Why is it important to clean your fish tank?
Cleaning your fish tank is an essential task if you plan on having happy and healthy fish. Not only does a clean fish tank look a lot better aesthetically, it is vital for a fish’s health. It is important to remember that water to a fish is like air to a human. It is what allows us to breathe and stay alive. If the water in your fish tank is dirty, it is like a human having to only breathe in polluted air. While most fish tanks nowadays have filters, even the most powerful and high quality filters are not able to get the entire job done. This is why it is important to always ensure that your fish is living in clean and healthy water.
There are many factors (number of fish, type of food, type of filter, etc.) that go into how often you should clean a fish tank. However, by far the most important factor that determines how often you should clean a fish tank size.
How often do you clean a 5 gallon fish tank
You should clean a 5 gallon fish tank at least every 1 to 2 weeks. This is because smaller tanks require more frequent cleanings since the habitat is smaller and thus more fragile. If ammonia or nitrate levels reach harmful levels in a 5 gallon tank, it is much more dangerous than if it happened in a 55 gallon tank.
How to clean a 5 gallon fish tank?
The supplies you will need for cleaning a 5 gallon fish tank are as follows: a brush, bucket, water vacuum, water conditioner, and a net.
Step 1:
Unplug all the electronics that are in your fish tank. This could be the filter, lights, heater, and maybe even some ornaments.
Step 2:
Next, take off the lid and insert the gravel vacuum. You should stick it to the bottom of the tank and move it across the gravel to suck up the dirty water and debris. You should have the dirty water syphoned to a bucket. You should remove around 25% of the water in your tank.
Step 3:
Now, tank a brush and use it to scrub against the glass. Make sure the brush is completely clean and doesn’t have any soap residue. If you have an acrylic tank, scrub softly because they can scratch very easily.
Step 4:
Next, fill up a bucket with clean tap water. Then put in some water conditioner so that the water is safe for your tank. Then, pour the bucket of fresh clean water into the tank. Make sure to pour it slowly so you don’t startle your fish.
Step 5:
After the fish tank is filled up, use a net to scoop up any remaining waste or debris that might be floating in your tank.
Step 6:
The last step is to test your water chemistry. You should get test strips that at least test for pH level, ammonia, and nitrates. If any of these get to a dangerous level, you should perform another water change.
Daily check ups
Just because you don’t need to clean your fish tank everyday doesn’t mean you should completely ignore it on non clean days. I strongly recommend checking in on your fish tank every day to make sure everything seems normal. You should make sure that your water color is still normal. You should also look out for any debris or waste that might be floating at the top. If you find any, scoop it out with a net. I don’t recommend ever sticking your hand in fish tank water, especially if you recently washed your hands with soap. Sticking your hand in the fish tank water can also put you at risk, since fish commonly carry salmonella.
You should also do daily wellness checks on your fish to make sure they are displaying normal behavior. It is important that your fish are staying active and swimming around. You should also make sure they look like a healthy size and don’t look too fat or too skinny. It is common in fish tanks with many fish that the food is not distributed evenly.