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Freshwater Aquarium Equipment and Maintenance Problems
The equipment you use with your aquarium—including the tank itself—is the life-support system for your fish, and problems with any of it can be serious. The following are some potential equipment problems you may experience, the impact they can have on your fish, and what you can do to prevent or repair them.
Tank Leaks
Aquarium leaks are caused by cracks in the glass or plastic of the tank or by cracks in the silicone seal. Leaks can range in severity from a slight drip to complete breakage that results in the loss of all your water, substrate, and fish.
Cracks
While a hard blow to an aquarium from the outside can crack it, most tanks are cracked by their inhabitants. Very large fish, like some cichlids and catfish, have been known to spook and bolt into the side of an aquarium hard enough to actually break the glass. If the fish is in a large enough tank, the glass is usually thick enough to handle these collisions. Most cases of breakage occur in circumstances such as an 18" (45 cm) fish kept in a 55-gallon (210-L) aquarium.
Even small fish can crack aquarium glass. Fish that dig, burrow, or otherwise excavate in substrate can uproot large rocks, which then fall either against the side of the glass or onto the glass bottom of the tank, causing a leak. To prevent this from happening, place rock formations directly on the bottom glass and fill the gravel in around them. Also, make sure that the rocks are well balanced and sturdy. You can also use aquarium sealant to glue the rocks together before they get wet.
To repair a crack in your aquarium, perform the following steps:
- Remove all your fish, substrate, and decorations.
- Obtain two pieces of glass larger than the crack.
- Use silicone sealant to attach one piece over the crack on the inside of the tank and the other over the crack on the outside.
- Wait 48 hours, then test the tank by filling it with water. Make sure the leak still isn’t a problem before returning your fish, substrate, and decorations to the tank.
Sealant Failures
Modern aquarium silicone sealers almost never fail just from use or age. The bond can be easily broken by excessive stress, however. If the aquarium isn’t level, for example—if one corner of the tank is higher than another—the pressure at various points will differ, and the bending forces can rip the seal.
Before you add water to an aquarium, use a level to check that it’s aligned both right to left and front to back. Also, check the surface on which the tank rests to be sure that it’s level and smooth. Even minor imperfections can cause the tank to leak or crack.
Many aquarists place a piece of foam board under an aquarium, especially a large one. This soft base conforms to the contours below it and can even out minor irregularities.
Air Pump Problems
Most aquarium systems rely on an air pump to provide filtration, water movement, and aeration in a tank. When the air pump ceases to function properly, conditions in an aquarium can deteriorate rapidly.
You may find that your air pump is on and vibrating, but there is very little air coming out. First, confirm that the pump is the problem by removing the airline and checking to see if air is pumping out from the unit itself. If it is, the problem is due to either a blockage or worn-out diaphragms inside the pump.
- Blockage: In hard water, a buildup of lime can completely block the underwater end of the airline. The solution to this problem is simply to snip off the blockage and reattach the line at the clean cut.
- Worn diaphragm: The rubber diaphragms inside an air pump can wear out or tear with use and age, impeding the output of the pump. You can purchase repair kits for most models that will quickly and easily restore the pump to its original output.
Heater Problems
A heater is crucial to most aquarium setups—so much so that some aquarists replace their heaters every year to ensure proper function. A single heater can operate well for many years, of course, but a malfunction can have serious consequences.
Broken Glass
Many heaters have their components sealed in a glass tube, and a hard blow can break this glass and short out the heater.
The glass can also break if the heater remains plugged in during a water change. As the water level in the tank falls below the heater, the device will become very hot, and when you refill the tank, the cool water can crack the glass. This usually doesn’t present a problem for the fish, but it poses a serious shock hazard for you if you stick your hand into the tank, thus providing a ground for the current.
Heaters with unbreakable stainless steel or titanium tubes have become more popular in recent years, and some models also have sensors that turn off the heating element when you remove the heater from the water. Your pet retailer can help you choose the best heater model for your tank.
Thermostat Problems
When a heater’s indicator light stays on but doesn’t produce heat, the device is broken and requires replacement. This is also true if the heater is stuck in the “on” position and continues pumping out heat no matter how low you adjust the setting.
