How often should I clean my fish tank, and what is the best way to do it?

Keeping the water in your freshwater tank clean is crucial for keeping your aquatic creatures healthy. If fish are not cared for correctly, they may develop anxiety and poor health. These circumstances will reduce the lifespan of your fish and result in water that is unsuitable for living organisms and unappealing to the eyes.

Here are a few tips on how to keep your aquarium clean and save your aquatic buddies.

Schedule for maintaining an aquarium

Following a regimen of regular maintenance will prevent excessive dirt accumulation and thus protect your fish from any threats in the aquarium. This schedule will comprise activities on the daily, weekly, and monthly levels.

Daily upkeep of aquariums

• Make sure that all pumps, filters, and lights are working properly.
• Watch fish for side effects. If there are any adverse effects, check the water immediately. If the fish continue getting sick after the water tests are okay, then look for problems with the filters and pumps.
• Get rid of all the surplus inside the tank.

Maintaining aquariums every week or every two weeks is the key.

It is advisable to clean your fish tank twice per month and have between 20% and 25% of the water replaced.

1. Assess the water quality to determine how to handle it.

If your new aquarium is still pending its nitrogen cycle, you should test to determine that the water contains only 0 ppm ammonia, 0 ppm nitrites as well as 40 ppm (parts per million) or less nitrates. To aquascape your delicate treasures, you should continue to read more on the how-to. Such increased levels of waste could account for many different fish diseases.

Whenever your aquarium has finished the cycling process, base approximately 40 ppm of nitrate as a target. A test kit for water used to establish the nitrate levels will give an idea of the amount of water that would need to be channeled out, in case more comprehensive measures are necessary.

2. Get rid of the algae

To ensure a clear sight of our fish, clean the tank walls using an algae scraper. Having the blade attachment should make it simple to cut through difficult algae patches. Be careful not to trap any debris under the algae scraper, as this could cause damage to the glass or acrylic.

In case algae has developed on the cover, you can simply wash it away in the sink. Avoid using soap as it could damage your fish. If algae are present on your aquarium decorations, rocks, or plants, you can use a clean toothbrush to gently remove it, either above the sink or inside the aquarium.

3. Trim the plants

Make sure to remove any dead leaves and trim overgrown foliage from live aquarium plants. If you have tall plants with long stems, you can propagate them simply by trimming a few inches from the tops and planting them back into the substrate. If your Vallisneria or dwarf Sagittaria are expanding into undesired spots, remove the small runners and relocate them.

4. Switch off the machinery

Make sure to switch off or unplug all equipment before removing any water. Aquarium heaters and filters can suffer damage if they run in dry air because they are designed to function in water.

5. The filter needs cleaning

It is advisable to clean the filter at least once per month. A lot of newcomers perceive filters as a sort of black hole in which fish waste and debris vanish from the water as if by magic. Filters are essentially garbage bins that gather rubbish, and ultimately, someone must still be accountable for disposing of the garbage. Similarly, filters gather fish waste, necessitating consistent cleaning to prevent clogs and overflow.

Now that you have learned how to keep a fish tank clean, you and your aquatic companions are headed towards a joyous and lasting companionship. Enjoy tidying up!