How to clean an aquarium at home. How to wash an aquarium with fish. Is it possible to wash the aquarium with ordinary detergent?

Regular and proper cleaning of the aquarium with fish is the key to the success of your pets. Ask yourself if you are willing to devote 30-60 minutes to this every week before you buy an aquarium and start fish. In order to do everything correctly, special skills are not required, it is enough to study the basics and practice a little at home.

Step-by-step cleaning of the aquarium at home: instructions

1. We clean the aquarium with a siphon.

Properly cleaning the aquarium with a siphon is not so difficult, just do it once, and then you can do it with your eyes closed. Aquarium siphons come in different designs, but regardless of them, the siphon of the bottom of the aquarium will always be built on the same principles.

With this procedure, it is necessary to begin the procedure of cleaning any fish tank. You should siphon both the surface of the soil and a little from the depths. As a rule, the main waste accumulates on the surface. It is necessary to siphon such a volume that you are going to pour back in the form of standing water. Calculating this amount is not difficult, the main thing is not to forget to do it, but if you have water with a reserve, then you have nothing to worry about.

2. We clean the glass.

In fact, we want to say from our own experience that the most problems arise with glasses, simply because it’s too lazy to clean them ... This is the hardest job - you have to work with a scraper and go through all the growths. If you do not do this when the first growths appear, then in the future it will be very difficult to cope with them, and even more so with many months of growth, not a single cleaner fish will cope.

3.Clean the filter.

  Cleaning the filter is the third on the list, because for this we need water from the aquarium so that we can wash the filter parts in it, rinse the sponges. It is better if it is the water that you siphon last, so that it contains as little turbidity and sediment as possible. Rinsing the filter in this water, you collect it and install it back.

4. Pouring settled water into the aquarium.

When all the so-called dirty work on the proper cleaning of the aquarium with fish is done, we only have to do a little - pour clean water. It should be water that you defended for a week in a special container. Only after the water is flooded can the filter and lighting be turned on.

5. Add vitamins.

Also, if required, you can add any fish vitamins to the aquarium. It can also be a means for water, as well as algae control. In general, it is better to fill in such products either together with new standing water, so that they immediately spread throughout the volume, or fill them in the area where the water comes out of the filter.

Why clean the aquarium!

Clean is necessary first of all to remove food residues, the vital activity of fish and other inhabitants. These products settle at the bottom, accumulate there, if they are not removed in a timely manner, then they can cause deterioration in water quality. And the quality of water in the aquarium, as you know, directly affects the health and longevity of your pets.

Of course, if you have living plants in the aquarium with a developed root system, then they can very well process all the residues from food, fish activity, etc.

How often do you need to clean the aquarium

The frequency of cleaning the aquarium is determined primarily by the number of pets, the presence of plants, filters, etc. The average indicator of the frequency with which it is optimal to clean with a bottom siphon is once a week. If you are a beginner of aquarium business, then this indicator will suit you optimally.

The second question is what to clean! Siphon - once a week is necessary in almost all aquariums with fish. But you can clean the filter at different intervals. For example, if you have an internal filter installed, then it will be optimal for him to also clean the sponges once a week. For an external filter, such a procedure can be carried out once every few months. Depending on the model and the number of fish in the aquarium, cleaning can occur every 2-3 months.

1. Be sure to plan ahead when cleaning is necessary. Do it the day before so as not to procrastinate at the last moment. We recommend for the sake of such a thing to tune in at least a little half-hour work with the aquarium in advance - it will be easier to do everything, and not be lazy.
2. If you suddenly forgot to defend water (and this happens with busy people who have large aquariums), then it is better to skip cleaning than to siphon and fill in unprepared (not defended) water.
3. If you are completely lazy, then in small aquariums you can clean less often, for example once every 2 weeks (for aquariums up to 30-40 liters). But here it all depends on the contamination of the aquarium, filter power, etc.
4. Try to move the siphon in the aquarium without sudden movements. This must be done in order not to frighten the fish once again, especially if these fish are large and shy.
5. Do not siphon deep the soil, which is located close to large plants. This soil contains plant nutrients (of course, if the dirt comes out through the stones, then it is necessary to siphon even there, in the depths). In addition, it is not worth disturbing the plant root system once again, since it is stressful for them - plants do not like transplants and movements around the aquarium.

Clean the aquarium correctly and regularly and regularly, and then you will minimize any problems. If you have questions or important additions to the above tips, then you can always leave your comments on the site.

AQUARIUM AND FISH CARE FOR BEGINNERS

Caring for an aquarium is like cleaning the house, the same simple rules to stay healthy and clean, and regularity. In this article you will learn how to properly care for your home aquarium, what are the important little things and how often to do it. Why do you need to siphon the soil? What cleaning products can be used? How to wash the filter sponge? Why and how to replace the water in the aquarium? You will find answers to these and other questions.

Filter care - as part of a wash filter?

The sponge inside the filter must be washed regularly to avoid clogging and to reduce the flow of water that it can let through. But note that an old and dirty sponge is more effective than just bought.

The fact is that beneficial bacteria that turn toxic substances into neutral live just on the surface of the sponge, in this very mud. But, if the sponge becomes too dirty, it begins to leak significantly less water. The amount of oxygen needed for the bacteria drops, and they begin to die.

Therefore, the sponge of the internal filter, which is small in power, must be cleaned once every two weeks. The internal filter, which has a much more powerful pump and a larger usable volume, does not clog so quickly. Cleaning the sponge of the internal filter can be done no more than once a month, for some models even more.

The internal filter also has other materials that have a shorter service life. So, activated carbon filters need to be changed once a month, otherwise they accumulate dirt and begin to give it back.

