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Maintenance

 

Water changes are essential for cichlids. They simply like and need clean, fresh water. I recommend siphoning out and replacing about one-third of the water in the tank each week. Make sure you add the Kent chemicals back in to replace what was lost when you removed the water.

You should clean your filter periodically. I clean the Eheim about once every 2-3 months. When cleaning the filter, preserve a little of the water and dirt in it. Believe it or not keeping a little of this goo in your filter after it has been cleaned allows the “good” bacteria to live. If you clean the filter contents spotlessly, you will kill the bacteria that keep your toxin levels down (i.e. ammonia, nitrates, etc.).

I use a Python siphon to remove and add water. I cannot speak highly enough about the convenience of this tool. One end of the hose simply screws into a faucet and the other goes in the tank. There is a valve which, when open, creates suction and draws water out of the tank and into the sink. When closed, it sends tap water back into the tank. The Python greatly simplifies and neatens the process of changing water.

No matter how successful an aquarist you are, you will have fish die. That’s life, but it is important to always remove dead fish immediately.