How to Clean the Aquarium?
Cleaning a fish aquarium can be tricky, but it is not that difficult. Anyone can clean their own aquarium, however, hiring a cleaning professional is also an option. Here is a proper procedure on how to clean an aquarium at your home:
At first, switch off and remove all the equipment’s (lights, filter, heater and thermometer) that are attached with the aquarium. If you forget to turn off a piece of the aquarium’s equipment, they might break with overheating and failure. Always make sure to unplug everything so that no fires will start. Electricity and water is never a good combination! Move the fish from the aquarium to any other aquarium or bowl. Conduct a large water change to get around 30% of the water removed. This will make sure that the dirty water is condensed enough for a healthy aquarium. Now start taking out all the fake plants from the aquarium, if there are any.
Cleaning the Glass
Take a cloth or cleaning material such as a sponge and start rubbing the inner side of the aquarium gently. Use some vinegar to clean the inner side of the aquarium. Please do not use any poisonous liquid for cleaning; it can result in harming fish afterwards. After cleaning the walls, pour some water to remove the dirt from the walls. Once the walls are done, you can start rubbing a cloth on the surface of the aquarium. Now use a dry cloth to suck all the dirty water from the surface of the aquarium. If a cloth doesn’t work well enough for the algae, we recommend using a home sponge to remove the algae! The home sponge works well for both acrylic and glass aquariums!
Now it is time for the plants. Most people do not focus on cleaning the plants, which makes the aquarium dirty after a while. It is crucial to clean the plants if they are artificial. If you don’t clean the plants and decor in your aquarium, they will all be coated with algae! This will make your home aquarium look unattractive, and people will think poorly of your aquarium!
Once you have cleaned the aquarium and decor, carefully put the aquarium plants back in the aquarium. Attach all the equipment (lights, filter, heater and thermometer) back in the aquarium. Fill up ¼ (Quarter) Aquarium with fresh water. Make sure that filter is switched on, and start moving the fish back to the aquarium. At the end of the cleaning process, add some water treatment solution. Make sure to test the water 12 hours after completing the cleaning, this will record accurate parameters for the quality of your water. If you conduct a water test too soon, the water will not reflect the proper conditions.
How to Clean Small Fish Bowl?
Move the fish from the bowl to any other bowl or aquarium that you have at your home. Dump the water from the bowl, and use some vinegar to clean the inner side of the bowl. Now wash away the dirt from the bowl and dry it with a cloth. After using the cloth, fill up ¼ (Quarter) bowl with water and add water treatment to it. Move the fish back to the bowl, and fill the bowl with the recommended quantity and temperature of water. Usually fish bowl cleanings are much less complex, and overall easier to clean compared to aquariums. Fish bowl cleanings usually only take around 15 minutes to complete. If you have a goldfish, make sure to test the water often to make sure they are healthy and happy!
When to Clean the Aquarium?
You must repeat the procedure after every 2 – 3 weeks. A lot of aquarium hobbyist recommend doing it more frequently, however, you can get away safely by cleaning it every 2 weeks. Just like updating and cleaning a car, keep records of everything that you do!
How to Clean the Aquarium Plants?
Elements that cause to stick to aquarium plants can usually be washed off by removing the plant from the aquarium, and dipping them in clear water. If that does not remove the elements, try to scrub the plant. After cleaning the aquarium plants and decor, add them back into the home aquarium! If you notice that the algae still isn’t coming off, you have the option to boil the fake plants! This works very well with killing the algae, and removing unwanted dirt!
Can I use Fake or Artificial Plants for my Aquarium?
Yes, you can use artificial plants in a fish tank. It is also cheap compared to the real plants, and there is no risk of plants dying. However, the sharp edges of the plastic plants can tear the fins off the fish. Using live plants bring a natural filter to your aquarium. It is important to conduct an analysis on what type of fish you want in your aquarium before deciding on decor or live plants.
Can I Clean my Fish Tank?
Anyone can wash their fish tank, there is nothing complicated and there is no need to spend extra money on hiring a professional. Just follow the procedure mentioned above and you are good to go. Just keep in mind “Please DO NOT use any poisonous liquid while cleaning the tank”.
Precautions to Keep the Aquarium Clean?
You must know when your fish are in danger. Keep a check on your aquarium, and know when to get extra help with your aquarium!
- Look for any dead fish.
- Too Much Food.
- Excessive Waste.
- Dying Plants.
