Cleaning Your Aquarium

This subject may not seem worth an article, but you’d be surprised how little people know about cleaning your aquarium.  I remember when I was a young fish keeper boiling the gravel on the kitchen stove to make sure was as clean as possible, I look back now and think what the hell was I doing??

Everybody likes a clean aquarium, thinking the inhabitants are well kept, happy and not distressed , a little like a cat or dog bed or bird cage, but with aquatic life this can be different.

The aquarium needs to sit somewhere in the middle of this, clean but not overclean.  The popular saying in aquarium talk is you keep water not fish, and this is so true. Bacteria is the key and you do not want to clean this out.

Weekly Cleaning Routine:

Use a non abrasive pad to clean the glass and avoid scrapers around silicone joints if used.  Change any pre-filter pads , avoid over cleaning the main filter pads.

Fortnightly Cleaning Routine:

Use a gravel cleaner to clean the gravel or substrate, it is advised to rotate and do 50% at any cleaning session, this stops taking to much water out of the aquarium, 20% maximum water removal is a good target.

Use this water taken out by the gravel cleaner to clean any filter sponges. NEVER rinse under the faucet as any chlorine will kill the friendly bacteria.

Monthly Cleaning Routine:

Remove rocks or woods or ornaments and remove trapped uneaten food or waste.  Aquarium ornaments can be cleaned using a sponge, avoid any abrasive pads as may remove the paint.  Trim any live plants and remove dead leaves etc.  Exchange or recharge any filter media like carbon.

Never use furniture polish or any household chemical in or around the aquarium and turn off the lights when cleaning to try and keep the stress down from the cleaning of the aquarium.

 

For all aquariums, big and small AquariumH2o has the supplies you need to keep your dream aquarium! When we say we have all the supplies you need, we mean it, we are a one-stop shop for all that you need. If you have any questions, call us at 856-985-9339 or email us at sales@aquariumH2o.com.