5 Things To Do When Cleaning a Fish Tank

You must clean out your tank regularly to keep your fish healthy and prevent the insides from becoming unsightly. However, because you’re disrupting your pet's habitat, you must exercise caution during the process. Look below to uncover five things to do when cleaning a fish tank.

Wash Your Arms and Hands

You'll want to thoroughly clean your hands and arms to your elbow with soap and warm water before you begin. You never know what kind of oils, perfumes, sunscreen, and other substances may be lingering on your skin. Introducing these elements into your tank can cause health problems for your fish and negatively affect their environment.

Perform the Right Amount of Water Changes

You should change 10 to 15 percent of the water every week in smaller tanks, and you should change 20 percent for bigger tanks. Check the water quality daily to verify that the pH levels are balanced. If you lightly stock your tank, you may be able to go two to four weeks without water changes, but that should be the absolute maximum amount of time.

Keep Plants Trimmed

Natural plants can be attractive and practical accent pieces in your fish tank, offering hiding places for skittish fish and giving them an organic source of nutrients. However, when you find any leaves going brown or decomposing, you should clip them away to ensure a clean tank.

Scrape Away Algae

You can use a scraper to remove any algae off the sides of the glass. Try to do this activity frequently to keep algae development to a minimum and appreciate the wonders of your aquarium's features. You should also keep algae levels low since excessive amounts can deprive your fish of oxygen.

Vacuum Rocks on the Bottom

Fish excrement, undigested food, dead plant material, and other debris will sink to the bottom of your aquarium. Once a week, vacuum the gravel to clear away this waste while rejuvenating the tank and whitening the rocks. Doing this will keep it healthy. Make sure you're using an aquarium gravel vacuum to disrupt the substrate with an up and down action, loosening the dirt and particles in the process.

Make sure you're practicing these five things to do when cleaning a fish tank to create a healthy habitat for your aquatic inhabitants. Fish Tanks Direct offers all the essential fish aquarium supplies you need to support a thriving environment. Feel free to contact us with any questions about our products.