Step-by-step guide on how to clean your aquarium at home
Watching the inhabitants of the aquarium is a very interesting and exciting process. It's a real small world. For it to work well, you need to keep it clean. Every aquarium owner should know how cleaning works.
Why do you need to wash
There are several reasons:
- Eliminate food residues.
- Dispose of waste from the inhabitants of the aquarium.
- Keep animals healthy.
Regular cleaning reduces the likelihood of any "contamination" inside the aquarium.
How many times
The frequency of cleaning depends on the volume of the aquarium. The larger the volume, the less care it needs and vice versa.Beginners think differently until they are faced with a general cleaning of the aquarium. An aquarium with a capacity of 100 liters or more should be cleaned every 2-2.5 months. Small containers should be cleaned from the inside once a week. In some cases, this is done more often.
How to wash at home
Aquarium care is possible at home. For cleaning to be effective, you need to stock up on certain tools.
Glass scraper, to remove algae
It is a small structure. Looks like a hair removal razor. It has a long stand for ease of use. The blade is so close to the glass that any dirt is easily brushed off. The standard length of the scraper is 4 cm. The kit includes a spare blade.
Floor cleaner - siphon
It looks like an ordinary pump with a suction tube. With its help, the water gets inside along with garbage and dirt. The principle of operation of the aquarium siphon is as follows:
- The end of the hose sinks to the bottom of the aquarium and sticks firmly to the ground.
- The other end goes as low as possible under the bottom.
- The end of the pipe is positioned above a container.
Water, along with various debris, enters the tube and is drained into a previously prepared container. Using a siphon, the floor is cleaned without removing it from the container. They are in no hurry to drain the dirty water, but let it rest and pour it back into the aquarium.
Bucket or bowl
The tank plays the role of a place where dirty water from the aquarium will drain. In addition, the liquid settles in the bucket.
butterfly net
The device is needed to catch the inhabitants of the aquarium. It has the shape of a rectangular hoop with a handle. It is easy to handle in a square and rounded aquarium.A landing net is necessary for both partial water changes and for a complete water change. Allows you to catch fish safely. It is selected according to the size of the animal to avoid damaging the fins.
What means to use
You can use a variety of products to clean your aquarium. These are everyday items and strong household chemicals.
Soap
The very first remedy that comes to mind. You can wash your aquarium with soap. With its help, they get rid of minor contaminants.
"Domestos"
The cleanser is liquid. A small amount helps remove limescale.
"Comet"
Helps clean the aquarium of any type of contamination. Form of release - powder and spray. For best performance, it is recommended to take the powder form.
A soda
Thanks to its fine abrasive particles, it helps to deal with algae residues. Removes plaque from walls and waste from fish and other pets. Washes off easily with water.It is difficult to wash off the remains of the chemistry, especially if it is too aggressive. These products must not enter the water. Otherwise, not only fish, crustaceans, mollusks, but also bottom vegetation will die.
What to do with a new aquarium
If the structure just arrived from the store and looks clean, it still needs to be washed. Under no circumstances should pets be started in a new place that has not been prepared before. Cleaning an aquarium includes the following steps:
- The container is left for a while so that all odors disappear.
- All surfaces are treated with a soda solution. In this case, the water should be lukewarm.
- Once the aquarium is dry, it is half filled with settled water.
- The container is filled with decorations.In this form, the aquarium should stand for 3 days.
- The container is filled with water to the top.
- The necessary devices are installed - a cooler, a filter and others.
- The last step is the settlement of the fish.
For an aquarium, settled or filtered water is suitable. There is always chlorine in running water. To establish a balanced climate in the aquarium, cleaning is not carried out in the first 1.5-2 months.
How to wash properly
For effective cleaning, it is important to learn how to properly clean your aquarium. Cleaning consists of several steps. To each, they are engaged in certain works.
Remove the glass plate
Experienced fish keepers advise you to start cleaning with glass. All the dirt removed from the walls settles to the bottom. After that, you don't have to rewrite it twice:
- First, the algae is removed, which obstructs the view.
- The walls are treated with a scraper.
- Each surface is carefully treated. It is not recommended to leave dirt residue.
It is important to move the scraper up and down while cleaning. The movements must be fluid and precise. As a result, all the dirt should settle to the bottom.
Clean decorative elements and stones
Simply put, it's about cleaning the bottom and all the objects on it. They are not removed from the aquarium or replaced. Cleaning is done inside the container. A gravel vacuum and suction siphon are used to remove the dirt.
thinning
The purpose of this step is to remove leaves, shoots and branches of algae that have been damaged by fish and snails. They also get rid of branches that have had time to grow strongly.Plants interfere with each other, as well as with the inhabitants of the aquarium.