Primary filters (a dense white fabric that first receives water) should be changed every two weeks, but this also depends on the aquarium itself.
  The biological filter, which is usually made in the form of ceramic or plastic balls, should be washed monthly. Please note that it is easy to rinse it, and not bring it to the factory state.

How to care for the aquarium?

To maintain biological balance in the aquarium, experts recommend the following scheme for caring for the aquarium.

Daily Care:

• feeding and inspection of fish. Feeding should be moderate, it is necessary to ensure that the fish eat all the food for the time set for each type of fish. Feed particles should not fall on the ground, as this can lead to the growth of bacteria. During feeding, you should count the fish, observe their behavior, make sure there are no signs of disease.
• check the tightness of the aquarium and the health of the instruments. The difference in water temperature at the ground and on the surface should not exceed three degrees, otherwise you should check the heater. If the water becomes cloudy, check the operation of the filters, if necessary, increase the performance or replace.
• inspect algae and plants, if necessary, remove damaged leaves and excess.

Weekly Care:

• clean the coverslip, aquarium walls and plant leaves. If necessary, thin out the plants, apply fertilizer under the roots, remove excess algae, and clean the soil with a siphon.
• measure the readings of water, PH, KH, DH. Change the water, from 20 to 30%. To do this, use only dechlorinated water.
• clean the filter.

Aquarium Water Care

The more competent the aquarium care is, the faster the biological equilibrium will be achieved and the aquarium will “mature”. The most common mistake is to completely replace the water, or replace too much water, unless absolutely necessary. With such frequent manipulations, equilibrium is impossible. But you can not ignore the turbidity of the water, as well as high levels of nitrates and ammonia. In each case, the cause of the violations should be established and eliminated. Water filtration should also be given special attention, each filter has its own operating requirements that must be observed.

Aquarium Care Mistakes

To begin with, we would like to consider aquarium care mistakes you can avoid, unlike many beginner aquarists. Many are trying to do everything either at random, or then that they heard from friends how to ...

Even a small mistake can seriously throw you back according to the results, because, as you know, something to spoil is much easier than to recreate. That is why we have prepared for you a list of the most common mistakes in the aquarium.

And also, we will help you avoid them, as well as deal with them if they still couldn’t get around your home aquarium:

• soil flushing
• replacement of all water
• shut off lighting for a long time
• filter off at night
• easy access to the aquarium for children

Soil flushing

There is an opinion that flushing the soil is a great way to flush the aquarium (this is especially true for small aquariums that are bought for children, but parents who are not particularly knowledgeable about aquarium affairs take care of them). In fact, flushing soil at the root kills the entire biological background of the aquarium, as a result of which the balance deteriorates sharply. We strongly advise against this, as it will be correct in this case to siphon the soil.

Fish feeding

An important aspect of keeping an aquarium is feeding the fish. The ideal option is to feed once a day at the same time. Someone feeds 2 times a day, but we do not recommend doing this, as the fish do not have the most active digestion, they will simply be able to start problems. Approach the feeding responsibly, do not take long breaks, otherwise the fish will starve and may begin to hurt.

Replacing all water

Replacing all the water when caring for the aquarium can cause the same problems as flushing the soil. As a result of this action, the biological balance of the aquarium can be seriously shaken. Correctly replace only 15-20% of the total water volume once a week.

Turn off lighting for a long time

Many people are not serious about aquarium lighting. This is especially manifested in laziness or forgetfulness, as a result of which the light may not turn on for several days. This is an extremely wrong and irresponsible approach. The light should burn every day for 10-12 hours, depending on the plants and animal composition of the aquarium.

Turn off the filter at night

Probably a lot of beginner aquarists did this - they turned off the filter or aeration at night. First of all, because of the noise that they can become a source of. This also cannot be done, and it is necessary to fight not with the consequence, but with the cause. Buy a quieter filter, or choose a quieter sprayer for the aerator.

Easy access to the aquarium for children

Small children are unlikely to somehow harm themselves when they are near the aquarium, but they can very easily harm it. Children under the age of 5-6 years do not have a notion of responsibility, and therefore they can throw foreign objects into the aquarium, etc. Therefore, if possible, the aquarium should have a lid, and it should be kept away from children's access.

How to care for a small aquarium?

In fact, caring for a small aquarium consists of the same manipulations as caring for a large aquarium, but it requires more accuracy when tuning the performance of equipment, calculating the amount of water for a change. Also, with a small amount of water, you should pay special attention to the choice of inhabitants of the aquarium and carefully monitor the plants. Do not overdo it, too frequent cleaning can lead to imbalance in the shortest possible time, while insufficient attention to the hygiene of the aquarium can lead to the accumulation of toxic substances and death of fish. A small aquarium should be provided with good filtration and aeration.

WHICH CLEANERS CAN BE USED?

None. It is very important to flush the filter with water alone. And it is also important that the water is from the aquarium. Tap water contains chlorine, which kills harmful bacteria in the water. But he does not know how to understand and also kills the beneficial bacteria living in the internal filter.

Reserved water can be used. But here again, another water with a different hardness, acidity and temperature and it can affect the colony of bacteria.
  So the best method is to draw water from the aquarium and rinse the filter and its contents in this water.

Ideally, even the tank in which it is washed should be used only for the needs of the aquarium, if you wash floors from it, then the chance that the chemistry will remain in the tank is quite substantial.
  And it’s important not to wash everything to a shine, just wash it well enough.

AQUARIUM CLEANING

A good filter will partially remove waste from the aquarium, but still most of it will settle in the ground. Fish waste, and food residues settle in the ground and rotting upset the balance, stimulating the growth of algae.
  In order to prevent stagnation and decay of the soil, it is necessary to clean it using a special device - a siphon for soil. Siphons can vary in size, shape and functionality, but the principle is the same.
  The soil siphon uses the principle of water flow.

