Safe Cleaning For Your Fish Tank

Having stupidly killed three beautiful pet
goldfish, because of possible cleaning
misconduct, I was struck with guilt and keen to
find out the safest and most practical tank
cleaning methods.

Don't Clean Your Tank Too Much.

Firstly turn off all electrics! It is essential
to not over clean your tank as you will be
removing a lot of friendly bacteria. Start off
with an algae cleaning pad, sliding over the
glass to loosen the dirt. There are many
varieties on the market, ranging from magnetic
pads to long handled scrapers. The magnetic pads
are proving popular as they firmly stick to the
sides which I personally prefer. It's also
advisable not to use a scrubber/sponge bought
from a home ware store as they can contain
bleaches and other harmful chemicals. Most of
the fish toys and decorations can be removed and
cleaned, although removing all of them at once
could cause anxiety to your fish. You can use an
algae scraper to clean them whilst they're in the
tank if you don't want to remove them each time.

Cleaning the Water and Gravel

Once you've loosened the algae and debris you
should remove no more than a quarter of the
water, siphoning the gravel and decorative toys
as well. The next step is to clean the gravel,
by using a water siphon to suck up the debris.
There are different types of siphons available,
all of which do pretty much the same job. These
days I use the Python, as it draws dirty water
straight into your sink, which eliminates the
need for buckets. Be sure to vacuum the entire
surface of the gravel thoroughly so that all
debris is removed. If you can buy the best
cleaning equipment it will make your once a week
job less of a chore. Only then replace with
clean, dechlorinated water that has reached room
temperature. The chemicals in tap water are
harmful to fish and they will damage your filter
and then cause ammonia to build up eventually
killing your fish.

Cleaning the Filter

A top tip is to not clean the filter at the
same time as the tank. A week or two later is
fine. With the cleaning of the tank, plants,
gravel and ornaments a lot of the eco system
will have been removed. The filter will still
contain beneficial bacteria to keep the tank
balanced. Some argue that you should always
replace the filter parts, but I disagree.
Disturbing your fish's environment too much will
not only unbalance the bacteria levels but will
also cause stress to them. Of course if your
filter is full with dirt then yes you do need to
clean it. You should use 2-3 cups of water from
the tank to clean the filter sponge in, not tap
water. Obviously the filter won't be as clean as
when you first bought it but your fish will be
happy with it. When you do need to add a brand
new sponge, it's a good idea to soak it in a few
cups of tank water and leave it over 24 hours.
That way it won't be too much of a shock to your
fish's environment. Most pet shops will be able
to advise on the best filters for your tank.

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Alex KellyAs a pet owner, my articles are based
on issues I feel are important for fellow animal
lovers.Pet Promenade has everything you will need
for the furry member of the family. From pet
food, dog leads, grooming equipment and bird
cages.With over 5000 pet products, at
competetive prices, it's worth paying us a visit
at http://www.petpromenade.co.uk/

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