Aquarium Fish Net

Cleaning Your Fresh Water Aquarium – 6 Easy Steps

There are several hobbies one can have that turn in to real passion some day. One among them is maintaining an aquarium. This hobby though is a serious one as there is no room for mistakes else you shall land up harming or killing a living creature.

The first and foremost thing you must understand before deciding to take care of an aquarium and its fishes is to know the right technique to clean your fresh water aquarium. This process needs lot of patience and knowledge else you might land up killing those beautiful creatures. The beginners in this field would benefit a lot from these tips.

When it comes to cleaning a fresh water aquarium, there are two main factors that you must consider:

1. When should you clean the tank?
2. Why should you clean your tank?

Well, the answers to these questions are as follows:

At regular time intervals the bacteria and other harmful chemicals that generate in the water of the tank develop algae, that is, very harmful for your fish. It might also make your fish ill or lead to their death. So you must clean the fresh water fish tank once in every 2 months to get rid of these harmful algae.

Following some easy steps, you give a clean, safe and healthy life to your fishes. These are as follows:

Step 1: Preparation for Cleaning the Fish Tank

The basic step before cleaning the aquarium obviously is to empty it first. But, emptying the fish tank naturally means placing your fish out somewhere, where they are safe.

But it won’t be good to leave your fishes in a new place for very long, so before emptying the fish tank, you must keep all the required material to clean the tank handy enough to do the job as quickly as possible.

So the first thing you arrange for is the alternate tank to keep your fish that need not be very large but it should be large enough to place all your fishes and allowing them enough space to swim. Not to mention, the size of this alternate tank purely depends on the number of fishes you have.

Now here is a list of the things you require to clean the tank:

i. A fish net to take our your fish from the tank
ii. A towel and/or paper towels in order to wipe away the spills
iii. A water pitcher and/or a bucket to refill the tank
iv. A food drainer
v. A clean sponge
vi. A clean rag

Step 2: Removing the Fish from the Tank

You must take care of the following things while removing the fishes from the fish tank:

i. Make sure that the alternate container is also set to place the fish in it.
ii. The temperature of water in the alternate container must be almost similar to that in the fish tank or the fishes would go in to shock.
iii. Place the fishes one-by-one in the new container. You can do this by catching each fish with a net.
iv. The moment all the fishes are placed in the alternate container place it in a clean and safe place where you are sure that the water won’t spill.
v. Remember when you place the fishes in a new place for the beginning they make a lot of movement which might lead to spilling of the water. So the container must be selected accordingly. These movements are also considerably reduced with the right temperature of water.

Step 3: Removing Old Water from the Fish Tank

Once you have moved your fish out of the tank, now its time to empty the water in the fish tank. This could be the messiest job out of all the process, so here are a few tips to make it easy:

i. Use a pitcher or small bucket to remove the water of the fish tank.
ii. Dispose this water in to the toilet or a sink.
iii. Try not to remove the entire water form the fish tank.
iv. Usually in case of a fresh water aquarium you should empty 3/4th part of the total water.
v. The rest 1/4th helps you in the acclimation of the new water that you would add later.

Step 4: Removing & Cleaning the Gravel in the Tank

Most of the dirt & waste of the fish tank gathers in the gravel placed at the bottom. So cleaning it well is indeed very important. Here are some simple tips to clean the gravel:
i. First remove all the gravel from the tank.
ii. For this you can make use of the following equipments:
 a fish net,
 a dust pan, and
 a small scoop.
iii. Now place the gravel in some type of strainer.
iv. Place this strainer filled with gravel under hot water.
v. Keep mixing the gravel while rinsing it, in order to get rid of all sediments and wastes that have settled down.
vi. Now place it aside safely, as we shall add to the fish tank later.

Step 5: Cleaning Your Tank

This step refers to cleaning the inside portion of the tank. Here are some tips on the same:

i. Here your main job is to clean up the algae built inside the tank.
ii. Algae builds up when the temperature of the water in the tank is to warm or the fish tank is exposed to direct sunlight.
iii. To clean the algae you should use a scratch pad, but make sure to choose a scratch pad that is least abrasive, else you shall land making scratches on the glass of the fish tank.
iv. Use hot water to clean the glass, this way you shall remove the algae more effectively.
v. Remember you should never use any cleaners or detergents to clean the glass of the fish tank, as these are extremely harmful for the fishes.
vi. Once the algae are removed, you must wipe the rest of your tank with the help of a towel or a soft rag. Remember you might have to repeat this at least a few times.
vii. Make sure that you rinse the rag and/or towel frequently while cleaning so as to remove all the wastes.
viii. In case you have placed some decorative pieces in your tank, wash and rinse them well with hot water.
ix. Make a final check that the tank is absolutely free of all wastes and build-ups.