The pressure of the water washes away the light parts from the soil, while the heavy ones settle back. The result is very useful - all the dirt leaves with the flow of water, the soil is clean, the water is cleaner, the growth of algae is reduced.
  Since the use of a siphon for soil requires a large amount of water, it is reasonable to carry out cleaning along with a partial change. That is, instead of just draining part of the water, you clean the soil and thereby achieve two goals at once.
  For herbalists, soil cleaning can only be carried out superficially, since not everywhere can it be reached. But in them much more harmful substances are decomposed by the plants themselves, and silted soil contributes to good plant growth.

AQUARIUM WATER CHANGE

Despite the fact that some aquarists have not replaced water for years and say that they have everything ok, regular water changes are vital for the aquarium.
  The amount of water that should be changed varies from the conditions in your aquarium, but on average 10-20% per week is the normal amount for any tropical aquarium. Herbalists or aquariums densely planted with plants need 10-15% change every two weeks.

The main task of the substitution is the removal of nitrates and ammonia, and the compensation of the mineral balance. Without replacing the water, your aquarium will look good for a while, but only due to the fact that negative factors gradually accumulate.

Over time, nitrates will accumulate, and water will become increasingly acidic. But once the balance is broken and the aquarium turns into a swamp.

WATER PREPARATION

In order to replace the water, it must first be prepared. Tap water contains chlorine, metals, and is characterized by temperature and cannot be immediately filled.

There are two ways to get rid of chlorine. Purchase a water conditioner that will bond chlorine and metals and just stand it for two days.
  In addition, the protected water will compare with the temperature at your home and will be much more suitable for use.

Such simple ways to care for the aquarium will help you keep it clean and beautiful for a long time. Do not be lazy and your aquarium will be a gem in your home.

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Aquarium is an excellent means for relaxation, decoration for the interior, the opportunity to observe the life of their little silent pets. But, alas, he cannot do without cleaning. And how to wash the aquarium? How to do it better? How often? What kind of cleaning does not harm its inhabitants? We will answer all these questions further.

Here are some helpful tips:

• In fact, the aquarium is cleaned by any " chemistry"- from the household to" Domestos". But you need to consider an important point - the more aggressive the tool, the more difficult it is to completely get rid of it. Leaving the same unwashed container is detrimental to its inhabitants.
• Do not forget to clean not only the new aquarium, but also the decor and the soil - colored chips, sand, quartz, gravel. Of course, we will not wash substrates for plants.
• If you have a large aquarium, then it is cleaned at the installation site. Old water is pumped out with a pump and hose. " Chemistry"In this case we will not apply - there is no way to wash it off. Use hydrogen peroxide from the pharmacy - it is safe for fish, does not require rinsing.

Cleaning tools

Now we proceed directly to the schedule of aquarium washing processes.

Cleaning a new aquarium

After you have bought a new house for fish, it must be cleaned before launching the inhabitants. This is the right procedure. As, in principle, for any thing after purchase. After all, it is not known where she was lying in the warehouse, how thoroughly she was cleaned in the window, and whether she was covered with road dust during transportation. New aquarium - how to wash it?

The first cleaning is quite simple - here is its instruction:

1. It is best to wash in the bathroom.
2. Spread towels or cloth in advance. After all, an aquarium is an extremely fragile container that can easily slip out of your hands when wet.
3. What is the easiest way to wash a new aquarium? Prepare the brush ( or sponge for dishes) and baking soda.
4. Gently place the aquarium on the cloth and pour it with hot water from the shower.
5. We tell further how and how to wash a new aquarium. Sprinkle a little soda on a brush or sponge and start wiping the walls inside and out with this tool.
6. After this cleaning, rinse the container several times to wash off all soda residues from it. You can carefully put it on its side to flush all the walls.
7. The last stage of the action " how to wash a new aquarium"- the most responsible. You need to get the container out of the bathroom very carefully. We advise you to seek help from a friend.
8. That's all, the aquarium for turtles and fish is ready for further installation.

Scheduled cleaning

Aquarists advise cleaning the fish house at least once a week. Do not worry - completely drain the water, you do not need to clean the soil! This is harmful - so you upset the biological balance.

Weekly, we will clean the aquarium for turtles and fish like this:

1. First of all, you need to get all the installed equipment - thermoregulation, aeration, filter. All this is set aside.
2. If necessary, clean the plants, cut them.
3. What else can wash the aquarium? Sponge or special wiper blades.
4. If necessary, you can siphon the soil. There is no need to clean it every week.
5. Change of water - instead of the old, fresh is added.
6. Clean the equipment and replace it.
7. Finally, wash the aquarium outside and dry with a clean cloth.

Advice! Do not forget to clean the aquarium cover and lamps at least once a month.

Emergency cleaning

Unfortunately, it also happens that an infection is introduced into the aquarium, resulting in the death of its inhabitants. Here, just washing will not be enough. Need total disinfection.

For this purpose, the aquarium is poured to the brim with a solution of a disinfectant (some examples are in the photo). We draw your attention to the fact that not all household chemicals have a disinfecting property. Therefore, before applying, take a look at the label.

   "Potassium permanganate" Formalin "Chlorine"
   Chloramine Sulfuric Acid Hydrochloric Acid

How to wash the old aquarium effectively in this case? Aquarists recommend using the following:

• A solution of potassium permanganate.
• Formalin solution.
• A solution of bleach.
• Chloramine solution.
• A solution of sulfuric or hydrochloric acid.

