Whether using a saltwater aquarium or a freshwater aquarium you must clean them routinely. Cleaning your tank regularly keeps your fish healthy as you will be removing waste and providing clean water to breathe. It is also essential to clean in the beginning stages of the fish tank setup to complete its nitrogen cycle. Once you have successfully done that, your tank will require regular cleaning.
How often you should clean your tank would depend mainly on the size of the tank, the total number of fish, and your filtration system. It is advised that the best way to know that the schedule you’ve set up for cleaning your tank, is adequate to test your water chemistry. Usually, a tank should be cleaned at least 10% weekly to 25% every other week.
If your water has Ammonia which is more than 0.25 mg/L, nitrite more than 0 mg/L, and nitrate more than 20 mg/L it’s time for a water change. It is best to not remove more than 50% of the total water from your tank in one go. This way you can prevent sudden pH and temperature changes from irritating your fish. Using a water conditioner with tap water will ensure no presence of toxic chlorine. If you are still confused about how you can maintain good water chemistry, you can contact your nearest aquatic shop or a fish vet.
You wouldn’t want the death of your beloved fish clearly which is why you must never ignore adequate cleaning of the tank. Fishes face health issues from build-up debris, excess food, and waste which increases ammonia levels. This creates toxic water for your fish to swim in and in turn, slows them down.
CYCLING YOUR TANK
Cycling your tank is the most important step of all for both saltwater and freshwater aquariums. This step is done before adding any fish to your tank; you must establish a nitrogen cycle for your permanent tank and set up your fish in their new ecosystem.
You must be wondering what happens in a nitrogen cycle. During a nitrogen cycle, all the unhealthy elements in the water transform into good bacteria that your fish need to survive. This process takes place when the fish digest protein-rich food and then expel it as ammonia-rich waste. Then the bacteria converts that ammonia into nitrites and finally into nitrate. This later steadily accumulates until you change the water.
Start the cycle by letting your tank run for at least a day without any fish in it. You can use a cycling aid to seed the aquarium with good bacteria. Then cross your fingers and put a couple of your hardiest fish for example Danis in your tank. After about a week, you can add a couple more fish but never more than three fish per week.
Avoid overfeeding or overcrowding your fish. This will help keep the ammonia levels safe. Regularly test the water and remove some of it if the harmful elements become too concentrated nonetheless.
FISH IN OR OUT?
The answer is in! Do not remove your fish while cleaning your tank as it adds unnecessary stress to the fish. Don’t be concerned about your fish coming in your way while cleaning your tank. They are smart when it comes to understanding that they must not be in your way as you clean the fish tank properly. However, the one time you can remove your fish is when your substrate is less than 3 inches deep and smells rotten when the tank is disturbed. This is a sign that there is hydrogen sulfide in the water which is toxic. Remove the gravel and replace the water in such cases as you keep your fish in a holding tank with proper filtration. Let them enjoy their space when you’re busy deep cleaning their home.
SAFE CLEANING
While cleaning, make sure your fish isn’t swimming up the gravel siphon. Quickly lift your siphon above the water which will pour the water back into the tank when your fish is being silly. Turn off all the electronic components because if your system has a sump, it may start to siphon backward and overflow your sump. Remember to break the siphon or turn off access to the sump during cleaning to ensure a dry process. As for saltwater tanks specifically, the difference is you cannot remove the live corals so keep them in the tank. Vacuum around them and maybe move them slightly to vacuum underneath the live corals as there could be substrate under them.
REQUIREMENTS
You will need a water quality test kit to test the tank water’s chemistry as to know when it’s time for a water change. Use a tap water conditioner as mentioned above if you are using tap water because the chlorine and chloramine need to be tested. Chlorine products are added to municipal water systems to ensure safe drinking water for humans. What’s safe for us is toxic to our aquarium fishes! A gravel siphon will help with proper vacuuming for your maintenance routine. For any sort of substrate your tank has built up, it will turn to waste so just stirring up the substrate will not clean the tank. Practice vacuuming your tank oftentimes to build patience and understanding until you can use it easily. An algae scrubber will be needed to clean the walls of your tank even though algae is a good sign for your tank. It shows that your tank is healthy.
If you are using a glass aquarium, you will need an abrasive scrubbing brush than what you would need for acrylic tanks. Abrasive tools can scratch an acrylic tank. If you are unaware at the beginning of what is your tank made of, it is safe to use an acrylic sponge. Taking the safety step won’t hurt. A thermometer would help you check whether you are maintaining the same temperature after you clean your tank. The temperature should be the same as it was in their old water to avoid stressing the fish. Lastly, a refractometer would be required for saltwater systems. Mix everything correctly before adding a refractometer to your system. A quick check with a refractometer is important to ensure your tank’s salinity stays within the desired range.
Check that the filter is working correctly. The filter sponges can be rinsed in the water taken from the tank to clean them. Remember to never use tap water as the chlorine will kill the beneficial filter bacteria required for a healthy fish. If your aquarium is very smelly or you are facing too much algae growth then you should clean your tank more often.
It may seem too hard to understand or carry out routinely every week. Worry not! You will get a hold of it quite easily and may even start to clean being enthusiastic about keeping your fish in tip-top condition. Your fish will thank you by swimming swiftly and adding lively shows in front of your eyes.