| There are several hobbies one can have that turn in | | | | you should empty 3/4th part of the total water.v. |
| to real passion some day. One among them is | | | | The rest 1/4th helps you in the acclimation of the |
| maintaining an aquarium. This hobby though is a | | | | new water that you would add later. |
| serious one as there is no room for mistakes else | | | | Step 4: Removing & Cleaning the Gravel in the Tank |
| you shall land up harming or killing a living creature. | | | | Most of the dirt & waste of the fish tank gathers in |
| The first and foremost thing you must understand | | | | the gravel placed at the bottom. So cleaning it well is |
| before deciding to take care of an aquarium and its | | | | indeed very important. Here are some simple tips to |
| fishes is to know the right technique to clean your | | | | clean the gravel:i. First remove all the gravel from the |
| fresh water aquarium. This process needs lot of | | | | tank.ii. For this you can make use of the following |
| patience and knowledge else you might land up killing | | | | equipments: |
| those beautiful creatures. The beginners in this field | | | | a fish net, |
| would benefit a lot from these tips. | | | | a dust pan, and |
| When it comes to cleaning a fresh water aquarium, | | | | a small scoop.iii. Now place the gravel in some |
| there are two main factors that you must consider: | | | | type of strainer.iv. Place this strainer filled with gravel |
| 1. When should you clean the tank? | | | | under hot water.v. Keep mixing the gravel while |
| 2. Why should you clean your tank? | | | | rinsing it, in order to get rid of all sediments and |
| Well, the answers to these questions are as follows: | | | | wastes that have settled down.vi. Now place it aside |
| At regular time intervals the bacteria and other | | | | safely, as we shall add to the fish tank later. |
| harmful chemicals that generate in the water of the | | | | Step 5: Cleaning Your Tank |
| tank develop algae, that is, very harmful for your | | | | This step refers to cleaning the inside portion of the |
| fish. It might also make your fish ill or lead to their | | | | tank. Here are some tips on the same:i. Here your |
| death. So you must clean the fresh water fish tank | | | | main job is to clean up the algae built inside the tank.ii. |
| once in every 2 months to get rid of these harmful | | | | Algae builds up when the temperature of the water |
| algae. | | | | in the tank is to warm or the fish tank is exposed to |
| Following some easy steps, you give a clean, safe | | | | direct sunlight.iii. To clean the algae you should use a |
| and healthy life to your fishes. These are as follows: | | | | scratch pad, but make sure to choose a scratch pad |
| Step 1: Preparation for Cleaning the Fish Tank | | | | that is least abrasive, else you shall land making |
| The basic step before cleaning the aquarium | | | | scratches on the glass of the fish tank.iv. Use hot |
| obviously is to empty it first. But, emptying the fish | | | | water to clean the glass, this way you shall remove |
| tank naturally means placing your fish out | | | | the algae more effectively.v. Remember you should |
| somewhere, where they are safe. | | | | never use any cleaners or detergents to clean the |
| But it won't be good to leave your fishes in a new | | | | glass of the fish tank, as these are extremely |
| place for very long, so before emptying the fish | | | | harmful for the fishes.vi. Once the algae are |
| tank, you must keep all the required material to clean | | | | removed, you must wipe the rest of your tank with |
| the tank handy enough to do the job as quickly as | | | | the help of a towel or a soft rag. Remember you |
| possible. | | | | might have to repeat this at least a few times.vii. |
| So the first thing you arrange for is the alternate | | | | Make sure that you rinse the rag and/or towel |
| tank to keep your fish that need not be very large | | | | frequently while cleaning so as to remove all the |
| but it should be large enough to place all your fishes | | | | wastes.viii. In case you have placed some decorative |
| and allowing them enough space to swim. Not to | | | | pieces in your tank, wash and rinse them well with |
| mention, the size of this alternate tank purely | | | | hot water.ix. Make a final check that the tank is |
| depends on the number of fishes you have. | | | | absolutely free of all wastes and build-ups. |
| Now here is a list of the things you require to clean | | | | Step 6: Placing up the Tank Again |
| the tank:i. A fish net to take our your fish from the | | | | Now when all the items of the inside of the tank are |
| tankii. A towel and/or paper towels in order to wipe | | | | washed well and the container is all clean, its time |
| away the spillsiii. A water pitcher and/or a bucket to | | | | place everything back in to position. Here are some |
| refill the tankiv. A food drainerv. A clean spongevi. A | | | | steps of doing the same:i. First of all place the gravel |
| clean rag | | | | – from back to front.ii. Next, fill in the tank with |
| Step 2: Removing the Fish from the Tank | | | | water.iii. Check on the temperature of the water and |
| You must take care of the following things while | | | | make sure it is in tandem you’re your usual |
| removing the fishes from the fish tank:i. Make sure | | | | one.iv. Try adding water with the similar temperature |
| that the alternate container is also set to place the | | | | that you have to achieve at the end.v. Now place all |
| fish in it.ii. The temperature of water in the alternate | | | | the decorative pieces back in to place in the fish |
| container must be almost similar to that in the fish | | | | tank.vi. Now its time to place your fish back to their |
| tank or the fishes would go in to shock.iii. Place the | | | | home.vii. Your fish might take some time to adapt to |
| fishes one-by-one in the new container. You can do | | | | the new water but after all these steps, you have |
| this by catching each fish with a net.iv. The moment | | | | ensured that the water is clean and healthy enough |
| all the fishes are placed in the alternate container | | | | for your fishes. |
| place it in a clean and safe place where you are sure | | | | Some other tips you must keep in mind are as |
| that the water won't spill.v. Remember when you | | | | follows: |
| place the fishes in a new place for the beginning they | | | | 1. Cleaning of the fish tank must be done every 2 |
| make a lot of movement which might lead to spilling | | | | months. |
| of the water. So the container must be selected | | | | 2. Always keep the filters of the tank clean. Clean |
| accordingly. These movements are also considerably | | | | them or change them at regular basis and never |
| reduced with the right temperature of water. | | | | leave them dirty. |
| Step 3: Removing Old Water from the Fish Tank | | | | 3. If you change around 20% of the water of the |
| Once you have moved your fish out of the tank, | | | | fish tank every month, the cleaning that is to be |
| now its time to empty the water in the fish tank. | | | | done every two months would get less tedious. |
| This could be the messiest job out of all the process, | | | | 4. In order to have a healthy fish tank and happy |
| so here are a few tips to make it easy:i. Use a | | | | fishes, it is a must to keep your aquarium clean and |
| pitcher or small bucket to remove the water of the | | | | safe all the time. |
| fish tank.ii. Dispose this water in to the toilet or a | | | | 5. This would not only add beauty and life to your |
| sink.iii. Try not to remove the entire water form the | | | | pets, but also make your aquarium a loveable sight |
| fish tank.iv. Usually in case of a fresh water aquarium | | | | for one and all. |