After the disinfection is done, the aquarium is very thoroughly washed and left for a day to be disinfected. And the whole inventory is better to heat-treat. Namely - to boil.

The video in this article will tell you some more tips on the topic.

Advice! If mycobacteriosis is noticed, then the aquarium is poured with a solution of washing powder with the calculation of 0.5 kg of agent per 30 liters of water.

Detailed cleaning

Now consider more special cases.

From algae

Whatever flora lives in your aquarium, the appearance of brown and green spots on its internal walls, as well as plaque, is not good. Here is a sign of poor water quality. Lower algae can appear here for several reasons - overpopulation of the aquarium, large volumes of ammonia, dirt, nitrites, nitrates, lack of the proper amount of green inhabitants, and untimely water replacement.

It is worth fighting the problem with the help of special tools ( how to wash the aquarium from greens):

• Algicidal preparations. Popular examples that can easily be found in pet stores: UDO Ermolaeva Algicide + CO2, Tetra Aqua Algo Stop depot.
• What else to wash algae from the aquarium? Whiteness or bleach solution. All greenery decorations in the aquarium are soaked in these substances. After processing, they must be very, very thoroughly washed under running water and dried.
• The most important thing is to eliminate the cause of the situation. This is a decrease in daylight hours, as well as the density of fish settlement, an increase and an increase in water change.

From limescale

For what reason appears " water stone"Inside:

• Excessive feed for fish.
• Use hard water.
• Lack of live plants.
• Use of non-standing and unfiltered water.

This whitish layer is salts that have settled on the surface of the glass as a result of evaporation of the liquid. You can get rid of it in the following ways - how to wash plaque in the aquarium:

• Mechanical cleaning. Use a special scraper with hard bristles ( but not metal), the abrasive side of the kitchen sponge, a plastic scraper, an old toothbrush ( for hard to reach places).
• Special chemicals for cleaning glass from limescale, sold in stores. Remember to rinse thoroughly before starting fish.

How to wash the aquarium from limescale yet? You can use folk remedies. But before using them, it is important to free the aquarium from fish:

• Lemon acid. Dilute 20 g of powder in 1 cup of water, mix thoroughly. Pour the mixture into the spray bottle and treat the walls of the aquarium with it. Leave on for 15 minutes. Then rinse thoroughly.
• Ammonia. Dilute the substance in a proportion of 1:10 in water. With this solution, clean the surface.
• Acetic acid. An excellent answer to the question “How to wash an aquarium from plaque?” Dilute one tablespoon in one glass of water. Apply the product with a spray or rag.

Filter cleaning

Many are interested in how to rinse the filter from the aquarium. Immediately say that cleaning the filter is a simple matter. It is not produced regularly, but as necessary - when the device starts to work poorly.

Bottom cleaning

Again, this operation is carried out as pollution, the formation of sludge. It is produced using a special apparatus - an aquarium siphon, available in most pet stores.

The first cleaning of the soil is carried out a month after you start the fish. Further, the degree of its pollution is quite simple to determine - turn up the substrate and feel what smell comes from the rising bubbles. If they smell like rotten eggs, the soil urgently needs to be cleaned.

When cleaning, you do not need to plant the fish, as well as with an incomplete replacement of water. How and with what to wash the soil in the aquarium? Stick the siphon into the substrate to the base and methodically clean the area. Only after the water in the tip of the device is transparent, the cylinder head can be moved further.

Recall that completing the cleaning procedure should be done by adding fresh, settled water and cleaning the walls of the aquarium from the outside.

Advice! Some aquarists prefer to clean the substrate without a siphon. Then how to wash the soil in the aquarium? The substrate is transferred to a bucket, which is placed under a powerful stream of running water. From time to time you need to turn the soil in order to thoroughly clean it.

Decor cleaning

Any decorations in the aquarium need to be cleaned of overgrown algae, dirt - stones, shells, driftwood, figurines. The easiest way to remove them from the tank and clean by hand.

1. Artificial corals, stones and ceramics are easiest to whiten using Whiteness. Dilute the product in water in a proportion of 1:10. Depending on the degree of soiling, soak the decor for 1-2 hours. After that, it should be thoroughly washed under running water until the smell of chlorine disappears. Otherwise, you risk poisoning the fish.
2. We will tell you how to wash the stones for the aquarium. They are cleaned like this: while they are wet, they are sprinkled with a sufficient amount of soda. It can be rubbed with a brush to form a semblance. Leave for half an hour, then rub it again with a brush and rinse off the soda. Even if particles of algae remain on the decor after this, the vegetation will disappear in 1-2 days.
3. Sea corals are boiled before being placed in the aquarium. But with shells it’s better not to do this — you will remove all the mother of pearl. Then how to wash the shells from the aquarium? The easiest way to use a slightly non-standard way is to put the treasure for several hours in the anthill. Insects are guaranteed to be free from organic matter.

Artificial Plant Cleaning

Do not use potent toxic agents for this decor! It is necessary to clean it not all at once, but gradually, so as to harm the beneficial bacteria colonies as little as possible.

Here are some great methods - how to wash the greens in the aquarium:

• Boiling water. One of the easiest, most effective and safest ways. Hold the plant in boiling water for 10-15 minutes. Clean the snails and remaining algae with a scraper.
• Bleach. Not all artificial algae can withstand this effect. For many, the substance threatens with discoloration. But high-quality samples are covered with a special varnish that helps preserve the color of the plant when exposed to bleach. You need to use a 10% solution of the product ( 1 part bleach to 9 parts water) In it, artificial plants are aged 15 minutes. Then they are placed in the same amount in ordinary water. Then - thorough washing in the flow.
• Iodized salt and lemon juice. How to rinse the plants in the aquarium yet? Such a composition will perfectly clean the silk decor. Before cleaning, we recommend rinsing the plants in hot water. After it - under the flowing one.

