|
A fresh water aquarium requires a thorough cleaning about every other month. You will know when your tank needs cleaning, as you will see a build up of matter on the glass, and the gravel will appear dirty. This is a step-by-step guide to cleaning a fresh water aquarium.
1. Disconnect all electrical circuits, such as the light, pump, filter, heater, etc.
2. Empty the fish by placing them IN THEIR AQUARIUM WATER into a very clean bucket. Place one to two gallons of aquarium water in this very clean bucket, catch the fish with a net and place them in the bucket. Hook up the air stone to the pump and put the air stone in the bucket. This increases the oxygen level and most fish love oxygen. Make sure the bucket is clean and free of any detergent residue or your fish could die.
3. Remove the water with a bucket or scoop, or whatever device fits into your tank. Large aquariums are generally too heavy to be lifted up, so you cannot pour out the water.
4. Pull out the plants. Live plants can be kept with fish in the bucket. You can rinse them off with very clean water.
5. Scoop out gravel or remove with your hands.
6. Using an aquarium sponge with special scrubber sides, sponge the aquarium glass. It is important to use the special aquarium sponge to avoid scratching the glass. Use only water on the sponge. If the particulate matter is hardened onto the glass, and you feel you need something stronger than water, use a very dilute detergent solution and RINSE WELL. Your rinsing MUST remove ALL of the detergent particulate or you will kill your fish when they return to the tank. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. It is preferable to use only clean water in the process of scrubbing the tank.
7. Rinse artificial plants with only clean drinking quality water. This will remove any particulate matter that has collected on the plants.
8. Put gravel in a bucket and rinse over and over again with a gallon of clean water until the gravel is clean and free of particulate matter. Use ONLY clean water. When the gravel is clean, put it back into the tank on top of the clean.
9. Reassemble the tank, adding under water filter if you have one, gravel, plants, etc.
10. Fill tank with drinking quality water. Add a dechlorinating solution to the water. This is available in fish stores.
11. Clean out back filter assembly and scrub it down with a soft brush. Remove all residue.
12. Check temperature of water. If it is near 75 degrees Fahrenheit, add fish back to it. You may add the old aquarium water that they are in (in the bucket) if it is clean and free of particulate matter.
When your aquarium is clean, you will notice an immediate difference. The fish will appear brighter, the plants will look greener and the background more stunning. Continue to feed your fish two or three times a day, and do not overfeed them. Overfeeding fish is a sure way to make the tank dirty faster, as un-eaten food collects in the tank.
| 
