Emergencies can occur in saltwater aquariums and it’s best to have a plan of action to keep your fish safe. Often the emergencies that arise are not ones that you could have predicted and can arise without any previous warning signs. Aquarium care is not hard if you have plans to deal with any problems as they arise.
Some emergencies include power failures, pollution of the tank water, leaks, and temperature fluctuations. Regular monitoring of your tank is essential to be able to immediately deals with these if they occur.
When a problem arises it is important to monitor the fish and corals to see how they are coping with the emergency.
In the event of a power failure the most important thing is to ensure the water continues to be aerated. You cannot do anything about power outages but you can have an emergency kit ready. Pumps that can be run by batteries are available and are excellent in this situation. the nest thing to consider is the temperature of the tank. In the absence of the heater working you can keep the water as warm as possible by insulating the tank with blankets or sleeping bags. Do not feed the fish during the power outage as the filtration system will not be working.
if the temperature of the water increases to over 86F you need to take action. below this level most saltwater fish will be able to cope. One way to prevent this occurring is to place two heaters in your tank. two heaters will regulate the temperature better than one heater. In addition if one heater fails the other heater can take over. Regularly check to make sure the heaters are working. If overheating occurs either turn down the heaters or turn them off. Remove about 40% of the water and keep for returning later. Use bags of ice to reduce the temperature. When the temperature is back to normal remove the ice and slowly return the water.
A problem that can arise with glass tanks is damage or wear leading to leaks. Small pinhole size leaks can be sealed from the outside but major leaks will require complete drainage of the tank. Repairing leaks is not difficult but follow the guidelines below for an effective seal that will not cause further problems.
Tags: aquarium emergencies, aquarium leaks, aquarium problems, aquarium tips
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