Keep your fish healthy and happy by cleaning their tank and filling it with fresh water every week. Cleaning an aquarium is not difficult, especially if you make sure to do it regularly so that algae and other residue don't have time to build up. This article explains how to clean both freshwater and saltwater aquariums.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Freshwater Aquarium
Step 1. Prepare cleaning tools
Prepare a list of the necessary tools to make sure you have everything you need and your work area ready.
- Provide as much decent water as you want to replace.
- A stringy cleaner to clean the interior of the aquarium.
- A large bucket (with a capacity of 5 gallons or 10 liters or more).
- A simple gravel extractor (NOT using batteries).
- Filter material (cartridges, sponges, carbon packs, etc.) if you want to replace them this time).
- White vinegar-based aquarium or glass cleaner.
- 10 percent bleach solution in separate container (optional)
- Ordinary or plastic razor blade (optional, be careful with acrylic-painted aquariums as they can scratch easily).
- Also, make sure to add a little water to the old water if the fish you are keeping are quite difficult to eat. Remove half the volume of the tank in one week, then do the same 2-3 weeks later. That way, your fish can adapt to a cleaner environment.
Step 2. Clean the inside of the aquarium with a stringy cleaner
Clean the entire glass, scrubbing if necessary, to remove algae adhering to the aquarium. If you find a part that is difficult to descale, use a regular or plastic razor to remove it from the glass.
- You will need to wear rubber gloves to do this. Make sure these gloves do not contain any chemicals.
- Do not use sponges or brushes from the kitchen sink or anything that contains traces of soap or cleaning chemicals. A lint cleaner used specifically for cleaning the aquarium will prevent harmful chemicals and soaps from entering the aquarium.
- This step can also be done after 10-20% of the water has been removed from the aquarium.
Step 3. Determine how much water to replace
If you change your water regularly and your fish are in good health, changing 10-20 percent of the water every week will suffice. If your fish is sick, you should change more water – at least 25-50 percent.
Step 4. Suck out the old water
Start siphoning and put the dirty water into a bucket, a 10 liter capacity bucket (or larger if needed) is recommended. It's great if you buy a new bucket used specifically for washing the aquarium; residual soap or detergent will harm your fish. This means don't use a bucket to wash clothes and a bucket to wash dishes.
Buy a water vacuum that can be attached to the aquarium. If you already have a vacuum of this type, read the instructions before use. This type of suction can also prevent water from spilling out of the bucket. You can also choose the suction and temperature when filling the tank with tap water
Step 5. Clean the rocks in the aquarium
Press the gravel sucker against the rocks. Fish droppings, food scraps, and other debris will be sucked into the vacuum cleaner. If you have very small, weak, or fragile fish, you can use stockings at the end of the suction hose (but make sure the pores of the stockings are large enough to suck up the dirt).
If you're using sand, don't suck it up like you're shoveling. Use only the hose portion of the vacuum cleaner, not the plastic tube, and vacuum within 2.5 cm of the surface of the sand to suck up dirt without sucking up the sand. You can use your fingers to stir the sand (as long as it doesn't disturb the animals in the sand) to remove any dirt that has been buried in the sand
Step 6. Clean the aquarium decorations
Aquarium decorations need cleaning too! The abundance of algae is caused by the abundance of nutrients in the water. You can clean drained aquarium decor with a lint-free cleaner or a soft-bristled toothbrush that has never been used.
- If you're having trouble cleaning the decor, remove the decor and soak it in a liquid containing 10 percent bleach for 15 minutes. Then rinse with boiled water and dry before returning to the aquarium.
- If the decor is covered in algae, you can eat less fish or change the water more often.
- Keeping the broomfish in an aquarium can prevent an overgrowth of algae.
Step 7. Add fresh fresh water
Replace the water you throw away with water that is still clean and fresh, that is, water that is adjusted to the temperature of the aquarium. A temperature gauge is the only way to measure the temperature of water. Strictly maintaining the water temperature can keep your fish healthy. Remember, lukewarm water will be too hot for most fish.
- If you use tap water, cleaning the water using a water purifier to remove heavy metals and other toxins that can harm fish is a must.
- If the nitrate content in the water is very high, you can replace the water with 50-75 percent distilled water (not really recommended, because the water has become very pure, and some of the nutritional elements that fish need are lost). You can also replace the water with bottled water from springs (without a purification process) because it does not contain harmful ingredients and only contains good substances.
Step 8. Consider adding seawater to an aquarium filled with fresh, fresh water
Many fish (including mollies, guppies, and platies) live longer and healthier lives. Aquariums containing fresh water and sea water help prevent diseases such as ich (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis).
Step 9. Observe the water
Wait a few hours to watch the remaining cloudy water dissipate until it becomes clear. Even if there are water purifiers on the market, don't try to use them. If the water remains cloudy, it is because there is an underlying problem and the water purifier is only covering (not solving) this problem. Don't forget, your fish need some space between the water and the top of the tank so that the fish can have enough oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange to breathe and to extend their upper fin more comfortably.
Step 10. Clean the outside of the aquarium
Wipe the entire exterior of the aquarium, including the glass, lights, and aquarium cover. The ammonia vapors produced by ordinary cleaners can be harmful to fish, so use a special aquarium cleaner. If you prefer to make your own cleaner, you can try a white vinegar-based solution.
Step 11. Replace the filter cartridge once a month
The carbon in it can be detrimental to fish health if not replaced. There are not many beneficial bacteria left in the filter, most of them are in the rocks, so replacing them will not have the effect of biological filtration. The cartridges can be rinsed weekly when the water is also replaced because it's dirty, but you don't want to lose the beneficial bacteria that are in the filter. Rinsing the cartridges won't get rid of the bacteria, so you can still replace them every month.