So we figured out how to rinse the aquarium. As you can see, care is not very difficult. The main thing is to produce it in a timely manner so as not to harm the water inhabitants.

If you follow all the tips for cleaning the aquarium, it will always delight you with its beauty and will be a wonderful decoration in your home.

How to clean an aquarium at home

Over time, algae begin to grow on the walls of the aquarium. They carry no environmental danger, but still it’s better not to start the aquarium and immediately get rid of algae.

For scraping algae, you can buy specially designed scrapers, for example, a magnetic scraper is very convenient. You can also use a regular sponge instead of a scraper. Only the sponge should be new, and you need to clean the walls of the aquarium with its rough side. Wash the aquarium regularly, once every one to two weeks.

How to deal with algae on the walls of the aquarium

In addition to cleaning the walls, it is important to regularly clean the bottom of the aquarium. Gradually, dirt accumulates in it, excrement of fish, pieces of not eaten food and plants. In addition, pathogenic bacteria can develop on the ground, which will be of great danger to fish. Therefore, cleaning the bottom of the aquarium is a regular and obligatory task.

Do the bottom cleaning once a week. The bottom is cleaned using a "siphon" of soil.

Siphon is a special device for cleaning aquarium soil by drawing out mud, silt and fish excrement.

To clean the aquarium soil, you need to siphon all the easily accessible and open parts of the bottom. If necessary, some decorations can be moved or lifted to allow access to the siphon. Usually, under the large stones, voluminous decorations and snags, a lot of fish excrement accumulates.

Cleaning the bottom of the aquarium

In order to understand whether it is necessary to clean the soil, just raise it. If bubbles come out of it, then it's time to clean.

For this, special hoses are sold. But you can make a "siphon" using a regular hose. This method helps to clean the bottom of the aquarium without draining all the water:

• place one end of the hose at the bottom of the aquarium, and the other into the tank where you will drain the waste;
• then, through the free end, suck the air out of the hose (literally a couple of seconds so that the water does not get into the mouth), and the water will begin to overflow from the aquarium into the tank;
• now you can start cleaning the bottom in the aquarium.

A large amount of dirt accumulates at the walls and therefore the first thing to do is to start cleaning the bottom of the aquarium by cleaning the dirt on the sides.

  Aquarium Cleaning Video

And now we offer to watch a detailed video tutorial on cleaning the aquarium at home.

  How to clean an aquarium filter

The filter can help a lot in cleaning the aquarium, but if you do not periodically clean the filter itself, then after a while the dirt accumulates in it and the filter becomes more difficult to operate.

A sponge-filled filter needs to be washed once a week. In addition to the filter, you need to clean the foam insert and all plastic components of the filter. This is mainly done with an old toothbrush.

The filters contain special microorganisms that are involved in the filtration. So to clean and wash aquarium filters, you need to without using any.

  Replacing aquarium water

If you do not change the water in the aquarium for a long time, then it becomes cloudy. Therefore, it is periodically necessary to change it, even if filters partially perform this work. Also, you need to change the water after a siphon of soil (20-30% of all water in the aquarium).

When replacing water, you must remember that it is worth pouring in the aquarium that water that has stood for 2 or 3 days. But pouring fresh water from the tap into the aquarium is by no means possible.

All water should not be changed immediately, because a sharp change in the environment can cause stress to fish and plants. Change all water throughout the week, in a couple of sets.

And another video story about how to clean the soil in the aquarium:

Probably everyone knows that there are such fish that not only eat algae, but also help cleanse the aquarium of dirt. The most popular fish are the Antsistrus fish from the shellfish catfish family. Its specific mouth, presented in the form of a sucker, with the help of which a fish perfectly scrabs algae from the walls and cleans the aquarium.

Fish for cleaning the aquarium

Also, the role of aquarium cleaners can be performed by swordsmen, guppies and livestock. Using such helpers in the fight against algae, you can greatly facilitate the work of cleaning the aquarium.

Weekly cleaning of the aquarium and adding clean water will delight the fish and help you take care of their health. Cleaning the aquarium is not difficult, especially if done regularly so that algae and other particles do not have time to grow. In this article we will talk about how to clean aquariums with fresh and salt water.

Steps

Freshwater Aquariums

Prepare the necessary cleaning equipment.  Go over the list and see if everything is in place and if your workplace is ready.

• Properly prepare the amount of water in which you intend to replace it.
• Prepare an algae scraper to clean the glass inside the aquarium.
• Take a large bucket (10 liters or more).
• Prepare a simple siphon type evacuation pump (NOT a battery-powered device).
• Stock up on filter accessories (cartridges, sponges, charcoal bags, etc.) if you replace the filter.
• Buy a special cleaning agent for aquarium glasses or make a preparation based on wine vinegar.
• Take a 10% bleach solution in a separate container (optional).
• Prepare a metal or plastic blade (be careful with acrylic aquariums - they scratch easily).

1. Clean the walls of the aquarium with an algae scraper.  Walk along the glass with a little pressure, if necessary, to remove the algae adhering to the aquarium. If you find yourself in a particularly difficult area, use a blade.

   • You may need household gloves for this job. Make sure that they have not previously been in contact with chemicals.
   • Do not use a sponge or scraper from the kitchen or other objects that might have leftover detergents or cleaners to clean the aquarium. Only using a clean algae aquarium scraper will protect your aquarium from harmful chemicals and detergents.
   • This step can be performed by pumping out 10-20% of the water from the aquarium.