Step 6: Placing up the Tank Again

Now when all the items of the inside of the tank are washed well and the container is all clean, its time place everything back in to position. Here are some steps of doing the same:

i. First of all place the gravel – from back to front.
ii. Next, fill in the tank with water.
iii. Check on the temperature of the water and make sure it is in tandem you’re your usual one.
iv. Try adding water with the similar temperature that you have to achieve at the end.
v. Now place all the decorative pieces back in to place in the fish tank.
vi. Now its time to place your fish back to their home.
vii. Your fish might take some time to adapt to the new water but after all these steps, you have ensured that the water is clean and healthy enough for your fishes.

Some other tips you must keep in mind are as follows:

1. Cleaning of the fish tank must be done every 2 months.
2. Always keep the filters of the tank clean. Clean them or change them at regular basis and never leave them dirty.
3. If you change around 20% of the water of the fish tank every month, the cleaning that is to be done every two months would get less tedious.
4. In order to have a healthy fish tank and happy fishes, it is a must to keep your aquarium clean and safe all the time.
5. This would not only add beauty and life to your pets, but also make your aquarium a loveable sight for one and all.

About the Author

Abhishek is an avid Fish Lover and he has got some great Aquarium Care Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 105 Pages Ebook, “Aquarium Care Made Easy!” from his website http://www.Wonder-Homes.com/636/index.htm . Only limited Free Copies available.

Transparent Fish Net

Pink Aquarium Twisted Handle Nylon 6 Inch Mesh Square Fish Net $4.77

Aquarium Nylon Mesh Spiral Pink Handle Square Fish Net $5.13

Aquarium Spiral Handle 4″ Depth Nylon Mesh Square Fish Net Green $4.12

New Soft Net Hatchery Aquarium Baby Fish Breeding Tank $2.99

Tom Aquarium Fish Net Stainless Steel Handle 5″x4″x12″ $3.69

Flexible Meshed Feed Aquarium Fish Feeding Net $3.98

Aquarium Red Twisted Handle Nylon Mesh Square Fish Net $6.56

Aquarium Fish Tank Net Baby Fish Breeder Breeding Socker Cap Hatchery Hospital $3.99

★ 26*15*15CM Tank Aquarium Net Hatchery fish Breeding ★ $0.02

Aquarium Fish Fry Isolation Breeding Black Zip Net Bag $3.39

Aquarium Fish Tank Fry Net Breeder Breeding Hatchery $6.47

Pink Spiral Handle Nylon Mesh Square Aquarium Fish Net $5.70

★ HOT SALE US EU ★ New Aquarium Fish Tank Fshing Soft Net Breeder Baby Hatchery $6.59

Aquarium Fish Tank Fry Net Breeder Breeding Hatchery $7.32

Aquarium Fish Fry Breeder Breeding Zipper Net Bag White $3.15

Aquarium Fish Tank White Meshy Fry Hatchery Net Green Plastic Breeder $7.98

Wire Handle Mesh Nylon Fish Shrimp Landing Net for Aquarium $8.19

Aquarium Red Twisted Handle Nylon Mesh Square Fish Net $11.11

Aquarium Fish Shrimp Nylon Mesh Net w Pink Twist Handle $6.21

Wire Handle Mesh Nylon Fish Shrimp Landing Net for Aquarium $3.91

11″ Depth Green Nylon Meshy Aquarium Fish Shrimp Net $7.72

10″ Depth Green Nylon Meshy Aquarium Fish Tank Shrimp Net $6.24

vintage 60y OCCUPIED JAPAN WOOD HANDLE AQUARIUM hand knot FISH NET nos no damage $12.99

Fuchsia Blue Hadle Fishing Landing Net for Aquarium Fish Tank $3.16

9″ x 8.1″ Nylon Fish Tackle Landing Net for Aquarium $6.18

9″ x 8.1″ Nylon Fish Tackle Landing Net for Aquarium $6.55

Fry Net Breeder Breeding Hatchery for Fish Aquarium $7.19

Aquarium Green Spiral Handle Square Mouth Shrimp Goldfish Fish Net $4.11

MINNOW NET 17″ long 6.5″ wide net fishing fish bait frog cricket aquarium Green $0.99

