| Sometimes, despite your best efforts, life gets in | | | | also be bleached, if needed, with the exception of |
| the way and your aquarium gets out of control. | | | | stem plants. Live plants should have a 5% bleach |
| You start thinking that it would be better to | | | | solution in your bucket. Soak the plants for only 2 |
| empty the whole thing, throw everything away | | | | or 3 minutes. Rinse them off really well in running |
| and start from scratch. It's happened to me | | | | water. |
| before, believe me. But stop! Before you give in | | | | The Gravel |
| to temptation... if you tear it down you will lose | | | | Vacuum the gravel in the aquarium with your |
| any beneficial bacteria that have colonized your | | | | aquarium siphon. You can get one that you can |
| tank. Only if your tank is in severely bad condition, | | | | connect directly to the faucet in the kitchen, |
| it may be worth having to start over. | | | | siphon the water out, and use the same hose to |
| Now, if you find yourself with the need of having | | | | fill the tank again. Vacuum the gravel thoroughly |
| to clean a very dirty fish tank, you'll need a few | | | | until the debris and the dirt is gone. I have almost |
| tools. Believe it or not, you can do a great | | | | ran out of water and there still a lot of dirt, but I |
| cleaning of a dirty tank without losing your good | | | | just pour more water in and siphon it out until it's |
| bacteria colonies. It may take a little effort and | | | | better. |
| time, but you'll be rewarded with a sparkling | | | | The Outside of the Glass |
| aquarium and happy fish. So, let's get ready for | | | | Now it is time to clean the hood, the lights, the |
| battle. | | | | top of the tank and the outside of the glass. |
| These are your weapons:o Algae scraper or | | | | Don't use normal glass cleaners... they contain |
| scrubbing pado Plastic razor blade (only use plastic | | | | ammonia. If you are tempted to use lime cleaner, |
| on acrylic tanks)o Water siphono Bucketo Bleacho | | | | or any other commercial cleaner, stop! They are |
| Aquarium glass cleanero Filter mediao Filter brusho | | | | very toxic to fish. Get a cleaner from the fish |
| Paper towelso Old bath towels | | | | store created just for this purpose or use vinegar. |
| It works very well to clean your aquarium in the | | | | And remember, rinse really well afterward, and |
| following order: | | | | then rinse it again! Even when you clean the |
| 1. Inside of glass | | | | outside of the glass, you have to be really careful, |
| 2. Decorations | | | | better not to risk it. |
| 3. Gravel | | | | Cleaning the Filter |
| 4. Outside of glass and hood | | | | Now that most of your tank is done, you can |
| 5. Filter | | | | decorate again and put your plants back in. Don't |
| First of all, remove your fish and any other | | | | clean your filter yet... wait a few weeks. I know |
| creatures that live in your aquarium. Place them in | | | | you may be in the middle of a cleaning binge now, |
| a container that is reserved for fish only using | | | | but refrain from touching your filter. Cleaning your |
| water removed from the tank. Be careful where | | | | tank has disturbed your colonies of beneficial |
| you put them. It's always good to have a bucket | | | | bacteria. Luckily, they also live in your filter media. |
| dedicated exclusively to your fish tank, for | | | | Cycling the new water through your filter will help |
| carrying the water when you change it, and in | | | | repopulate the tank. If you clean your filter at the |
| cases like this, to put your fish. Make sure you | | | | same time you clean your tank, you may cause |
| use a brand new bucket. Old buckets may have | | | | an ammonia spike that can be lethal to your fish. |
| residues of chemicals or detergents that may get | | | | Okay, now its a few weeks later and it is time to |
| transferred into your aquarium. | | | | clean your filter. Do you just replace the filter |
| The inside of the glass | | | | media or do you clean everything? Depending on |
| Take one of your algae scrubbing pads and clean | | | | the type of media you use, the answer may be |
| the inside of the glass. You can find many types | | | | different. If your filter media is made up of |
| of scrubbers at the fish store. Some have | | | | ion-exchange resins, carbon or ammonia |
| handles, some are just pads. Some have magnets | | | | absorbers, replace it if it has been in the filter for |
| so you don't even need to put your hands into | | | | more than three weeks. The media is exhausted |
| the water because they work through the glass, | | | | by this time, and no longer provides the benefits |
| but these are better for maintenance than to do | | | | it did before. Mechanical filters like sponges, |
| a thorough cleaning. While you may see scrubbers | | | | ceramic rings or fiber can be rinsed lightly to |
| at the fish store that look just like the ones you | | | | remove dirt and debris while leaving the bacteria |
| can find in the supermarket or in your kitchen, | | | | somewhat intact. To protect the bacteria, use |
| get the ones from the fish store, NEVER use any | | | | water the same temperature as your tank and |
| other kind of scrubber. Regular scrubbers may | | | | return the media back to the filter immediately. |
| contain soap or chemicals that will kill your fish. | | | | You should also clean out the tubing and other |
| If you have some residue on the surface that is | | | | pieces of the filter assembly. You can use a filter |
| resisting the scrubber, you can use a razor blade. | | | | brush to remove any sludge or debris that has |
| If your tank is acrylic, be sure you get a plastic | | | | built up in crevices. |
| razor blade, since a standard one will scratch the | | | | Create a Maintenance Schedule |
| acrylic. | | | | Now that your tank is beautiful again, give |
| Decorations | | | | yourself a simple maintenance schedule so you |
| Remove any rocks, decorations and artificial | | | | don't have to spend all day doing a major cleaning |
| plants that are covered with algae or look dirty. | | | | again. Do partial water changes every couple of |
| Again, NEVER use soap or detergents on these | | | | weeks, remove algae on the glass and |
| items! It can prove lethal to your fish. Scrub them | | | | décor every week or as soon as you see |
| with your algae scrubber. This will remove most | | | | it. That's where the magnets come in handy. Do |
| of the algae and dirt. If you have some | | | | filter cleaning every month as described above. |
| particularly hard to clean spots, you can soak | | | | You can also keep your fish nets in great |
| them in a bucket containing a 10% bleach solution. | | | | condition by occasionally soaking them in a bleach |
| Let the items soak for 15 minutes, then scrub off | | | | solution and rinsing them extra well to keep them |
| the stubborn spots. Rinse the decorations really, | | | | clean. Your aquarium will become your new pride |
| really well with running water and let them air dry. | | | | and joy and you'll be able to enjoy your fish once |
| You may be surprised to learn that live plants can | | | | again. |