Category: tank maintenance

3 Tips on How to Care For Your Aquarium

by Madison
3 Tips on How to Care For Your Aquarium

The luxury aquariums that Okeanos Group creates are a work of art, and we take the responsibility of caring for them very seriously. A lot goes into maintaining these tanks for our clients – from fish tank maintenance to freshwater tank care. This blog post is all about how to care for your aquarium and make sure your tank stays healthy and beautiful!

Aquarium Maintenance NYC

How Much Maintenance Does an Aquarium Need?

Fish tanks can make any space stand out, but they can also be tough to maintain. Setting up an aquarium is a big commitment. You need to make sure that you have enough time and resources to care for your fish, clean the tank, change the water regularly and feed them properly. Most people don’t have the time or the skills to care for their aquariums.

1. Aquariums need to be cleaned every two to three weeks

Aquarium water can build up a lot of dirt and other gunk over just one week. That is why it is so crucial that you keep on top of keeping your tank clean. Aquatic life will be healthier and live longer if kept in a clean environment.

The same goes for luxury aquariums. Because luxury aquariums are more expensive to buy and maintain, they require even more of your time. That’s why Okeanos Group not only installs luxury aquariums but will also maintain them for life.

2. You will need to replace the water in your tank every few months

You should replace fish tank water every few months because the nitrates and phosphates from fish waste accumulate. Without the proper care, diseases can occur as bacterias grow within stagnant pools of dirty aquarium water.

When it comes to your pets’ homes, you want to make sure you fulfill their needs for a healthy life. How do you maintain water quality in an aquarium? Here are a few tips on how to care for your aquarium:

  • Use a water conditioner to remove chlorine and other chemicals from tap water before adding it to the aquarium.
  • Install an ultraviolet filter that removes bacteria, algae, and other impurities from your tank’s water.
  • Keep a close eye on your fish – if they are gasping at the surface of the water or have red streaks along their body, you may need to change out some of the water to lower their pH level. 

3. Care for your aquarium by monitoring your fish’s diet

Fish are an essential part of the aquarium and bring it to life. However, to properly care for your aquarium, you must monitor how much your fish are being fed. Overfeeding can lead to sludge buildup and higher levels of ammonia. For your aquarium’s environment to be balanced, your aquatic life mustn’t get overfed. Sludge buildup can lead to disease buildup, which can cause your marine life to have eye infections or swim bladder dysfunction. 

Okeanos Aquascaping is Here to Help

 With these simple tips, you can care for your aquarium and make sure your tank stays beautiful and healthy. If you want to avoid the hassle of cleaning and maintaining an aquarium on your own, or if you’re looking for a professional service that will do it for you, look no further than Okeanos Group! We offer all kinds of services for home and business luxury aquariums, including installation, maintenance, and more.

Okeanos Group offers professional aquarium maintenance services in the NYC area. Our highly-trained technicians are experts in all things related to maintaining marine life habitats! We make sure everything stays clean, so you don’t have to worry about anything except enjoying your beautiful aquascaping!

Don’t let your fish suffer in dirty water any longer – send an email or give us a call today so we can help put some sparkle back into your life with our expert care. Email us at info@okeanosgroup.com or call us at (212) 244-9555!

Tank Secrets: Painting Your Aquarium

by Okeanos Aquascaping

Ah, you’ve finally placed the final frilly plant in your aquarium and, after a bit of aquascaping, you’ve got everything right where you want it. Your aquarium looks like an underwater version of a zen garden — but wait! An ugly cord stretches along the back of your aquarium, ruining the view. What can you do?

It’s quite simple: paint it. By painting the back layer of your aquarium with a dark color, you can hide the unwanted sight of whatever is behind your tank and keep the attention focused on the beautiful scenery of your aquarium. The obvious colors are black and blue, but there’s nothing saying you have to pick one of those colors. You also don’t have to be a professional artist to pull it off, but by following a few basic tricks you’ll have a cheap and customized alternative to those plastic backgrounds.

Aquarium Painted with a Blue Background

Image: wrongcrowd.com

Before we get started, I should point out that you should do this with an empty tank. You definitely don’t want to get paint particles in the water, and you should only paint the outside of the tank, never the inside.

First off, pick a spray paint of the appropriate color. I recommend something dark. After all, the attention is supposed to be on the fish, not on the brightly-colored glass. Then, tape the bottom and top trim of your paint, pretty much the same way that you would tape the door frames if you were painting your house.

Rocky Aquarium Background

Image: technosamrat.com

Clean the glass with a cleaner like rubbing alcohol or Windex, and then wipe down the glass thoroughly until it’s nice and dry. Start by covering the back of your tank in a light coat and then let it dry for about a minute. Rinse and repeat for a few more coats until it’s dark enough to block out light from the other side. And by “rinse and repeat,” I mean that in the colloquial sense. Actually rinsing the paint with anything while it’s trying to dry is a terrible, terrible idea.

A Painting of Fish Suitable for an Aquarium Background

Image: wn.com

Alternatively, if you’re feeling a bit more artistically inclined, there’s nothing saying that you couldn’t get a few paintbrushes, some paint, and try to paint a scene on the back of your aquarium. Just remember that when you look at the painting from the other side the image will be reversed! Truly talented artists can create a beautiful, stylish scene that will make your fish feel like they’re swimming down the red carpet. Acrylic paints will get the job done, or you could go with Pebeo Vitrea 160 paint if you want to maintain the glass-like translucent effect.

Aquarium Plastic Background Cover

Image: aquariumhabitats.com

Though, if you’re like me and wouldn’t trust yourself to paint well anymore than you’d trust an octopus with a handgun, you can always just go with a plastic laminated background cover. These designs are all great for small, cheap, do-it-yourself projects at home. Once you’re ready to take the plunge and get an aquarium that is true artwork, there’s better option than Okeanos Aquascaping.