How To Clean A Fish Tank Properly

Ensure your fish are happy and salubrious by keeping their tank clean and properly filled with water. Y'all may need to peak off the tank with prepared h2o ofttimes. Cleaning an aquarium isn't difficult, specially if you brand sure to do information technology on a schedule so algae-causing nutrients don't have time to build up. Whether you have a freshwater or saltwater aquarium, you tin keep information technology make clean with a piddling time and effort.

1. 1

   Go your cleaning supplies set up. Ensure that you have everything you demand, including h2o conditioner, before you start the cleaning process. Run through your checklist and ensure that you've prepped your tools and your workspace.^[1]

   • Properly prepared h2o in the quantity y'all'll need to replace or water conditioner to treat chlorinated tap water.
   • An algae scraper for cleaning the glass inside the tank (scrubby pad, straightedge, or combination).
   • A v US gal (xix L) bucket dedicated for this purpose.
   • A simple siphon-blazon gravel vacuum (NOT a bombardment-operated gadget).
   • Filter media (cartridges, sponges, carbon packets, and so on) if you're changing the filter this time.
   • Aquarium-safety glass cleaner or a vinegar-based solution.
   • ^one⁄₄ loving cup (59 mL) of bleach per 3–four US gal (11–fifteen l) of h2o in a separate container (optional).
   • Metal or plastic razor bract (optional, be careful with acrylic tanks, every bit these scratch easier).

2. ii

   Clean the sides of the aquarium with the algae pad. Run information technology along the glass, scrubbing a little every bit necessary, to remove algae that are sticking to the aquarium. If you come up across a particularly difficult patch of rest, apply a razor blade or plastic blade to scrape it off the glass.^[ii]

   • You might want to wear aquarium gloves to complete this job, peculiarly if you are allergic to anything in the tank (like a synthetic salt mix). Cull shoulder-length plastic gloves designed for utilise in aquariums.
   • Practice not simply utilize the sponge or scrubber from your kitchen sink or anything that could have the balance of detergent or cleaning chemicals. A clean, tank-only algae pad will forbid harsh chemicals and detergents from getting into your tank. A magnetic glass cleaner is amend to clean fish tank drinking glass without moisture easily.
   • This pace can likewise be done afterward yous accept out 10-20% of the h2o.

3. three

   Decide how much water you are going to change. Consider the bio-load (i.east. the rate of food accumulation) of your tank when determining how much water to change and how oft to modify it. Aim to change 25-fifty% of the water each week.^[iii]

   • If your goal is to reduce nitrate and phosphate to minimum levels, big, more frequent water changes are required. And, if you practice larger h2o changes (50% or more), you can perform them less often.
   • Notation that a weekly 10% h2o change is inferior to a 40% change once per month.

4. 4

   Siphon out the one-time water. Start the siphon and straight the old water into a pail, preferably a five Us gal (19 L) saucepan. It's best to purchase a new saucepan and utilize it only for cleaning your fish tank; this means no repurposing the laundry room bucket or the bucket that used to hold your dishwashing cleaning agents—synthetic detergent is toxic to fish.^[four]

   • Aquarium siphons tin can be purchased that claw upwards to a sink. If you have one of these, read over the instructions on how they work. This type of siphon also prevents water spilling from the bucket.
   • You can utilise the same hose to siphon and make full the tank.

5. 5

   Make clean the gravel. Push the gravel vacuum through the gravel. Fish waste, excess food, and other debris volition be sucked into the vacuum. If you have very small, weak, or delicate fish, you tin can put a clean fishnet over the end of the siphon.^[5]

   • Clean at least 25-30% of the gravel each month.
   • If you have sand substrate, lower the flow charge per unit by putting your finger over the terminate of the siphon or kinking the hose. Concur the hose 1 inch (2.five cm) or less from the surface and utilize it suck up waste without disturbing your sand. Run your fingers through or stir the sand (provided there are no buried animals to disturb) to assistance release gunk trapped underneath it and prevent the formation of anaerobic zones.

