For people who like well-decorated spaces, pleasant environments and do not like to have big pets, what better than to have a good aquarium with a variety of fish that give life and improve any environment, bringing great beauty and enhancement to the place. Wherever we decide to install it, it is ideal but it is important that you know how to clean an aquarium so that your beautiful fish remain healthy and calm.
In today’s article, we show you the necessary tips to properly clean small and large aquariums and their accessories so that you can maintain them without inconvenience.
How to Clean an Aquarium: Basic Tips
Fish are generally low maintenance creatures. All they need is adequate food, clean water and oxygen. As part of cleaning your home and for the health of your fish, it is important to always keep the aquarium clean.
Water is essential for fish survival, so it should not be changed in its entirety, regardless of the size of the aquarium. If your fish are from freshwater or saltwater, it is always advisable to take some of the old water and mix it with the new water.
This way, the fish will not be shocked as much with the changes in temperature, nutrients, pH and other changes that can affect their health.
How to Clean Small Aquariums
For small aquariums, where there are fish, carefully remove the fish with a net or similar tool and transfer them to a container with the old water.
Wash the whole aquarium with water and special soap for this cleaning. Remember to pay attention to the walls and remove all impregnated dirt. You should also wash the stones and other ornaments or replace them with new ones. Rinse well.
Fill the tank halfway with new water, put the fish back inside with the old water. Ready to go.
How to Clean a Large Aquarium
If your aquarium is large, buy a sponge with an extension cord, and clean the crystals inside, this job can be done once a week. The dirt will fall to the bottom of the aquarium. With a suitable vacuum cleaner, remove the residue. All this will be done with the fish in the aquarium.
Once a year, you can wash the entire aquarium. This is similar to putting the aquarium back together. Remove all the water, fish and do a thorough cleaning, using your own detergents, bought in specialized stores. Add the fish to the old water; only 20% of the water should be new.
Cleaning the Aquarium and Its Filters
In addition to changing the water, it is necessary to clean the filters of the aquarium. This task is carried out every month and it is a matter of clarifying the elements that make up the filter, with water extracted from the aquarium, because doing so with clean water would eliminate the bacteria that populate the filter.
For the same reason, it is not advisable to rinse it too much, just remove the excess dirt. Take the opportunity to change the filter’s peat and activated carbon.
Additional Recommendations on How to Clean an Aquarium
– Try to wash the aquarium at least once a week.
– Do not use any kind of detergents, as you may poison the fish.
– If you notice algae growing in the tank, you should clean it out immediately.
– Use cleaning utensils intended only for this purpose. Otherwise, you risk introducing bacteria that can harm your fish.
– Make sure that the new water you are going to introduce is at the same temperature as the water already in the aquarium, to avoid thermal shock to the fish.
– It is important for you to know that the more fish you have in an aquarium, the faster the water gets dirty.
– If you have plants, be sure to remove them carefully and wash them thoroughly, as well as ornaments and other decorative items.
Here you go! You now know how to properly clean your aquarium. What kind of fish do you have? Share more with us in the comments below.
