How to Clean Your Fish Tank

It's very important to keep your fish tank clean. If your tank has live plants, it's best to clean your tank weekly. For fake plant tanks, you should check water parameters weekly and clean your tank accordingly. Tanks that have a good filtration system should be cleaned at least monthly.

While cleaning your tank may be time consuming, it is essential. Follow the instructions below on how to clean your tank.

• Unplug the heater
• Remove fake plants and decorations
• Clean the sides of the aquarium with an algae sponge
• Turn off your pump
• Disconnect your filter and take it to your sink
• While you're waiting for debris to settle in the tank, clean your decorations, plants, and filter
• Use a gravel cleaner (a siphon which attached to a faucet, or a manual siphon used with a bucket to collect the water) to clean out the debris that settled at the bottom of your tank. When the water level drops to about 3/4 less than it was, it's time to stop the gravel cleaner
• Use water that's the same temperature that's already in the tank to start filling it back to it's original level
• If you have chlorine in your water source, add some de-chlorinator while the tank is re-filling
• Replace your plants and decorations in your tank
• Reconnect your filter
• Plug in your heater and restart your pump