9″ x 8.1″ Nylon Fish Tackle Landing Net for Aquarium $6.24

Fry Net Breeder Breeding Hatchery for Fish Aquarium $7.59

Aquarium Spiral Handle 4″ Depth Nylon Mesh Square Fish Net Green $3.81

Aquarium Spiral Handle 4″ Depth Nylon Mesh Square Fish Net Green $4.15

10″ Depth Green Nylon Meshy Aquarium Fish Tank Shrimp Net $6.56

Aquarium Fish Tank Fry Net Breeder Breeding Hatchery $6.47

Aquarium Blue Green Round Frame Nylon Mesh Fish Net $3.93

10″ Depth Green Nylon Meshy Aquarium Fish Tank Shrimp Net $6.53

Wire Handle Mesh Nylon Fish Shrimp Landing Net for Aquarium $7.94

Aquarium Green Wire Handle Mesh Nylon Fish Shrimp Landing Net $6.24

Aquarium Fish Fry White Meshy Hatchery Net Green Plastic Frame Breeder $8.19

Aquarium Fish Tank Fry Hatchery Net Breeder Green New $8.45

Fry Net Breeder Breeding Hatchery for Fish Aquarium $7.18

Aquarium Fish Fry Isolation Breeding Black Zip Net Bag $3.48

Aquarium Fish Fry Net Breeder Isolation/Hospital Lee’s $6.95

Aquarium Pink Plastic Coated Wire Frame Nylon Fish Net $6.20

Aquarium Fish Shrimp Nylon Mesh Net w Pink Twist Handle $6.19

Plastic Coated Wire Twisted Pink Handle Fish Net White for Aquarium $5.09

Aquarium 4″ Dia Round Fine Mesh Fish Shrimp Net Blue $3.78

Aquarium Red Twisted Handle Nylon Mesh Square Fish Net $7.25

Aquarium Nylon Mesh Spiral Handle Square Pink Fish Net $5.30

Zipper Closure Aquarium Fish Fry Breeder Net Bag Black $3.15

Aquarium Fish Fry Breeder Breeding Zipper Net Bag White $3.17

5PC Zip Filter Bag Net for Aquarium Pond Filtration Media Fish Tank bio ball $5.99

Marina Hagen Floating Fish Aquarium Mesh Net Breeder $4.99

Green Fry Hatchery Net Breeder for Fish Tank Aquarium $7.24

* PENN PLAX* BRINE-SHRIMP NET ( AQUARIUM FISH NET)* 3″ $1.35

* PENN PLAX* BRINE-SHRIMP NET ( AQUARIUM FISH NET)* 4″ $1.45

Aquarium Fish Nets pet new fishnet x288 NETS $50.00

Lot: 12 fish nets, 4″ net w/10″ handle – New dozen for tropical/salt aquariums $9.99

Green Fry Hatchery Net Breeder for Fish Tank Aquarium $7.24

Aquarium Blue Green Round Frame Nylon Mesh Fish Net $4.08

Aquarium Shrimp Small Betta Tetra Fish Tank Net Triangle $7.55

Aquarium Fish Tank New Soft Net Breeder Trap Baby Hatchery $6.99

Aquarium Tropical Fish Net – For fish Tank Shrimp Betta $13.99

Soft Net Aquarium Tank Hatchery For Baby fish Breeding $6.99

Marina Hagen Easy Catch Fish Aquarium Net 25cm 10″ $3.99

MINNOW NET 17″ long 6.5″ wide net fishing fish bait frog cricket aquarium Green $0.99

5pcs Nylon Mesh Aquarium Fish Tank Pond Filter Media Zip Net Bag Zipper White $0.99

9″ Round Glass Fish Bowl & Lot of Aquarium Stuff, Ornaments, Shells, Beads, Net $5.95

NEW SEALED Aqua Culture Fish Aquarium Net Keeps Water Clean Handy FREE SHIPPING $10.00

Aquarium Pink Twisted Handle Nylon Mesh Square Fish Net $4.96

Aquarius AQ5424 Aquarium Fish Net with 5″ x 4″ Net & 24″ Stainless Steel Handle $14.49

Plant Net – Live aquarium java plant fish tank FB $5.65

G5020 Fish Fry Net Breeder Hatchery Box for Aquarium NB-3202A $5.99

White Aquarium Fish Tank Soft Net Breeder Trap Pregnant Sick Baby Fish Hatchery $5.39

Penn-Plax Fish Aquarium Net Breeder w/Spawning Grass $5.99

Aquarium Fish Tank Fry Hatchery Net Breeder Green New $8.73

Pink Aquarium Twisted Handle Nylon 6 Inch Mesh Square Fish Net $8.00

3 4/5″ x 2 4/5″ Nylon Fish Tackle Landing Net for Aquarium $3.93

Slurp Gun Scuba slurpgun fish collect aquarium net $79.00

Aquarium Glass Scrub and Fish Net-NEW $8.99

Aquarium Fish Fry Breeder Breeding Zipper Net Bag White $6.91

Fish Tank Aquarium Green Frame White Net Fry Hatchery Breeder 17 x 12.7 x 16.3cm $6.96

