorinated water. Otherwise, it will kill the colonies of beneficial bacteria in filter media, which are beneficial to the nitrogen cycle.
Monitor the water parameters
Too high a nitrate level is damaging to fish because it is toxic. Hence, you should monitor the water conditions regularly. Ask the aquarium test strips for help. It can test and read the levels of hardness, total alkalinity, carbonate root, nitrate, nitrite, free chlorine, and pH. With the help of test strips, you can build a better tank ecosystem.
Things should be avoided
Never overstock and overfeed. Just keep in mind, that fewer fish means less waste, hence lower tank maintenance. Furthermore, overstocking and overfeeding may cause health problems. For example, the fish feces may be decomposed into toxic substances, which are damaging to fish. In addition, do not place your tank under direct sunlight. Otherwise, the tank may face algae issues.
When there is less organic matter in the fish tank, the harmful substances will not be harmful. The plants will automatically form a new ecosystem in a concise period of time for low tank maintenance.
Low-maintenance fish for a 5-gallon tank
Low-maintenance fish are those that minimize your time and effort in the fish-keeping journey. Generally, they are hardy and possess great adaptability. Consequently, low-maintenance fish are excellent alternatives for beginners. In this segment, we will cover some low-maintenance fish for 5-gallon tanks. After reading, you can choose your favorite one for your tank.
1. Betta fish
Featuring various tails, colors, and patterns, there are surprising types of betta fish for you to choose from. Usually, they can reach 3 inches and live up to 2–5 years. Consequently, a 5-gallon is suitable for betta fish. Moreover, they are aggressive, hence be cautious to introduce tank mates to betta aquarium. Besides that, the best tanks for betta fish usually include the substrate, aquarium light, aquarium heater, aquarium filter, and aquatic plants.
2. Guppy fish
Guppy fish are tropical freshwater fish with colorful and slim bodies, plus attractive fins. They are peaceful. Thus, guppy fish are excellent alternatives for beginners. Furthermore, the average lifespan for guppy fish is 2–3 years, which can reach 1.5-2 inches. So the minimum tank size should be 5 gallons. Additionally, they can reproduce once a month or twice every three months. As for guppy breeding, you can read Are You Ready for Guppy Breeding.
3. Clown killifish
Clown killifish are native to West Africa. In general, they can grow up to about 1.4 inches and live up to 2–3 years. Accordingly, 5 gallon fish tank is great for them. The peaceful temperament makes clown Killifish a great choice for beginners.
Quick questions & answers about tank maintenance
– How often should clean the tropical fish tank?
Generally, most aquariums need cleaning once a week or once every two weeks. However, if your tropical fish tank faces algae issues, then cleaning it more often may be necessary. Or you can introduce some algae eaters to deal with the algae problem.
– Where do you put the fish when cleaning the tank?
Actually, it is recommended to leave fish in the tank while cleaning. Removing fish from the tank may pose risks of stress, injuries, or even death. As for deeper cleaning, you can put the fish in a container with water from the aquarium. Furthermore, the article How to Clean the Inside Glass of an Aquarium shares pointers about inside tank glass cleaning.
– Is it a lot of work having live plants in a freshwater tank?
Whether a freshwater tank with live plants needs a lot of work or not depends on the types of aquatic plants and the status of the tank. For instance, rhizome-type plants demanding low light need lower maintenance, like Anubias and Java fern. There is no need to trim them very often. Commonly, trimming once every several month is feasible. On the contrary, fast-growing plants would need trimming regularly, like once a month. By the way, you can go to the tutorial – How to Clean Sand in a Heavily Planted Aquarium to learn more about cleaning freshwater tanks with live plants.
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