How to Clean Your Fish Tank Correctly: A Practical Guide with Tools

Come pulire l’acquario in modo corretto: guida pratica con strumenti

What does it mean to “clean” an aquarium “properly”?

Cleaning an aquarium is not just about rinsing the glass or changing the water: it means preserving the biological balance, removing debris and algae without destroying the beneficial bacteria in the filter, maintaining stable parameters, and ensuring the well-being of inhabitants and plants.

Good cleaning includes:

  • Glass cleaning

  • Substrate cleaning (sand, gravel)

  • Biological/mechanical filter maintenance

  • Surface film removal

  • Plant care (dead leaves, residue)

 

When and how often

 Period Suggested action
Daily or every 2 days Remove uneaten food residue, check for floating debris
Weekly Glass cleaning, substrate vacuuming, small partial water changes (10-20%)
Monthly Cleaning or partial replacement of filter media, plant pruning, thinning algae

 

Essential tools and tips

To clean properly, you need the right tools—not just for efficiency, but to avoid damaging the biological system.

Here are some tips:

  • Use substrate vacuums that allow you to remove dirt without lifting all the sand, such as the AQPet AQClean Push.

  • Do not clean the biological filter all at once: reserve at least some of the filter media untouched to avoid losing the bacterial colony.

  • Avoid harsh chemical detergents or abrasive sponges on acrylic glass. Use AQPet AQClean MAG, a specific product for your aquarium glass.

  • Remove dead plant leaves to prevent them from rotting.

Step-by-step guide on how to clean your aquarium properly

Here is a practical procedure that integrates the mentioned AQPet tools:

  1. Prepare the material
    Make sure you have all the tools: gravel cleaner, magnets/glass cleaners, skimmer, filter cleaning tools. Wash them with fresh water before use.

  2. Turn off or dim the lighting
    Avoid direct light during cleaning: it makes debris more visible, but plants and fish are less stressed if the brightness is moderate.

  3. Glass cleaning
    Use the magnetic glass cleaner (AQPet MAG) to remove algae from the walls. If there are thick or acrylic panes, use the appropriate blade/plastic of the magnet.

  4. Substrate cleaning
    Use the AQPet AQClean Push manual gravel cleaner to gently siphon the sand or gravel. Vacuum the residue but avoid removing all the biological filter material that may have settled there.

  5. Surface film removal
    The Coralis 200 skimmer AQPet helps remove any film on the water surface that could hinder gas exchange.

  6. Filter maintenance
    Clean the mechanical elements (sponges, pre-filter) with water taken from the aquarium (not tap water) to preserve the bacteria. Avoid replacing everything at once.

  7. Plant care
    Remove dead leaves, prune lightly where needed, remove floating residue that can decompose.

  8. Partial water changes
    After removing debris from the bottom, perform a water change (10-20%) to replenish clean water and stabilize parameters.

 

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Cleaning the biological filter with chlorinated or overly disinfected water.

  • Replacing all filter media at once: there's a risk of losing the bacterial colony.

  • Using metal scrapers on acrylic glass: risk of scratches.

  • Too large water changes too often: can cause shock for fish and plants.