6. half dozen

   Clean the decorations. Algae is caused by nutrients in the water and lite exposure, and then it may build up on your tank decorations. You tin wipe the decorations off with an algae pad or a never-used soft-bristled toothbrush in the tank h2o as you siphon. Avoid the use of lather; it could harm your fishy friend!^[6]

   • If yous're having difficulty cleaning the decorations, remove them from the tank and soak the items in a large saucepan filled with water and ¹⁄_four cup (59 mL) of bleach for xv minutes. Rinse the items thoroughly and care for them with chlorine h2o conditioner. If they are porous, let them dry completely before returning them to the tank.
   • If y'all're having algae problems, lowering the nutrient aggregating or exposure to light volition assistance. Y'all tin close your window coverings, motility the tank away from a window, or arrange the lighting schedule. Alternatively, perform larger or more frequent water changes.
   • Having a true flying fob, otocinclus, or rubber olfactory organ pleco in larger tanks can preclude algae from growing excessively.

7. 7

   Add fresh water. Supplant the water you took out with fresh, treated h2o at the temperature of the aquarium. An infrared thermometer is the best way to verify the temperature. Staying inside the dictated temperature parameters is crucial for the wellness of your fish.^[vii] Recall, lukewarm is too hot for almost fish.

   • Avoid overfilling the tank.
   • If yous utilize tap or faucet h2o, conditioning the water to remove chlorine, heavy metals, and other toxins that your fish can't procedure is a must. Cull a conditioner with an ammonia detoxifier chemical.
   • Programme ahead and fill up a bucket the day earlier you perform the h2o change. Add the water conditioner and let the water to sit overnight. Make sure that the water you refill the tank with is the same temperature as the water in the aquarium—a difference of more than 1 °F (−17 °C) is very dangerous for your fish.
   • If the nitrates are astronomically loftier, you can practice a water change with contrary osmosis water from your local fish store. Add a freshwater aquarium buffer to the h2o to go along your tank stable.

8. eight

   Sentry the h2o. Wait a few hours for whatever cloudiness that remains to misemploy, leaving the water sparkling clear. Although there are water clearing agents on the market, they are usually unnecessary. If the h2o remains cloudy, it's considering of an underlying problem and the agent will only mask (not solve) the upshot.^[viii]

9. 9

   Make clean the exterior. Wipe downwards the outside, including the glass, hood, light, and tank top. You can use drinking glass cleaner so long as y'all spray it on your rag rather than on the tank itself—practice non get the cleaner inside the tank or in the h2o. Use a distilled white vinegar solution to remove mineral deposits.^[nine]

   • If y'all have an acrylic tank, yous can purchase a special polish for it.

10. x

    Change or clean the filter nigh in one case a calendar month. Rinse mechanical filtration regularly with tank water from a siphon or a saucepan if you lot are concerned about losing bacterial colonies. Remove and replace chemical media (similar carbon, GFO, or Chemi-Pure) every 2-6 weeks, depending on the load and maintenance regimen.

1. 1

   Mix a saltwater solution. Information technology's essential that the temperature, salinity, and pH of the water are all within an acceptable range for your fish. Start this process the night before you lot clean your tank. Buy distilled or reverse osmosis water from the grocery shop.

   • Place the water in a clean plastic bucket, preferably used only for this purpose.
   • Heat the h2o with a specialized heater, purchased at a pet store.
   • Add the salt mix. One-footstep salt mixes are available at pet stores. Follow the instructions on how much to add based on how much water you are using. The dominion of thumb is i/ii loving cup of mix for every 1 gallon of water.
   • Aerate the water while mixing in the salt.
   • In the morning, check the salinity with a refractometer, hygrometer, or salinity probe. In fish-only systems, you lot can shoot for a salinity of xxx grams per liter (g/L) equally a baseline. In some cases, such as if you accept corals in your tank, you lot may need to mix the salt to seawater concentration which is 35 thousand/L.
   • Cheque the temperature with a thermometer. For saltwater fish, it should be between 73–82 °F (23–28 °C).