If shrimp live in a glass structure, weeding should be done as little as possible. Fanciful individuals are particularly sensitive to it. When removing bushes with roots, they act carefully so that a lot of turbidity does not rise from the bottom.
Remove rotten leaves
If left in the aquarium for a long time, they can cause slippery deposits and dirt. The leaves are cut in water. This is done using treated scissors.
Siphon
Be extremely careful when pumping water. The process requires maximum attention so that fish and other small aquarium inhabitants do not disappear with the dirty waste.
Partial emptying
After weeding the bottom and cleaning the walls of the aquarium, a large amount of turbidity rises from the bottom. Water containing residual dirt must be drained. Only dirty water is drained, starting with the dirtiest places.
Filter cleaning and rinsing
The device is removed from the water and cleaned on its own. A brush is used for this, even a toothbrush is suitable. The filter is washed according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Top up with clean water
The procedure is carried out after such work:
- clean the walls of the aquarium and the bottom;
- algae treatment;
- cleaning of decorations and electrical appliances.
The water to be added is decanted for 24 hours. The temperature should be the same as the one left in the aquarium. To do this, measure it with a thermometer.
Add clean water with a watering can, hose or ladle. A thin stream is gradually poured along the walls of the aquarium. It should not quickly reach the bottom and erode it by kicking up mud.For the convenience of adding water, special nozzles are used.
After the end of the procedure, all electrical devices are turned on. For some time, a person should observe the well-being of the inhabitants of the aquarium. A slight cloudiness of the water is completely normal. After 4-5 hours, the required biological balance is restored.
We clean the walls
Many people underestimate the importance of the scraper. It easily removes algae residues and any other type of contamination.
If the device does its job poorly, it is replaced with an ordinary blade.
The lid of the aquarium and its outer walls are cleaned with a soft cloth or sponge moistened with water. For the speed of the procedure, special products come to the rescue, which are sold in specialized stores. It is better to take solutions, because they are the safest.
Bottom care
The waste is siphoned from below, and this is done very easily. During the procedure, they act carefully so that dirt does not rise. They also make sure that no stones get inside the tube. Clean water is sucked in together with the dirt through the siphon. If this happens, make sure there is more than half of the liquid left in the aquarium. Otherwise, it will take a long time to restore the microclimate for the inhabitants of the aquarium. The amount of water that has been pumped out is added to the structure.
Water change
It may seem like it means a complete drain of water, but it doesn't. When draining, a person leaves a part, as it is useful for fish. A sharp change in conditions has a negative effect on pets.
Filter cleaning
Periodic cleaning of the device is a guarantee of its proper functioning. First, the filter load is washed under running water. After that, you can move on to the rest of the details. The plastic parts of the device are easy to clean with a brush. Stiff bristles help clear debris and buildup. After the end of the cleaning, the filter is assembled and installed in its original place.
Vegetation treatment
As the vegetables are under water, they become covered with mucus. The plant produces new leaves and the old ones rot. Processing green matter helps keep it in good condition and affects the cleanliness of the aquarium.
Fishing aids
In addition to human cleaning work, the state of the aquarium is influenced by its inhabitants. It must be inhabited by fish, which are also engaged in cleaning. This is a very important point.
Caregivers
Animals can make a person's job easier. To do this, they must have the required number and, of course, they must be diligent.
Before buying nurse fish, find out as much as possible from the seller about the characteristics in order to choose the most suitable option.
goldfish
A bright inhabitant of aquariums plays not only a decorative role. It is purchased specifically to maintain the cleanliness of the glass structure. Absorbs large food debris for a cleaner bottom.
Viviparous inhabitants
Most representatives have a highly developed lower jaw, resembling a scraper.Thus, fish remove plaque from walls, plant surfaces and soil. The most popular are mollies, guppies, swordtails and platies. Experienced fish farmers claim that fish can survive without food. The thread serves as food.
Ancitrus
A cleaner fish that lives in aquariums of different volumes.The animal is small, so you will need several fish to clean a large aquarium. The antsitrus are distinguished by their hard work. Due to the design of the suction cup, cleaning may not be as effective as you would like.An aquarium is a small space in which it is not recommended to keep several males. Conflicts can arise. Because of this, fish can bite each other.
brocade catfish
Ideal for sanitary fish for aquariums from 400 liters. This type of fish will not survive in small structures. In this case, the type of fish is replaced by another. Brocade catfish, if paired, will easily clean a large aquarium of unnecessary small algae. Also suitable for herbal aquarium. The fish is happy to do the work.
Labeo
Green labeos and bicolors cope with the cleaning task. Has a downward facing mouthpiece. They eat algae, but not as efficiently as previous fish species. After their work, there is no trace of fouling. Labeos are not exclusively cleaners, but rather a hobby. People who want to catch fish should be aware of their main drawback - aggressiveness. They do not tolerate other fish that have fallen into their territory.
