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Keeping Your Aquarium Clean

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Your fish don’t like a dirty house any more than you do. If you leave your aquarium unclean for months on end, both the inside and outside of the tank will collect dust, algae, and chemicals, all of which threaten the health of your fish.

Before you even add water or fish, use a mild bleach solution to clean the interior of your aquarium, making absolutely sure that you rinse the tank thoroughly afterwards. Then, place your aquarium away from direct sunlight. Too much light (either natural or artificial) increases the amount of algae in your tank, and normal indoor light is usually adequate anyway. Don’t place your tank under anything that might drip liquids or release dust particles into the aquarium.

Even if you place your aquarium in the perfect spot, however, you will need to clean it. Many experts recommend cleaning your tank at least every two weeks, but that time period could change based on the particular needs of your fish. For the most part, it is better to clean your aquarium with the fish inside it, but if you will be sloshing the water around a great amount, move your fish to another tank.

Remove the aquarium hood, and use a fish net to remove any floating debris. Then, use an aquarium scrubber, scraper, or a simple nonabrasive sponge to slowly wipe the interior walls of the aquarium clean. If you have a glass scraper, you can also use a razor blade. Do not use any type of soap, as these products can make the water toxic to the fish. You can, however, use ammonia glass cleaner on the exterior of the aquarium.

Next Page: Monitoring and Maintaining Water Quality

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