use a gravel cleaner to save time and effort

It generally takes about 30 minutes to an hour to clean and maintain a fresh water fish tank, depending on the size.

Use a wide bore tube to siphon off the old water. A vacuum system can be attached to the siphon to assist in removing detritus* from under the gravel.

Algae growing on the glass of the aquarium can be removed with a magnetic algae scraper or a nylon scouring pad.

Clean the filter regularly and replace the filter medium if necessary. Clean the aerator’s air filter.

Let’s dive into more detail

How often should I clean my goldfish tank?

The cleaning of the tank can be divided into 2 parts.

A partial change, that is changing approximately 10 -20% of the water, should be done once a week and on the same day each week. If a small tank 10% of the water, for a large tank with more fish, 15-20% of the water.
A larger change, 1/2 to 2/3 of the water, should be exchanged every 3-4 weeks.

The most important task in aquarium maintenance is the regular partial water change. It keeps the ammonia levels from surging and helps control the waste and debris that accumulates at the bottom of the tank. This is a routine part of maintaining a healthy environment for your fish.

Aquarium filters should be cleaned every 2 to 3 weeks.

Guidelines will vary a little depending on the size of your tank, having an effective filtration system installed, the number of fish, and how disciplined you are. For example, if you routinely partially change the water every week, (which ideally you should), 10% water change. If you’ve pushed out to 2 weeks 20% partial change may be necessary.

Try to ensure the temperature of replacement water is close to the temperature of the existing tank water.

Make cleaning the fish tank quick and easy

This is what you’ll need

1 x 5 gallon bucket that has never been used or hasn’t had any soaps or chemicals in it
A gravel cleaner or a hose
Depending on your tank (ie whether it’s salt water or not) – water conditioner for freshwater tank / or 1 bag of synthetic or natural sea salt for salt water

Aquarium Cleaner or Algae Sponge

What does a sponge or aquarium cleaner look like? The sponge is usually attached to a long handle. It’s strong enough to scrape off algae but won’t scratch the glass.

What does it do?The cleaner is used for scraping down the inside of the tank while the fish are still in the tank and without having to empty the water out.

Aquarium glass cleaner

Step 1 :

Step 2 : Start the cleaning process of the fish tank

If you’ve got a heater: You’ll need to remove the heater. Make sure the heater has been unplugged for at least 20 minutes before attempting to remove it as it shouldn’t be taken out of the water while it’s still very hot. This could cause the glass of the tank to crack or even shatter. Leaving the heater in the water helps the heater to cool down so that it can be safely removed.

A note of warning: Never put your hand inside the fish tank before making sure the heater is turned off and unplugged from the electrical outlet. Even a tiny fracture in the heater could give you an electric shock that could be fatal.

Step 3 : Remove aquarium accessories and clean the gravel

You’ll need to take out decorations or aquarium accessories you have in the tank so that only the gravel at the bottom of the tank is left. This lets you clean the areas that were occupied by the decorations.

If you don’t have a gravel cleaner then you’ll have to clean it the old-fashioned way by rolling up your sleeves and getting your hands wet.

Stir up the gravel to loosen the dirt that’s accumulated so the dirt can be removed from the water. However, don’t throw out the water because it will be used to clean the filters.

If you do have a gravel cleaner, insert the plastic tube into the gravel until it touches the bottom of the tank then start siphoning the dirt into the bucket. Move the tube every couple of seconds an inch or two until all the gravel has been cleaned or if about 15% of the water has been removed from the tank.

Step 4 : Clean the aquarium filters

Now you can start cleaning the fish tank filters. The filters are used to grow bacteria which help break down nitrates in the water that come from fish waste and uneaten food. The bacteria are goldfish tank friendly so you need to make sure they aren’t all killed or removed from the tank.

Clean the filter materials and sponges using the bucket of dirty water taken from the fish tank. Give the sponge a few squeezes in the bucket of water and then reassemble the aquarium filters and put them back in the tank.

Step 5 : Add water

Don’t forget the water conditioner!

Very important: Don’t expect fish to tolerate straight tap water well. This is because tap water is heavily treated with harsh chemicals like chlorine. This makes the water safe for human consumption but can be fatal for our fish to swim through.

Use a water conditioner for fish, like Nutrafin aqua plus, to treat the aquarium water.

For Tropical Salt Water Tanks:

You must add sea salt to the tank before adding water. The reason for adding salt to the tank is to replicate the natural habitat of the fish.

Use an ocean sea salt for marine aquariums that’s nitrate and phosphate free. The price of ocean sea salt can be checked here. For every 50 gallons of water add 1 cup of sea salt. Once that’s done you can then add water. The water added must be roughly the same as the temperature of the water in the tank – at least within 1 or 2 degrees.

A drastic and sudden change in the tank’s water temperature weakens the immune system of the fish leaving them susceptible to various diseases. Or worse, it could send the fish into shock and kill them.

To achieve the correct temperature, try filling the bucket with hot water and then check the temperature frequently until it matches the temperature of the water in the fish tank. Slowly add the water to the tank, and then start the filters and the heater.

This is a vital part of aquarium maintenance and keeping your goldfish healthy.

Best fish tank gravel vacuum

Fish tank bottom cleaner

Believe it or not there are such things as aquarium vacuums. These small hand-pump siphons are handy because they extract the larger debris from the tank. Because goldfish are very messy by nature, vacuums perform a very necessary task in helping to clean your tank and maintain a debris-free environment.

How to clean aquarium glass inside

Best way to clean aquarium glass

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Fishnet

This is an important piece of equipment and you’ll use it more than you think. You’ll use a fishnet when you need to take out all the fish to clean the aquarium or when it becomes necessary to remove an ailing, dead, or aggressive fish. You should make sure that the fishnet is neither too small nor too big.

Fishnets that are too small will leave you too small an area with which to catch your fish and fishnets that are too big will make it more difficult to maneuver inside your tank and around various objects such as rocks and plants.

Robotic aquarium glass cleaner

Robosnail

Easy assembly

Insert batteries in the base station, turn it on and install

using velcro to secure to the outside of the charging base on the outside of the tank

scrubber is put on the inside of the tank

Much like a robotic vacuum You need to program the device manually – so you program it to stop just above the tank gravel. Basically it’s all set – much like a robotic carpet vacuum works in cycles. sensors

It certainly navigates and cleans the front of the tank in during it’s cycle. It’s cleans fast, it is noisy but fortunately it doesn’t take long – ie 4-5 minutes to clean a 4′ x 2 ft aquarium depending on the size of your tank goes back to it’s dock to recharge ready for the next cycle

Fish don’t seem to be bothered by it

Choose the thickness of your glass so magnetics aren’t

size 4 3/4″ height x 4″ wide x 2″ deep

color – grey

suitable for rimed, freestanding and built in tanks

bright light – not good for fish

only cleans the surface of the tank that it’s on, doesn’t turn corners so if you want to clean other sides you need to manually move it

color – grey

maintenance

Magnetic fish tank cleaner

Scratches glass if it picks up any gravel

Algae will grow in the scratches

Fish that clean tank glass

Algae eaters

Appendix

*detritus means waste or debris of any kind

We found this water change tutorial video on utube courtesy of sold gold aquatics

How To Clean a Dirty Aquarium