Those few minutes we look to an aquarium help us relax. What we have to offer in return is a clean aquarium, care and attention for our fishes. A clean environment ensures that the fish are healthy and the aquarium and decorations will last longer. Not to mention the pleasant smell in the room.
Tank cleaning process can seem quite complex for a beginner, but over time, by gaining experience, will become an easy task. Our patience and passion are the secrets that give us a clean, tidy and beautiful aquarium.
Tools needed for cleaning the aquarium:
– A special scraper for cleaning the tank’s glass.
– A special solution for cleaning the tank’s glass.
– A clean bucket.
– Another small aquarium or a fish tank to keep the fishes while cleaning.
– A container filled with clean water, to replace the old one.
– A vacuum cleaner.
– A small landing net.
– New substrate or decorations, if you want to change them.
It is recommended to weekly change between 10 and 30% of the aquarium water and not all at once because such change is too strong and stressful for the fishes. This amount of water can be removed from the tank with a hose. Also, this is the ideal time to remove the dirt from the bottom of the aquarium.
For better water quality and for a clean aquarium is better to use filters and filtering pumps with the capacity adapted to the size of your aquarium. At the same time, when changing the water, do not insist on cleaning the plants, the substrate or the pump sponges because you can remove bacteria that are useful in the aquarium ecosystem.
We can greatly reduce the amount of dirt inside the aquarium by giving the fishes the right amount of food, never more, because the leftover may rot and alter the water. To prevent algae, it is best to place the aquarium in an area without sunlight. When cleaning the tank, use only water and no detergents or other chemicals.
There are special cleaners for the waste from the bottom of the aquarium, and so you’ll remove algae, food debris and other waste found in the aquarium. Please also read the instructions before you use it, to avoid accidents or unpleasant situations.
When the aquarium decor items are covered by a thin layer of algae, it would be better to feed the fish less often because algae deposited on the aquarium glass and furnishings are a sign of excess nutrients in the water. The decoration items will be cleaned only with cold water and can be easily rubbed with a cloth or sponge.
The tank’s glass can be cleaned with a wet cloth, and where you spot debris and dirt, you can apply ammonia (for 1-2 hours to take effect) then wipe it well. You need to clean the filter also, but not very often, to keep the bacterial flora that was created and to maintain the biological balance in the aquarium.
Water that came out first from the aquarium should be left to settle then it will be poured carefully back (but without the dirt from the bottom of the bucket). After pouring the old water in the aquarium, fill with fresh water up to the optimum level then add decor items, and finally the fishes.