2. Decide on the volume of water that you are going to replace.  If you clean your aquarium regularly and if your fish are healthy, replacing 10-20% of the water per week is enough. If you have diseased fish, you may need to replace 25% to 50% of the water weekly. .

   Pump out old water. Start the pump and direct the flow of old water into a large bucket (10 liters or more). It is best to purchase a new bucket and use it only to clean the aquarium. Residues of soap or detergents can be dangerous for fish. This means that a household bucket or a bucket where you store detergents is not suitable for washing the aquarium.

   Clean the gravel.  Take a gravel pump. Excrement, feed residues and other contaminants are sucked in by the pump. If you have very small, weak, or tender fish, you can attach a piece of fabric from new (unused) nylon stockings to the suction end of the pump (the mesh should be large enough to allow debris to pass through it).

   • If you have sand in the aquarium, do not use the pump like a shovel. To remove waste without touching the sand, use only the hose from the pump (not a plastic tube), holding it 2.5 cm from the surface of the sand. You can walk your fingers along the sand (provided that no living creatures have buried in it) - this will allow particles of dirt that could accidentally fall under the sand to float to the surface.

3. Aquarium decorations also need to be cleaned! The cause of overgrowth of algae is an excess amount of nutrients in the water. You can clean the props with an algae scraper or with a new toothbrush in the old aquarium water you pumped out. Do not use soap - it can harm the fish!

   • If you are unable to clean the aquarium decorations, remove them from the aquarium and soak in a 10% bleach solution for 15 minutes. Then rinse them with boiling water, allow to dry and place them back in the aquarium.
   • If your aquarium decorations are quickly covered with algae, you may need to feed your fish less or change the water in the aquarium more often.

4. Add clean water.  Replace pumped water with purified water of the same temperature. Use a thermometer to determine the temperature. Maintaining the recommended temperature regime is one of the important factors affecting the health of fish. Remember that warm water is too hot for many fish.

   • If you use ordinary tap water, it must be softened to clean it of heavy metals and other substances harmful to fish.
   • If there are a lot of nitrates in the water, you can replace 50-70% of the water with distilled water (which is usually not recommended, since such water is too clean and lacks the nutrients necessary for the fish). You can also use bottled spring water (without softening it), since there is nothing harmful in this water - only useful elements.

5. You can add aquarium salt so that the water stays clean longer.  This will benefit many species of fish (including mollies, guppies and swordsmen). Salt-supplemented water also helps prevent diseases, such as ichthyophthyroidism.

   Watch the condition of the water.  Wait a few hours for the particles that have risen after cleaning to settle and the water to become clear. In the store you can buy water purification products, but it is better not to use them. If the water remains cloudy, this indicates a problem, and the use of the product will only disguise, and will not solve it. Do not forget that fish need to leave a space between the surface of the water and the lid of the aquarium for proper circulation of oxygen and carbon dioxide during breathing, as well as for the fish to spread their dorsal fins.

   Clean the aquarium outside.  Wipe the outside of the aquarium, including the glass, lamp, lid and top edges. Ammonia in conventional cleaning products can harm fish, so use only special cleaning products for aquariums. If you want to make a safe detergent yourself, use wine vinegar.

   Replace the cartridge in the filter monthly.  If the filter is not changed promptly, the coal contained in the cartridge can be harmful to the health of the fish. There are not many beneficial bacteria living in the filter cartridge (most of them are in gravel), so replacing it will not affect biological filtration. You can rinse the filter cartridge weekly while cleaning the aquarium, if a lot of dirt has accumulated on it, and you do not want to lose the beneficial bacteria that have settled in it. Rinsing the filter cartridge is not an alternative to replacing it, so it will still need to be replaced every month.

   Clean the gravel. Take a gravel pump. Excrement, feed residues and other debris are sucked in by the pump. If you have very small, weak, or tender fish, you can attach a piece of unused nylon stocking to the suction end of the pump (the net should be large enough to allow debris to pass through it). If you have sand in the aquarium to remove waste, use only the hose from the pump (not a plastic tube), keeping it 2.5 cm from the surface of the sand.

   Clean the aquarium decorations.  Clean the aquarium decorations with an algae scraper or a new toothbrush in the old aquarium water you pumped out. You can also get jewelry from the aquarium and soak them in a ten percent bleach solution for 15 minutes. Then rinse them with boiling water, let them dry and place them back in the aquarium.

   Check for salt deposits in the aquarium.  When salt water evaporates, it leaves behind solid salt streaks - salt deposits. Clean it with an algae scraper and add water.

   Prepare a saline solution and add it to the aquarium.  Adding water to a saltwater aquarium is a slightly more complicated process than changing water in a freshwater aquarium. You will need to make sure that the temperature, salt level and pH are within acceptable limits for your fish. Begin doing this in the evening on the eve of an aquarium cleaning day.

   • Buy distilled or reverse osmosis purified water at a regular grocery store. Pour water into a clean plastic bucket (it is advisable to use it only for these purposes).
   • Warm water with a special water heater from the pet store.
   • Add salt. In pet stores you can buy instant salt for aquariums. To determine the right amount of salt for your volume of water, refer to the instructions on the packaging. Usually put a cup of salt in 4 liters of water.
   • Let the water settle overnight. In the morning, check the salt level with a refractometer, hygrometer or a special sample. Ideally, it should be somewhere between 1.021 and 1.025. Also check the temperature with a thermometer. For marine fish, it should be in the range of 23-28 degrees Celsius.

6. Check the temperature daily.  Sea fish live in a fairly narrow temperature range. To take care of their health, you will have to check the temperature in the aquarium daily.

