Automatic Tank Cleaning
A small fish tank containing nothing but gravel and a goldfish is actually harder to keep clean than a larger, more complex tank. Cleaning your aquarium can be simplified and partially automated with the addition of a few basic elements.
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Mechanical Filtration
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Mechanical filtration automatically removes waste particulate from the water by pulling it though a sieve, which traps the pieces. These must then be physically removed from the tank so that they do not decay and dissolve in the water. This is accomplished by periodically removing the filter and rinsing it with water.
Algae Eaters
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Algae eaters, such as snails and catfish, clean the aquarium by feeding on the growing algae. They spend their time on surfaces of the tank, such as rocks, walls and plants, and they clean as they go.
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Live Plants
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Live plants help reduce nitrate levels in your aquarium. Live plants can help clean the aquarium as well. Nitrates are present in the water as a result of the oxidization of fish waste by bacteria, and if you have real plants in your aquarium, they will use these nitrates as fertilizer.
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- Photo Credit Aquarium fish-Capoeta tetrazona image by SPLAV from Fotolia.com swamp fish image by sasha from Fotolia.com
