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