Cleaning your home is important to prevent getting any kind of infection or disease. Similarly, your fish needs a clean, healthy, and happy fish tank. Therefore, it is important to clean it regularly without leaving any traces. Cleaning and keeping the tank filled properly with water should have a scheduled routine. Otherwise, this can cause diseases and stress for your aquatic pet. Proper and regular cleaning prevents algae buildup and ensures a clean and pleasant environment for the fish. Make sure to keep in mind that you clean without damaging or destroying the beneficial bacteria that help eliminate animal waste.
How Often Cleaning is Required?
Cleaning should be done on a routine basis. Keeping the fish tank clean keeps the fish healthy by eliminating the water materials and providing clean water to stay well. It is important to clean the tank in the early days of a fish tank setup to complete its nitrogen cycle. However, cleaning is still mandatory, even after establishing the nitrogen cycle. It is recommended that fish tank cleaning is required at least 10% weekly to 25% every other week for established tanks.
The cleaning schedule is affected by the size of the fish tank, the total number of fish, and the filtration setup. Test the water chemistry to determine the perfect schedule for the cleaning procedure.
Additionally, basic maintenance is required if some parameters are over their limits. For instance, when ammonia is higher than 0.25 mg/L, nitrite is higher than 0 mg/L, or nitrate is higher than 20 mg/L.
Essential Supplies to Clean the Fish Tank
It is recommended that the following supplies be available before beginning to clean the fish tank:
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Ammonia test strips and multi-test strips
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A bucket to hold all dirty water from the tank
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Algae scrubber
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Toothbrush for cleaning algae off the plants
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Scissors for pruning plants
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Dechlorinator ( or termed as water conditioner)
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Glass cleaner
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Towel to wipe up all the spilled water
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Glass cleaning cloth or paper towel
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Aquarium siphon (or termed as gravel vacuum)
How to Clean the Fish Tank?
Here are the step-by-step instructions to clean the fish tank.
Step #1: Testing of Water
If the fish tank is recently established and hasn't been nitrogen cycled, test the water to identify if it has 0 ppm ammonia, 0 ppm nitrites, and less than 0 ppm nitrates. Higher levels of these compounds could be severely harmful to fish. However, if it has been cycled, make sure to keep the nitrate level below 40 ppm. Nitrates can be measured using the water strips to identify how much water needs to be removed and if any other steps have to be taken.
Step #2: Removal of Algae
Scrub the tank walls using an algae scraper to see the fish clearly. Using blade attachments will make it easier to remove stubborn algae spots. However, make sure not to catch any substrate underneath the algae scraper to prevent scratching the glass or acrylic.
If algae have grown on the lid, one can easily rinse it off in the sink (do not use soap, as it may harm the fish). Also, use a clean toothbrush to gently brush off algae over the sink if it covers the fish tank's rocks, plants, or decor.
Step #3: Prune the Plants
If you are keeping live aquarium plants, begin trimming down overgrown foliage and removing dead leaves. If you have tall stem plants, cut a few inches off the top and replant them into the substrate. If the floating plants have fully covered the whole water surface, remove 30% to 50% of them to get adequate light and oxygen for the fish.
Step #4: Unplug All Equipments
Unplug all equipment before removing any water from the fish tank. Aquarium heaters and filters can be damaged when they run in dry air, as they are not meant to operate without water.
Step #5: Vacuum the Substrate
Use the nifty aquarium siphon to vacuum one-third of the substrate. Debris tends to collect underneath the decorations or hardscapes, so make sure to remove it. The siphon has more than one purpose: It removes fish, uneaten food, and dead leaves from the gravel or sand and old tank water and the excess nitrates in it.
Step #6: Filter Cleaning
Filters collect all the fish waste, but one has to be responsible for taking out the trash at the end of the day. So, clean the filter at least once a month before it gets clogged or overflows.
There are different types of filters, either hang-on-back, canister, or corner box filters, so the easiest method to maintain is to swish around and wash the filter media in the bucket of recently removed tank water. ( Make sure not to use any soap; use just water.) Now, wring it multiple times in the bucket of old tank water after removing the foam portion in the case of a sponge filter.
Step #7: Refill the Water
Human hands can easily detect the temperature within one or two degrees. Therefore, one can refill the tank with fresh, clean water that is the same amount of warmth as the existing tank water. There are two ways to add a de-chlorinator.
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First, add it into the bucket and dose it depending on its volume.
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Second, add directly into the tank, dosed depending upon the tank's volume.
Step #8: Turn on the Equipment
The tank might look dirtier as all the particulates must have clouded the water after all the work that has been done. Turn on all the equipment again, like the heater and filter. All the debris will collect at the bottom within an hour or so.
Step #9: Wipe the Walls
Wipe down all the outside walls of the fish tank with aquarium-safe glass and acrylic cleaner to erase any water spots and smudges. Then, remove all the dust collected on the lid, light, and fish tank stand. There, all of you go with the crystal-clear finish of the fish tank.
Safety Precautions
Here are some safety measures to remember when cleaning the fish tank.
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Fish might swim up the gravel siphon, which is not supposed to do. They should immediately lift the siphon above the water line, bringing water back into the tank.
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Ensure to turn all the electronic components when cleaning.
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Do not dip your hand if you have any open cuts or sores, as there are some communicable diseases that can be widespread in humans, like mycobacterial infections, causing non-healing lesions on the skin.
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Do not permit children or anyone with weak immune systems to take care of waste tank water or other components.
Final Thoughts
Be sure to have all the supplies before beginning the fish tank's cleaning routine. Also, remember that safety precautions should be taken throughout. However, try not to disturb the fish while carrying out the scheduled cleaning, as you might find them go a little pale or hide for a short period after the cleaning session. Therefore, leave them alone briefly after turning off the lights. Then, continue with their normal feeding routine once they look comfortable, confident, and active again.