Gourami
Small fish are quite shy and friendly at the same time. When danger is discovered, they rush to hide in the algae. Basically, the gourami stays in the upper and middle layers of water. The fish leads a daytime life, all the time it cleans the plants, removing various dirt.
ototsinklyus catfish
Proceed as follows:
- remove the bacterial film;
- eat seaweed;
- eliminate organic matter that pollutes the aquarium.
Catfish clean rocks, soil, tank walls, plant leaves, and even driftwood on the bottom. They are unpretentious which is a big plus.
Girinoheilus
The lips of the inhabitants of the aquarium are like suction cups. There are creases inside the lips. They look like curves that mimic a grater. This structure helps the fish to act even in the most extreme situations. They don't just scrape the algae off the stones.
They also cling to it with their lips, trying to hold on to a strong current.
When cleaning the stones, they are not saturated with such "food". You have to work hard. The fish does not eat thread algae, especially black beard.
Siamese seaweed
The representative of the aquatic kingdom has many names. During his stay in the aquarium, he constantly fights against algae. Effectively removes growths in the form of dark brushes on leaves, stones and other places. Besides the black beard, it eats green algae.
Removes algae from all surfaces in the form of a gun. Their beaks are best suited for this. An aquarium with a volume of 100 liters will always be clean if you add 2 even the smallest algae eaters.
Snail
In home aquariums, the most common types of snails are:
- horned neretina;
- neretina zebra;
- corbicula;
- snail turtle;
- ampullary;
- theodox;
- Helen.
Molluscs are not as successful in the nursing role as fish. Despite this, they have their own strengths. They easily destroy any kind of contamination - rotten plants, plaque and mucus on surfaces, film, food debris, remains of dead inhabitants and feces of all aquarium inhabitants.You can understand the state of the aquatic world by their behavior. Some actions serve as an indicator of cleanliness. They have snails and a big minus. Their reproduction is impossible to control, but it happens quickly and almost imperceptibly.
Shrimp
Small in size, they are called cleanliness champions. The whole secret to the ideal state of the aquarium lies in their body shape. Freshwater representatives have sharp fans. Play the role of a filter. The growths are so fine that they are able to filter water. Thanks to such actions, excrement and plant particles are removed from the liquid. In the same way, the food and what remains of the former inhabitants of the aquarium are separated.
Males dig deep into the ground, bringing mud to the surface. Then they clean the contaminated water layer. At this time, the females remove the mud from the bottom.Shrimp filter water well, but that's not the only thing they can boast about. In addition to water purification, they effectively deal with any surface. After their work, there will be no traces of fluffy algae. Do this job much better than the fish.
Advice
There are many things to consider when cleaning an aquarium. It is not only practical skills, but also small nuances that affect the course of the procedure. Following the general guidelines will promote effective cleaning:
- Planning the procedure. This question should be dealt with in advance. Cleaning should be done when the person is not in a hurry. The tools you need should be prepared well in advance. If the water did not have time to settle, it is better to postpone the procedure. Filling with unprepared liquid is detrimental to the inhabitants of the aquarium.
- The quality of gestures.It is forbidden to make sudden movements during cleaning. This can scare fish and other aquarium inhabitants.
- The soil near the plants is not affected. Layers contain many nutrients that greens need.
- While cleaning, try not to damage the roots of algae. Many representatives of the underwater kingdom do not like this, while others do not experience it.
- Do not feed the fish before cleaning. It is recommended to do this 2-3 hours after the end of the cleaning. This technique will help animals cope with shock more easily.
- A complete water change is not carried out at once. This is done in small steps. Each time 25% of the fluid is replaced.
Any changes to the aquarium can harm its inhabitants. The changing microclimate harms fish, shellfish, shrimp and even algae. Therefore, in this matter it is necessary to be more careful and monitor the condition of the inhabitants of the artificial reservoir. Anyone who thinks buying a nurse fish will solve the cleaning problem is wrong. An aquarium is a small underwater world whose existence depends entirely on man. Any mistake has sad consequences.
It is important to choose the right equipment, adjust the lighting and start the aquarium. To maintain a normal microclimate, it is necessary to monitor water parameters and control the condition of the inhabitants. During cleaning, it is forbidden to use chemicals with a strong aggressive effect. Even minor damage to the glass endangers the lives of pets.
Fish, shellfish and shrimp are human helpers in the fight for cleanliness. They are not the main characters. This should in no way be forgotten.Keeping track of your aquarium is easy, and cleaning your pets will keep your pets healthy and your aquarium beautiful and colorful.