• Saving the tap water for several hours will allow you to get rid of chlorine, but not chloramines, which are no less dangerous. Make the fish nice and soften the water. (A bright red color of the gills can serve as a sign of a high chlorine content in the water. This chemical simply “burns” the gills.)
• The larger the aquarium, the less care it needs and the more mistakes in care you can forgive. It also slowly changes the levels of parameters important for fish.
• Try to learn how to clean the aquarium without removing the fish from it. If you really need to transplant the fish, add "Stress + Zime" or "Stress + Coat" to the water. These funds allow you to restore the lost (but necessary) protective mucous layer on the surface of the fish’s body. This is one of the reasons why it is always necessary to have a spare or quarantine aquarium.
• Flush the pump with boiling water after each cleaning of the aquarium. This procedure will kill bacteria and viruses that can be found in the aquarium. In addition, it will be more pleasant for you to use it next time.
• Buy a suitable size gravel pump. If it is too small, you are transported with cleaning all day; if it is too large, a lot of water will be pumped out before you finish the job.
• Do not use untreated tap water to rinse the filter, as chlorine and chloramines can harm your fish.
• If a filter with a motor is used in your aquarium, you will have to disassemble it periodically to remove dirt accumulated on moving parts of the motor. Do not clean biofilters.
• Do not use ordinary detergents and soap, as they can poison fish.
• There is no need to transfer fish from the aquarium while it is being cleaned.
• Along with the water conditioner, you can add an algae remover to speed up the cleaning of aquarium decorations and glass. If you have living plants in the aquarium, then you can add liquid fertilizer for plants (necessarily safe for fish!).
• If you manage to get a long food hose, it will be easier to replace the water if possible, pouring the old water directly into the sink. Alternatively, you can purchase fixtures to fill the aquarium from the sink.

Algae is one of the most pressing problems for aquarists. Algae growth, as well as greening of the water, is the result of an imbalance in the aquarium mini ecological system.

It should immediately be clarified that fertilizers, including phosphates, nitrates, etc. they have no direct connection with the growth of undesirable vegetation, even on the contrary they partially suppress it, and the addition of minerals and vitamins is not the cause of the development of diseases among aquatic inhabitants.

At the moment, real and significant reasons are:

• Reduced oxygen concentration in water.  It may be present not only due to poorly working aeration, but also due to overpopulation, excessive heat, overfeeding, and exposure to sunlight. As a result, the low oxygen content in the water interferes with the natural distribution of nutrients, which causes them to accumulate in one part of the aquarium. It is in this place that all living creatures strive, creating overpopulation and exacerbating the already bad situation.
• Organic pollution.  Over time, the soil at the bottom of the aquarium is increasingly overgrown with various organics from undernourished food debris. In nature, snails, crustaceans and shrimps do this, processing them in themselves, if there are no such cleaners in the aquarium, accumulation will occur many times faster.
• Lack of biological balance.  The absence of plants and bacteria in the right concentration inevitably leads to greening and fouling of water with algae.
• A rare change of water.  Unfortunately, not a single plant helps with flowering water and the lack of regular transfusion leads to the development of the Euglena green bacteria, especially in spring. In nature, water changes are carried out by numerous keys and streams feeding reservoirs and lakes.

Glass wash

Over time, the walls of each aquarium are surrounded by green or brownish deposits from microscopic algae or bacterial mucus.

A brown tinge is a signal that the aquarium has too little light, and a greenish tint is about excess (the more saturated the color, the more excess light, the norm is a lime shade that accumulates for a very long time).

The aquarium should be washed as follows:

Bottom cleansing

Cleaning the bottom is a very troublesome task, therefore a whiter, simpler way will maximally delay the time for washing.

There are 2 rules that will keep the bottom clean much longer:

• When feeding, do not throw food in handfuls or in too plentiful whispers, the fish do not have time to catch everything, and food falling to the bottom begins to accumulate bacteria around itself, spreading dirt and accelerating the flowering and growth of algal masses.
• It is effective to use not granular food, but special nutritious lumps that are attached to the walls of the aquarium. If desired, any fish can feed at any moment without spreading dirt.

But even with the observance of the rules, sooner or later one will have to set about cleaning the bottom. Before this, you should clean all the walls and remove snags, corals and all other decorative objects.

The best way to clean is to use a siphon hose.

It consists of a simple hose, where an expander is attached at one end (if you make it home-made, it can be replaced by a bottle with a cut bottom, the neck of which is inserted into the hose, you need to put on a mesh on the cut end so that no fish will suck in), but with the other side is a pear.

  The cleaning instruction fits in 3 main steps:

• Cleaning the walls after the bark must wait 20 minutes, so that all the sludge raised from the bottom falls back.
• The siphon hose must be driven along the bottom constantly working with a pear, all the dirt must immediately be drained into a bucket 1 time for 30 suction pears.
• Thus, walk along the bottom 3 times turning over the pebbles before each new approach.

Such purification is not only an excellent prevention of diseases of aquatic inhabitants, but will also give a good appearance and the possibility of a good oxygen exchange in the gills of fish. Such a procedure should preferably be carried out at least 2 times a month, and in the spring it will not hurt 3 times, since the growth rate of algae is accelerated several times.

Cleaning aquarium filters and aeration systems will not be a difficult process if done in a timely manner, and not when it has stopped working from excessive overload. There are 2 types of filter cleaning in the aquarium:

• Flushing filtration elements.  Such flushing should be carried out regularly due to the constant accumulation of microorganisms.

But you should not get too carried away with constant flushing, because not only algae accumulate on the filters, but also beneficial bacteria, and if they are located, the fish will be more lethargic and susceptible to disease.

It is enough to wash the parts every 20 days under running water without using soap or other cleaning products.

