| As with any pet, you have to make sure to keep their | | | | filters, do not change all the media everything at once. |
| environment safe and clean. Fishes are particularly | | | | This will remove the majority of your biological filter |
| tricky because any slight change in their water can | | | | and cause the tank to have to go through another |
| either help or hurt them. This article will show you the | | | | cycling period to reestablish bacterial growth. Rinse any |
| easiest way to cleaning any basic fish tank. Cleaning a | | | | new filter in cool running water before introducing it to |
| fish tank is a simple and straight forward task that | | | | the system. Once you have siphoned most of the |
| should not take very long. The better care you provide | | | | water from your tank, you will need to fill it again. The |
| for your tank, the healthier your fish will be. You should | | | | easiest way to do this is to use a siphon and siphon |
| not have to remove all the stuff out of the tank when | | | | water from a bucket into the tank. This will tend to |
| you clean it. Every surface in the tank will grow some | | | | reduce spilling and shooting up gravel. Use a bucket |
| type of bacteria that is part of the biological filter. By | | | | that has never had any household chemicals in it and |
| removing and cleaning the items, you stress some of | | | | fill it with water. The water should be close to the |
| the healthy bacteria, and in turn reduce the quality of | | | | temperature of the tank water that you just took out. |
| your filtration. When cleaning your aquarium, you should | | | | Use a chlorine remover to prepare the water for |
| just remove about half of the total amount of water | | | | introduction into the tank. Place the bucket somewhere |
| and replace it with fresh de chlorinated tap water. | | | | higher than the top of the fish tank, and get your |
| While you are doing this, you should use your siphon to | | | | siphon going. In just a couple of minutes, you should |
| suck up some of the gunk that collects in the gravel | | | | have a full tank. Be sure to watch the siphon in case |
| and decorations. If you have an under gravel filter, it is | | | | the hose gets bumped out of the tank. Keep in mind |
| very important to clean the gravel when you do your | | | | that there needs to be some space between the top |
| weekly water change. This will prevent detritus and | | | | of the water and the aquarium cover, because your |
| other decaying organic matter from blocking the | | | | fish rely on oxygen exchange at the surface of the |
| passages between the pebbles and restricting water | | | | water in order to be able to breathe. Remember, |
| flow. If you have algae growing on the surface of the | | | | cleaning your tank is easy and it will get easier after |
| tank, you should get an algae scraper of some sort | | | | repeating a few times. Always scrub for algae, |
| and scrub the glass before removing water. Many | | | | remove half of the water supply while cleaning the |
| varieties of algae scrapers are available at almost all | | | | gravel, and top off the tank with de chlorinated water. |
| local pet stores. You can also get algae eating catfish | | | | This method works with any basic fish tank. Good luck |
| or scavengers to pick up some of this work for you. | | | | and take care of your fish. |
| Having catfish in the tank does not mean that you will | | | | For more information visit these two websites: Fishing |
| never need to clean again. Algae eaters and catfish | | | | Tips and House Pets. You will get more information on |
| will add to the biological load of your tank and increase | | | | how to fish and caring for all types of house pets. |
| maintenance requirements. If you have to clean out the | | | | |