Method 2 of 2: Saltwater Aquarium
Step 1. Prepare cleaning equipment
Saltwater aquariums require special care to complement the equipment you use when cleaning freshwater aquariums. Prepare these tools:
- Provide a decent amount of water that you want to replace.
- A stringy cleaner for cleaning the interior of the aquarium.
- A large bucket (with a capacity of 5 gallons or 10 liters or more).
- A simple gravel extractor (NOT using batteries).
- Filter material (cartridges, sponges, carbon packs, etc.) if you want to replace them this time).
- White vinegar-based aquarium or glass cleaner.
- Salt mixture.
- Acidity meter
- A refractometer, hygrometer, or salt gauge.
- Thermometer
- 10 percent bleach solution in separate container (optional)
Step 2. Clean the algae
Use a stringy cleaner to remove any remaining algae in the tank. Use a regular razor or a plastic razor to scrape off tough, hard-to-clean scale.
Step 3. Suck out the water
For saltwater aquariums, change 10 percent of the water every 2 weeks. This should be enough to reduce the nitrate content and allow the water to drain into a large bucket.
Step 4. Clean the rocks in the aquarium
Press the gravel sucker against the rocks. Fish droppings, food scraps, and other debris will be sucked into the vacuum cleaner. If you have very small, weak, and fragile fish, you can use stockings at the end of the hose (but make sure the pores are large enough to suck up the dirt). For sand, use the hose from the suction only and position it 2.5 cm from the surface of the sand so that the sand is not sucked in
Step 5. Clean the decorations
Clean the aquarium decor using a lint cleaner or a soft-bristled toothbrush that has never been used in an aquarium from which you have sucked the water out. You can also remove the decorations and soak them in water with 10 percent bleach for 15 minutes. Then pour in the boiled water and let it dry before putting it back into the tank.
Step 6. Check for traces of salt
When salt water evaporates onto the surface of the aquarium, it leaves a residue known as a salt trail. Clean using a sponge and return the evaporated water.
Step 7. Make a salt water solution and add it to the aquarium
Adding water to a saltwater aquarium is a bit more complicated than the process for a fresh freshwater aquarium. You need to make sure that the temperature, salt content, and acidity of the water are at acceptable levels for the fish. Begin this process the night before cleaning the aquarium.
- Purchase distilled or repeatedly filtered water. You can buy it at the department store. Put the water in a clean plastic bucket, which is used specifically for this purpose.
- Warm the water with a special water heater that can be purchased at a pet store.
- Add the salt mixture. Disposable salt mixes can be found at pet stores. Follow the steps to add it based on the amount of water used. The hint is to add half a cup of salt mixture for every 3 liters of water.
- Let the water cool overnight. In the morning, check the salinity of the water with a refractometer or hygrometer. Typical levels are between 1.021 and 1.025. Also check the temperature using a temperature gauge. For freshwater fish, it should be between 23 and 28 degrees Celsius.
Step 8. Check the water temperature every day
Saltwater fish live in temperatures that rarely change. To keep your fish healthy, check the temperature of the aquarium daily.
Tips
- Leaving the new water for a few hours will neutralize the chlorine content, but not the chloramine content, which is also dangerous. So use a water purifier. (A sign if the chlorine content is still high is that the fish's gills turn bright red. This is due to chemicals that burn the gills).
- Larger aquariums require less maintenance and reduce the impact of errors. The water change schedule has also become longer.
- Try cleaning the aquarium without moving the fish. If you must move them, add a Stress+Zime product (a product for cleaning aquariums) or a Stress+Coat (a product for reducing stress on fish). This can help replace the lost (but needed) mucus in the fish's body. This is an example of why we need a quarantine aquarium that is ready to use.
- Wash the coral vacuum cleaner in hot (boiling) water after use. This will ensure that you have killed any bacteria or disease that may be in the tank at that time. This will also make the gravel vacuum cleaner work better when used again.
- Use a gravel vacuum that is the right size for what you need, if it's too small, you'll be cleaning it all day, if it's too big, a lot of water will be wasted before the job is done.
- Do not use tap water to rinse the filter, as chlorine and chloramines can harm your fish.
- If the filter is driven by an engine, you will need to remove and clean the dirt from the parts. Don't clean the bio wheel.
- Make sure you don't use any soap, this will poison and kill the fish.
- You do not need to move the fish when cleaning the aquarium.
- You can put an algae repellent along with a water purifier to clean the decorations and remove any problems with the aquarium glass. This is a good time to add aquatic plants (which are fish safe for sure) if you have live aquatic plants.
- If you purchased a “drinkable and safe to eat” water supply device, changing the water can be very easy by siphoning it out through the window. You can buy a long hose at a household supply store and refill your aquarium water straight from the faucet.
Warning
- If you haven't done a complete water change in a long time, start slowly. Change the water a little every week. Then replace it thoroughly so that the fish in the aquarium can accept changes in the chemical content of the water and have no chance of startling the fish.
- Always clean and rinse your hands thoroughly before and after placing them in the aquarium or arranging aquarium decorations. Alcohol-based cleaners can be another option.
- Never catch fish unnecessarily as this can put pressure on the fish and damage their mucus layer. If needed for some reason, add Stress-Coat medication or a similar product to the aquarium
- If you put carbon in your water filter, replace it every two weeks and so on. Because after a while the carbon will release the toxins that are absorbed back into the aquarium. To replace the carbon, remove the carbon from the cartridge and refill it. Don't throw away the cartridge!
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Do not allow anything that could contain soap into the aquarium.
Includes hand, hose and strainer.
