An aquarium that is properly maintained is essential to its inhabitants’ wellbeing and enjoyment, so undertaking basic maintenance tasks on a weekly or monthly basis will keep your aquarium clean while also keeping your fish healthy and happy.
Frequent partial water changes help remove pollutants that build up over time, stabilize concentrations of nitrate and phosphate concentrations, replenish trace minerals and buffering capacity, as well as remove old water by siphoning off. Always prepare two buckets: one to mix new water while siphoning away old.
1. Change the Water Every Week
Maintaining your fish tank requires frequent changes of an accurate amount of water using an aquarium volume calculator. Doing this eliminates pollutants, uneaten food particles and waste products which build up as toxins; additionally it allows the aquarium to achieve its natural balance of beneficial bacteria that support your fish.
Do not remove all of the water at once from your aquarium as this can upset its natural balance and stress your fish. Instead, switch out 10%-15% each week.
When changing the water in your tank, always use a water conditioner to remove chlorine and any other chemicals found in tap water. Also ensure that any new replacement water is treated and at a similar temperature to that found in your tank. Before beginning any water change process, ensure to vacuum gravel or substrate to remove organic debris without disrupting filters.
2. Remove Debris
Clean your fish tank regularly whether freshwater or saltwater to ensure the health of its inhabitants. Fish waste, leftover food and decaying plant matter can build up in the gravel and disrupt your water chemistry, potentially leading to ammonia spikes that make your fish sick.
The best way to eliminate debris in an aquarium is with regular partial water changes. Simply use a bucket designed specifically for aquarium use (never soapy!) and siphon old water into it before pouring it back out, taking care not to disturb decorations or plants while performing this process. Use an anti-algae plastic scouring pad – taking great care not to scratch the glass surface! – to wipe away algae growth around your fish tank walls as needed.
3. Clean the Glass
Cleaning the glass from your tank regularly is vital to keeping its clarity clear for viewing your fish and monitoring changes to the water quality. There are specially-made algae scrubber pads designed for aquarium use or you could try using razor blades, both options work equally well against glass tanks but should only be used on acrylic tanks.
As well as brushing away any algae growth from decorations like rocks and artificial plants, any visible forms of it should also be cleaned from decorations such as rocks and the substrate itself. If it’s deeply embedded into either type of substrate material (glass for aquariums or plastic for acrylic) use an aquarium razor blade (for glass tanks) or plastic scraper (for acrylic tanks) to scrape it off.
Once you are finished cleaning your tank, conduct a partial water change with water treated to remove chlorine and aged. This will restore healthy bacteria to help your aquarium remain vibrant.
4. Clean the Filter
If your aquarium filter utilizes a biological bed of sponge, make sure it’s cleaned regularly or biweekly to minimize disruption of colony-rich areas and their nitrogen cycle, which could otherwise result in ammonia and nitrite spikes.
For filters such as hang-on-backs, canisters and corner box filters, the media needs to be cleaned thoroughly with old tank water (never soap) until all debris and clogs have been eliminated. You may use either a sponge or brush for this step – be sure to use pure, scent-free cleaning vinegar rather than tap water as any bacteria could enter your fish tank through its supply of bacteria.
Maintain a regular regimen in terms of changing out the carbon in your filter using aged tank water, being careful not to lose too many beneficial bacteria colonies that might negatively impact water quality.
5. Clean the Gravel
Cleaning gravel regularly is an essential task that should not be neglected. Fish waste, uneaten food scraps and decaying plant material can accumulate in gravel substrate, leading to ammonia spikes that alter water chemistry; with regular cleaning and vacuuming of substrate it’s easy to prevent these events from taking place.
Employ a gravel vacuum with wide mouth to reach deep into the substrate without disturbing plants or decorations, then rinse thoroughly in old tank water to eliminate any remaining debris. As an alternative method, try mixing vinegar with some dechlorinated water and leaving it for two hours before rinsing it off before doing another water change and/or cleaning of gravel with dechlorinated water and waiting two more hours before rinsing off again – never clean your gravel with tap water, as that will kill off beneficial bacteria that live therein; cleaning can also take place while doing another water change.
6. Remove Algae
Add algae-eating fish or plants to help manage it, but without continuous monitoring it can quickly grow out of control, creating murky-looking water and decreasing oxygen in your tank.
Try to swap out 10% of the aquarium water daily. You can do this while vacuuming gravel (the siphon hose can siphon away some of the old water); just be sure to add back treated or aged water as part of this changeover process.
To eliminate algae infestation, soak plant decorations in a weak bleach solution for 10 minutes (or longer if dealing with more delicate species) then rinse well and scrub down with a scouring pad or sponge. A magnetic cleaner (available at pet stores) may also prove effective for clearing away stubborn deposits of dirt from glass surfaces.
7. Soak Dirty Tank Decorations in a Weak Bleach Solution
Cleansing your fish tank may seem like an insurmountable task, but with some clever hacks you can have your aquarium looking and feeling like new in no time at all!
Always follow a systematic cleaning schedule when cleaning tanks so as to minimize disruption of fish or harmful bacteria in the water, which could potentially stress out their inhabitants and increase the likelihood of illness.
Add Hornwort to Your Tank To reduce algae growth in Your tank, try introducing Hornwort. Hornwort increases oxygen levels while competing for nutrients with algae to improve aquarium water quality and create better aquarium environments for fish and marine life alike. Hornwort is an excellent option for beginners as it’s simple and straightforward to grow!
8. Test the Water Daily
One of the most crucial tasks you can perform for your aquarium is testing its water regularly. This will ensure that its temperature falls within acceptable parameters, and that its filtration system works efficiently; additionally, this practice can allow you to keep an eye on any signs of illness or disease among your fish species.
Testing the water allows you to ensure that ammonia and nitrite levels are optimal for keeping fish healthy; too much ammonia or nitrite could prove toxic to their wellbeing.
Every time you perform a water change, be sure to clean both filter and substrate carefully in order to minimize its effect on beneficial bacteria. If possible, stagger your cleanings so that bacterial colonies do not get disrupted continuously – this will help avoid sudden spikes in ammonia and nitrate levels.