2. 2

   Get your cleaning supplies ready. Saltwater aquariums accept special needs in improver to the bones supplies yous'd use for a freshwater aquarium. Gather the following supplies:

   • An algae pad for cleaning the glass inside the tank.
   • A 5 U.s. gal (19 50) bucket dedicated for this purpose.
   • A uncomplicated siphon-type gravel vacuum (NOT a battery-operated gadget).
   • Filter media (cartridges, sponges, carbon packets, and so on) if yous're changing the filter this time.
   • Aquarium-safety glass cleaner or a vinegar-based solution.
   • pH strips.
   • A refractometer, hygrometer, or salinity probe.
   • A thermometer.
   • ten% bleach solution in a separate container (optional)

3. 3

   Clean off the algae. Utilize the algae pad to remove algae residue from the inside of the tank. Use a razor bract or plastic blade to scrape off built-upwards balance that'due south difficult to remove.^[10]

4. four

   Siphon out the water. For a saltwater aquarium, change ten% of the water every 2 weeks. For almost systems, this should exist sufficient to eliminate nitrates from the water. Offset the siphon and let the h2o run into a big bucket.^[11]

5. v

   Clean the gravel. Push the gravel vacuum through the gravel. Fish waste, excess food, and other debris volition be sucked into the vacuum. If you have very small, weak, or fragile fish, you can put a fish net over the end of the siphon.^[12]

   • Lower the flow rate by putting your finger over the end of the siphon or kinking the hose if y'all take sand substrate. Concord the hose i inch (2.5 cm) or less from the surface and utilize it suck upwards waste without disturbing the sand. Stir the sand to foreclose the formation of anaerobic zones.

6. 6

   Make clean the decorations. Wipe the decorations off with an algae pad or a never-used soft-bristled toothbrush in the tank water you lot siphoned out. You lot can also remove the decorations from the tank and soak the items in a 10% bleach solution for 15 minutes. Then rinse the decorations and treat them with dechlor.^[13]

7. vii

   Bank check for table salt creep. When the salt h2o evaporates at the top of the aquarium, information technology will get out backside a crusty residue known as salt creep. Clean information technology off with an algae sponge or moisture towel and add back the lost water.^[14]

8. 8

   Add the water to the tank. Carefully cascade the premixed water into the tank. Again, exist sure the salinity and temperature match the water already in the tank. Avoid overfilling the tank.

9. nine

   Cheque the temperatures every mean solar day. Saltwater fish alive in a relatively narrow temperature range. To make sure they're healthy, yous'll want to check the temperature of the aquarium on a daily basis.

Add together New Question

• Question

  When does a betta fish sleep?

  

  Doug Ludemann is the owner and operator of Fish Geeks, LLC, an aquarium services company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Doug has worked in the aquarium and fish-care industry for over twenty years, including having worked as a professional aquarist for the Minnesota Zoo and Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. He received his Bachelor of Science in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior from the Academy of Minnesota.

  

  Professional Aquarist

  Good Answer

  Fish go into a resting phase, about often at night. Though not perfectly analogous to our sleep, information technology is a resting stage that allows the animal to save energy and recoup.

• Question

  Is it okay if my brother would take out the fish every time he cleans the fish tanks?

  

  Doug Ludemann is the owner and operator of Fish Geeks, LLC, an aquarium services company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Doug has worked in the aquarium and fish-care industry for over 20 years, including having worked as a professional aquarist for the Minnesota Zoo and Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. He received his Bachelor of Science in Ecology, Evolution, and Beliefs from the University of Minnesota.

  

  Professional Aquarist

  Expert Reply

  I would strongly recommend against it. If you lot are doing your water changes approximately, it's preferred to proceed the fish in the tank undisturbed. This means maintaining a constant temperature, proper aeration, and salinity if applicable. If yous are mixing specialized water, such equally a marine mix, a hard h2o cichlid mix, or a soft h2o low pH mix, you should always ready your h2o prior to starting your water alter.

• Question

  What exercise I do if my goldfish has a bump on it's side? Is that a sickness?