Aquarium Fish Tank Fry Net Breeder Breeding Hatchery $7.32

Deep Blue Professional 10″ x 7″ Fine Mesh Aquarium Fish Net $6.96

Deep Blue Professional 2″ x 2″ Betta Scoop ~ Coarse Mesh Aquarium Fish Net $3.26

Deep Blue Professional 3″ x 2-1/4″ Coarse Mesh Aquarium Fish Net $3.46

Deep Blue Professional 3″ x 2-1/4″ Fine Mesh Aquarium Fish Net $3.46

Deep Blue Professional 4″ x 3″ Coarse Mesh Aquarium Fish Net $3.56

Deep Blue Professional 5″ x 4″ Coarse Mesh Aquarium Fish Net $3.66

Deep Blue Professional 5″ x 4″ Fine Mesh Aquarium Fish Net $3.66

Deep Blue Professional 6″ x 5″ Coarse Mesh Aquarium Fish Net $3.96

Deep Blue Professional 6″ x 5″ Fine Mesh Aquarium Fish Net $3.96

Deep Blue Professional 8″ x 6″ Coarse Mesh Aquarium Fish Net $5.46

Deep Blue Professional 8″ x 6″ Fine Mesh Aquarium Fish Net $5.46

Easy Catch 10″ Coarse Mesh Aquarium Fish Net ~ by Blue Ribbon Pet Products $7.96

Easy Catch 10″ Fine Mesh Aquarium Fish Net ~ by Blue Ribbon Pet Products $7.96

Easy Catch 2″ Extra Fine Mesh Aquarium Fish Net ~ by Blue Ribbon Pet Products $3.56

Easy Catch 3″ Coarse Mesh Aquarium Fish Net ~ by Blue Ribbon Pet Products $3.46

Easy Catch 3″ Fine Mesh Aquarium Fish Net ~ by Blue Ribbon Pet Products $3.46

Penn Plax QN4 4 Quick-Net, Green $0.95 Penn Plax QN4 4″ Quick-Net, Green Penn Plax QN4 4″ Quick-Net, Green Features: Fish net Nylon mesh Fast and safe fish catching Vinyl covered handle Extra strong Extra long Green 4″ x 3″…

Pondmaster Halogen Light Replace Bulb (Catalog Category: Aquarium / Pond Supplies) $50.24 Pondmaster Halogen Light Replace Bulb. REPLACEMENT BULB…

Fisher-Price Aquarium Bathtub $31.49 Fisher-Price Aquarium Bath Center The new and improved Aquarium Tub has plenty of updates to a product that is already a proven winner because it grows with baby. The sling design has been improved to allow newborns to rest comfortably within the water. The tub basin has become deeper and provides a reclined position for baby to be bathed with our new contoured baby stopper tm insert.  The in…

Natural Aquatics Frog Aquarium with 2 Frogs $29.95 …

Fabulous Fake Rubber Fish $10.99 Fabulous Fake Rubber Fish…

Natural Aquatics Large Frog Aquarium with 2 Frogs $39.98 …

Big Kahuna Reef: A Wave of Underwater Puzzle Action $0.98 Catch a wave of action in this gorgeous underwater Hawaiian adventure. Discover sea turtles and other aquatic life as you break open boxes in this classic style matching game, questing for the Mask of the Tiki. Using the revolutionary Mouse Party, you can play with multiple players on the same computer through an almost infinite number of levels. Thanks to the included level editor, your quest can…

Tetra Pond Thermometer (Catalog Category: Aquarium / Pond Supplies) $8.20 Tetra Pond Thermometer. Feed your fish based on water temperature Color coded temperature scale shows when to feed and which food to feedRetrieval cord included. Size 75 long…

Nature Aquarium World: How You Can Make A Most Beautiful Aquarium $35.95 Aqua Book_Freshwater Natural_Aquarium by Tfh Publications – Get Fast Shipping and Low Prices at PetsWarehouse.com on over 43,000 Pet Supplies such as Dog Food, Dog Supplies, Cat Food, Cat Supplies, Bird Food, Bird Supplies, Aquarium Supplies and Fish Supplies. We offer our customers the largest selection of Pet Supplies online in the world, when we say “everything for your pet” it’s true, we have …

Complete Aquarium $3.73 Create the perfect aquarium for every type of fish. The Complete Aquarium presents a systematic guide to aquariums based on freshwater and marine environments from all over the world. Clear, step-by-step instructions will guide you through planning, building, stocking, and maintaining any type of aquatic environment — as well as an extensive practical guide to building and designing 16 diverse aq…