You may want to keep a spare heater on hand for such situations, but another approach is to divide the total wattage between two or more heaters. If you need 150 watts to properly heat your tank, use two 75-watt heaters, for example. This protects your tank from both extremes: if the heater sticks on, the functioning unit will stay off if the water overheats, making the rise in temperature slower. In the event that one heater fails completely, the other one will keep the temperature from becoming dangerously low.
Filter Problems
A quality filter is absolutely essential to the well-being of your aquarium, and any issues you have with your filtration system can have serious consequences in your tank. Different filter designs can all experience unique problems, but the following filter issues are common to all filter types.
Failure to Start
The most common cause of starting problems is the loss of a prime—the water inside the filter. Almost all filters that hang onto an aquarium operate by suctioning water up from the tank and pumping it through, after which it returns to the tank by gravity. For the pump to be able to pull water up from the tank, it must contain a prime.
Sometimes, replacing the water in the filter is sufficient to reestablish the prime, but if the problem is that the water level in the tank has become too low, you must refill the aquarium—though your water level should never get so low as to cause this problem in the first place.
Clogged Media
If you notice a reduction in the water flow leaving your filter, chances are the filter contains a blockage: the filter medium has become so saturated with dirt that the water flow is impaired. It’s important to operate the filter according to the manufacturer’s instructions to avoid clogging.
To correct this problem, simply clean or replace the filter medium. Doing so will restore unimpeded water flow and normal output.
Impeller Problems
The impeller is the heart of a power filter. It normally sits at the base of the siphon uptake tube that conducts water out of the tank. The impeller sucks water up from the tank and pushes it out into the filter medium. If the impeller isn’t operating properly, water won’t flow through the filter.
A common problem that slows down an impeller is fibrous material—usually hair algae or some other plant material—getting wrapped around it, but a variety of objects and debris can cause similar problems. The instructions that came with your filter describe how to remove and clean, or replace, the impeller.
Shocks
If you receive a shock when you touch a piece of equipment or stick your hand into the tank water, something is seriously wrong and requires immediate attention. Quickly unplug all electrical devices connected to your aquarium, determine which one is causing the problem, and replace or repair it as necessary.
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GF[C]Is)
Anything electrical connected to your aquarium must be plugged into a GF(C)I device. This is a circuit breaker that monitors the difference between the hot and ground sides of a circuit. Regular circuit breakers monitor only the total flow of electricity and cut off the flow if it exceeds a certain amperage. If you stick your finger into an electrically charged aquarium, giving the electricity a way out to ground through you, the GF(C)I device trips, cutting off the flow of electricity and preventing a shock.
There are three different ways to get GF(C)I protection: a circuit breaker, an outlet, or a power strip. Choose the method that suits your setup best, but make sure that the device you purchase is specifically rated as GF(C)I.
Drip Loops
There are many ways in which aquarium water can end up out of the tank, but one that many aquarists fail to notice is the condensing of fine water spray on a surface above the tank’s water level. This water can then drip down wires that hang from lighting or other equipment attached to the tank. As it follows the wire, the water can find its way into the electrical outlet, causing a shock hazard.
To prevent this from happening, create a drip loop with your electrical cords: arrange them so that they make a U-shaped loop before they reach the wall socket. This places the lowest point of the wire below the outlet, and any water sliding down the cord drips off at the lowest point before it reaches the wall.
Secure Equipment
Attach all your equipment securely to your aquarium. Doing so can prevent electrical problems with your tank. Never use makeshift installations.
- Never place an aquarium on or above an electrical appliance like a stereo or television. Even routine maintenance can send water into the appliance.
- Always unplug any piece of aquarium equipment before moving it, as you might slip and drop it into the water.
- Use only appropriate covers and light fixtures that sit securely and completely on the top frame of the aquarium without wobbling.
- If you’re using a heater that hangs onto the aquarium, make sure that the clamp that holds the heater in place screws tightly to the tank frame so that the heater can’t fall into the tank.
- Make sure any water pumps you use do not run dry because they can burn out their seals and possibly start a fire.
| Text & Photos Copyright © 2007 TFH Publications, Inc. | Acknowledgments & Disclaimer |
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