  

  Doug Ludemann is the possessor and operator of Fish Geeks, LLC, an aquarium services visitor based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Doug has worked in the aquarium and fish-care industry for over 20 years, including having worked as a professional aquarist for the Minnesota Zoo and Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. He received his Available of Science in Ecology, Development, and Beliefs from the University of Minnesota.

  

  Professional person Aquarist

  Expert Answer

  It is perchance some type of lesion indicating a pathogen of some type. It could be a secondary infection from a wound or a parasite of some type. If the skin appears to be broken, it is prudent to add aquarium table salt to the water at a charge per unit of 3-5 grams per liter to assist the fish'south osmotic residual with the water as well equally a possible condom treatment. Salt tin exist effective against mucus and several types of bacteria at this concentration.

• Question

  I need someone to make clean my tank. Who can practice information technology?

  

  Doug Ludemann is the possessor and operator of Fish Geeks, LLC, an aquarium services company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Doug has worked in the aquarium and fish-care industry for over xx years, including having worked equally a professional person aquarist for the Minnesota Zoo and Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. He received his Bachelor of Science in Environmental, Evolution, and Behavior from the Academy of Minnesota.

  

  Professional person Aquarist

  Skilful Answer

  At that place are professional aquarium cleaning services. Bank check for professionals in your area.

• Question

  I have African cichlids. How practise I make clean their tank?

  

  Doug Ludemann is the owner and operator of Fish Geeks, LLC, an aquarium services visitor based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Doug has worked in the aquarium and fish-intendance industry for over 20 years, including having worked equally a professional aquarist for the Minnesota Zoo and Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. He received his Bachelor of Science in Ecology, Development, and Behavior from the University of Minnesota.

  

  Professional person Aquarist

  Good Answer

  The same every bit any other freshwater aquarium. If y'all are keeping Rift Lake cichlids (Malawi, Tanganyika, Victoria), yous should pay special concern to the pH and alkalinity of your aquarium. Go on the pH well into the alkaline range past maintaining an adequately high alkalinity. Keep the aquarium make clean and do regular water changes to ensure the pH doesn't drop as a upshot of the acids created by the nitrogen cycle.

• Question

  Practise I accept to clean live plants from algae as well as normal decorations?

  

  Doug Ludemann is the owner and operator of Fish Geeks, LLC, an aquarium services visitor based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Doug has worked in the aquarium and fish-care industry for over 20 years, including having worked as a professional person aquarist for the Minnesota Zoo and Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. He received his Available of Scientific discipline in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior from the University of Minnesota.

  

  Professional Aquarist

  Practiced Answer

  If your plants get covered with nuisance algae, it is possible to lightly scrub certain plants to remove the algae. In this situation, yous should investigate your food (nitrate and phosphate) levels, and look to mitigate any issues you have in that department. Yous can as well consider a few algae eaters that are suitable for the planted aquaria such as dwarf bristlenose pleco (Ancistrus), Otocinclus sp., or Amano shrimp (Caridina multidentata or Caridina japonica).

• Question

  My son cleaned the tank while I was abroad. He got everything out and cleaned the inside with bleach, and it'due south however soaking with bleach. What should I do?

  

  Doug Ludemann is the owner and operator of Fish Geeks, LLC, an aquarium services company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Doug has worked in the aquarium and fish-care industry for over 20 years, including having worked as a professional aquarist for the Minnesota Zoo and Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. He received his Bachelor of Scientific discipline in Ecology, Development, and Behavior from the Academy of Minnesota.

  

  Professional person Aquarist

  Expert Reply

  Rinse thoroughly, then soak using a chlorine remover (de-chlor) treatment. If y'all are working with porous materials such every bit stone or wood (or some synthetics) permit information technology to dry thoroughly before adding to the aquarium. Be conscious of ammonia/nitrite levels for a few weeks, as your bacterial colony may exist impaired.

• Question

  How long should I look later putting the water conditioner before returning my fish?

  

  Charlie Bray

  Community Answer

  Fish don't need to be removed from the tank unless y'all are doing a huge h2o alter, it tin exist more beneficial if they stay in the tank so they acclimatize to the new (correct temperature/treated) water. The tap safety water conditioners are pretty much instant in the correct dose.

