Monthly Routine
MONTHLY ROUTINE
Cleaning the Filter
How often?
- Mechanical sponges: when the pressure drops or the flow rate visibly decreases
- Biological media (ceramic): Never clean thoroughly; just rinse with aquarium water.
- Complete external filter: every 1–3 months, depending on the load
How to Clean Without Killing Bacteria:
- Pour the water from the filter into a bucket
- Wash sponges in the water from the bucket (from the aquarium, NOT from the faucet)
- If the water flow was very low, wash the finer sponges as well
- Biological cleaning agents (ceramics, K1): Rinse gently with water from the bucket; never scrub
- Never wash everything at once → leave some items unwashed to preserve bacteria
Does the filter smell bad?
- Dirty filter → creates anoxic zones → production of H2S (hydrogen sulfide) → rotten egg smell and toxicity
- Solution: Clean immediately and carefully
Comprehensive Parameter Test
| Parameter | How often |
|---|---|
| Temperature | Diary |
| pH | Weekly |
| NH3/NH4 | Just maturing or having problems |
| NO2 | Just maturing or having problems |
| NO3 | Monthly |
| KH | Monthly |
| GH | Monthly |
| Ca (marine) | Weekly |
| KH (marine reef) | Weekly or daily |
| PO4 (marine reef) | Weekly |
| Salinity (marine) | Diary |
Lighting Maintenance
- T5/T8 tubes → replace every 9–12 months even if they "still work" (the light spectrum degrades)
- LED → Annual check to ensure the driver is working properly
- Clean the reflector and the light cover (they accumulate lime and algae)