Even if you trust your aquarium maintenance company completely, it always pays to know a few things about your aquarium so you can keep an eye on it in between maintenance visits. Here are three things to keep an eye on to ensure your aquarium is in good working order.
Counting the fish —
Very basic, yes, but this is one of the simplest things you can do to check that everything is running OK. If you notice a fish is missing, you’ll have to find it and see what went wrong. This could tip you off to other potential issues in the tank.
Testing the pH —
The pH level of the tank is a super easy to test and yet crucial marker of aquarium health. Different fish have different preferences, but most thrive around a pH of 7 in freshwater and over 8 for saltwater, which happens to be perfectly neutral. From there, every number below (more acidic) or above (more basic) is 10 times more than the previous, because the pH scale is logarithmic. If you notice anything odd, call your service provider for instructions.
Checking the nitrate levels —
A byproduct of the ammonia that all fish secrete in they day-to-day activities, nitrates are not toxic but still should be kept in balance. To test for nitrates, simply follow the instructions on your test kit and match up the color to the right nitrate level, comparing that to the range your aquarium servicer has given you.
If any of the three factors above look odd, get in touch with your aquarium servicer right away. At Blue Planet Aquarium Service, we have a 24/7/365 emergency maintenance crew that’s ready for anything.