• Question

  How do I know if it's fresh water or salt h2o?

  

  If you're asking about your fish, you can wait upwardly your fish and their environment to find out which water type they adopt. If you lot're talking most acquired water, then yous can get fresh water from regular household sources like the faucet.

• Question

  Is information technology safe to have all of the water out of the tank while the fish are still in it?

  

  No. Your fish could dice or get ill. It's best if you take out the fish first.

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• Letting the new water sit for a few hours volition neutralize the chlorine in your tap, but not the chloramines, which are but as harmful. Do your fish a favor and apply a water conditioner. Use an ammo-detox type chemical such as Prime if you take chloramines. Anything less is unsafe for your fish.

• There'southward no need to remove your fish from the aquarium during a cleaning.

• Go the correct size vacuum for your gravel. If yours is as well small, you'll be in that location all 24-hour interval; if too big, you'll remove too much water before the job is finished. Match the siphon tube to the meridian of your aquarium.

• The larger the aquarium, the longer information technology takes to change the parameters, making these inherently more stable than smaller tanks.

• If you have a motor operated filter, yous volition periodically have to take it apart and clean the gunk out of the moving parts and mechanisms. Don't clean bio wheels unless you have to. Clean the pins that integrate with the filter to ensure smooth operation, only exit the pleated material lonely as it is a substrate for your bacterial colony.

• If yous buy a length of drinking h2o or food condom hose from the hardware shop, h2o changes can be easily done using a siphon to route the water down the train. Fittings can be purchased from a hardware supply store to fill your tank back up directly from a sink.

• Vesture an undershirt or tank height so you don't get sleeves wet.

• If you have carbon in your filter, supersede it every two-6 weeks, depending on your bio-load and maintenance regimen. After that fourth dimension, the carbon will leak waste products back into your tank.

• Do not use tap h2o to launder mechanical filters, as the chlorine and the chloramines tin harm your bacteria.

• If yous haven't washed a large water change in a long fourth dimension, start irksome. Alter out a small amount each week. Sudden and big-scale changes to fishes' environmental parameters (temperature, pH, salinity) can adversely affect the chemistry of the tank and potentially put your fish into shock.

• Never cyberspace your fish unnecessarily every bit it stresses them and disturbs their slime coating.

• Avoid using hoses with brass fittings when working with animals sensitive to copper (such as coral or inverts).

• Be very careful to thoroughly rinse out the tank if you use bleach to make clean the glass. Bleach can kill fish if they come in contact with it.

• E'er wash and rinse your hands thoroughly before and after putting your hands into the aquarium or handling its effects.

• Never allow anything that potentially has soapy residue on it into your fish tank. This includes hands, hoses, and nets.^[15]

Things Y'all'll Need

• Properly prepared water in the quantity you lot'll need to replace
• Ammonia detoxifying and chlorine removing chemical
• Algae pad for cleaning the drinking glass inside the tank
• A 5 US gal (nineteen L) bucket defended for this purpose
• A simple siphon-type gravel vacuum
• Filter media (cartridges, sponges, carbon packets, and so on)
• Aquarium-safe glass cleaner or a vinegar-based solution
• pH strips
• Thermometer
• Salt mix (for saltwater)
• Refractometer, hygrometer, or salinity probe (for saltwater)
• x% bleach solution in a separate container (optional)
• Metal or plastic razor blade (optional)
• A net (just in case)
• Towels

Virtually this article

Article Summary X

Clean your aquarium once a week by gently scrubbing the drinking glass and decorations with an algae pad. Apply a gravel vacuum to clean the substrate and clean the outside drinking glass with diluted vinegar to remove deposits. Use a siphon to remove 25-50% of the water and supersede it with fresh, treated water at the same temperature for a freshwater aquarium. If you have a saltwater aquarium, mix upwardly a saltwater solution beforehand to match the temperature, salinity, and pH of your tank before adding information technology, and remember to make clean off salt residuum at the top of the aquarium with your algae brush. If you want to acquire more, such as how to clean and supervene upon the filter in your aquarium, keep reading!

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