If you want to experience the joys of fishkeeping, expect to get your hands dirty once in a while.

To make life easier for yourself, learn how to set up and maintain your aquarium properly, so that cleaning it becomes less painful.

The major causes of dirty, stinky aquarium water are excessive algae growth and water contamination, and there are ways to reduce or eliminate these problems:

Invest in a good filtration system

This will lessen the need for major cleaning jobs, where you have to remove the fish and the accessories from the water, and scrub the tank clean.

It is important, however, to clean the filter regularly to remove the gunk that has accumulated in it. When purchasing your filtration system, make sure you find out how to use it correctly, otherwise you may do more harm than good to the delicate ecological balance of your aquarium.

Control algae growth

If your aquarium is plagued by algae, it could be exposed to too much light, which encourages algae to thrive.

If the tank is in a sunny spot, move it to a shadier place. If you use fluorescent lights, do not leave them on for more than 10 hours a day.

Introducing algae-eating fish into your aquarium is another way of keeping algae growth in check.

Reduce waste matter

Do not overfeed your fish. Doing so results in more fish poop being produced, and leftover food contaminating the water when the decaying process sets in.

Waste matter floating to the bottom of the aquarium can get trapped in the gravel where it starts decaying and contaminates the water. To prevent this, use finer substrate material so the gaps between the grains aren’t large enough for waste matter to get trapped in. You should also slope the layer of gravel towards the front of the tank when setting up the aquarium, so that you can spot accumulated waste matter more easily.

Do not overstock your aquarium. Obviously, more fish means higher production of waste matter and reduced levels of oxygen in the water.

Stick to a regular cleaning schedule

If you see the water in your tank turning yellow or brownish, don’t be too worried. This is probably caused by the plants in the tank.

As long as you maintain the aquarium’s cleanliness by carrying out regular partial water changes and doing a thorough cleanup occasionally, it should remain in a healthy state.

Like any other pet or child, your finned pals depend on your loving care to grow up happy and healthy. If you learn how to care for them properly, the immense joy they bring will more than make up for your efforts.