• Detailed washing of filtration elements.  Everyone who at least once was engaged in washing the filter noticed that the system has not one, but two filtering jaws. Many remove it as a useless detail, but this is a real useful innovation.

The fact is that on the first sponge, as a rule, the entire based mass of beneficial bacteria accumulates after washing, it is necessary to change places, more clean and more dirty. Thanks to this, a balance is maintained between harmful and beneficial bacteria.

When cleaning the filters there are 3 taboos whose violation is not permissible in any case:

• Filters should not be cleaned with soap or any other means., it will destroy beneficial bacteria, and the heavy metals harmful to fish, which are part of most detergents, will only damage the fish.
• Do not wash filters with hot water.
• On the Internet, "walking" advice on sterilizing the entire mechanism with alcohol, vodka or cologne, which in no case can not be done.

Ground cleaning in the aquarium

Ground clearance, a very time-consuming job, which is not necessary to do without need. To determine the time when the procedure is very simple, you just need to raise the pebbles at the bottom and smell the rising bubbles.

If the smell resembles a fallen egg or fresh hay, this is an unambiguous signal for cleaning the soil.  The fact is that the waste products of fish falling to the bottom begin to decompose over time, releasing a poisonous gas - hydrogen sulfide.

With its abundance, small organisms like fish suffer greatly from a decrease in oxygen, or millet can not breathe, if it lasts too long, the fish first get sick and then die.

In order not to get to this and not to bury all your favorite pets, you need to conduct timely cleaning. Cleaning should be carried out after transplanting all the fish for a while in a separate container. It is necessary to pour half of the water and pull out all the pebbles corals and decor leaving a bare bottom.

  Rinse all stones under running water without soap and allow to dry a little on a towel.  A separate story is with corals, the instructions for washing them are as follows:

• Add 50 g of sea salt per liter of boiling water and stir until completely dissolved, wait for cooling.
• When the water is at room temperature, coral should be lowered there and left for several hours, but it would be nice for a day.
• If the coral has a very bright unpleasant odor, it must not be thrown back into the aquarium.  It is necessary to brush it with toothpaste using a toothbrush, then rinse with water and let stand in salt water for a few more hours.

Of course, it is impossible to wash corals to an ideal state because of its porous structure, so sooner or later it will have to be boiled in salt water, after which it will become brittle and the shelf life will be no more than a year.

Replacing aquarium water

It should be noted right away that a complete replacement of water should be carried out extremely rarely, and a partial replacement will improve the environment, making the fish more alert, and ecological processes closer to reality.

The main goal of replacing water is to reduce the percentage of nitrates, the density of which is constantly growing and this is a natural phenomenon in nature. If permanent residents are gradually adapting to nitrate water, then for newcomers this is stress and shock, often resulting in fatality for fish.

Many believe that replacing water is a grandiose project that requires a lot of time and effort, in fact, everything is simpler.

The first question is - How much water needs to be changed:

• If the replacement is carried out once every one to two weeks, then it will be enough to replace 10% of the original volume.
• Once every 4 weeks, it is necessary to replace at least 25% of the original volume.
• If once every 1.5 months it is necessary to change at least 70% of the water with a new one, which is too problematic, therefore it is better to do this a little bit and often.

The regime, constancy in the shift is also important, it should not be so that the water was first replaced every week, and then the owner decided to do it every six months, changing the water throughout the aquarium by 100%, the fish are also living, they just won’t have time to adapt to such cardinal changes.

Also, the water that comes from the tap is constantly chlorinated with chlorine and, if the water is too dirty, for reinsurance with chloramine. Such water must be weathered (let it stand in plain language).

For the first case, at least a day, preferably two, and chloramine remains in the water for at least a week, therefore, we must wait a little longer than the minimum period. You can accelerate weathering with the help of 30% sodium thiosulfate, which is stored in each medicine cabinet, it should be added at the rate of 1 drop per liter.

It is possible to wash the house for fish without disturbing them too much, but such cleaning will have to be done more often, it should be done every 2 weeks:

• Pull out the pump and rinse it under running water, but the main thing is not to overdo it.
• Clean all the walls with a scraper, as described above,
• It is necessary to drain the water at least 3 parts from the original, information on the rules for the replacement of information is also given.
• Replace the pump, see if the aerator is clogged, and flush the lights.

The need to thoroughly flush the pump and pump aerator is very simple. It is necessary to throw some float on the surface of the water, if it has not moved from one side of the aquarium to the other in 10 minutes, it is time to rinse it thoroughly.

Such fish are very useful, and will help in restoring order to older people, or beginners, who are afraid to touch anything in the aquarium.

  The most popular orderlies due to their beauty and effectiveness are:

In the aquarium, you must constantly monitor the interspecific balance and carry out activities as:

• Daily inspection.  The easiest way to do this while feeding. When everyone is busy and not rushing in the ass, the main attention should be paid to color (whether it is natural, not spots, ulcers, wounds) to pay attention to appetite.
• Checking the temperature and operation of the main systems (aerators, etc.)
• If during examination during feeding on fish wounds are visibleMost likely, a badass appeared in the aquarium, which it was time to cut off for a while from the fishing community, as they say "to think about your behavior." Of course, we are not talking about behavior and regret, but temporary loneliness usually pacifies the brawler.
• It is necessary to monitor not only the fish, but also the plants, if they turn yellow, most likely it is time to clean the water a little or there is a lot of chemistry in it.
• If overheating of the water occurs, it should be immediately cooled., for this it is necessary to scoop up overheated water in small portions replacing it with cool water. And to make a substitution until the necessary level is equalized, you can’t add cold water sharply, this will be too much a shock for plants and fish.