Aquarium fish: primary, regular and extra cleaning at home

Aquarium in any interior has a dual function: it is not only beautiful decoration but also the habitat of living beings. Therefore, it is doubly important to monitor its cleanliness. If you notice a plaque on the wall or a layer of dirt on the ground, or your fish suddenly started to hurt, then there is nothing left but to clean the aquarium. It does not so difficult at home. In addition, it is much cheaper than hiring a professional.

Depending on the situation, there are three types of aquarium cleaning at home:

• primary - when the tank has just bought, it must be washed before you start;
• regular - one cho carried out to maintain normal purity;
• emergency - it takes place when you restart the aquarium in the event of any epidemics.

Regardless of the type of cleaning required tools and the basic steps remain the same.

necessary means

1. clean bucket or a bowl. Do not take the containers that were used for cleaning, as they usually left an indelible plaque household chemicals. It can kill fish. To clean the aquarium is better to get a separate bucket, preferably white, to be able to see accidentally fallen into the water fused occupant.
2. Device for cleaning walls. This may be a magnetic scraper or plain sponge for washing dishes - depending on your preferences. The main requirement is the same as in the previous paragraph: no contact of the tool with household cleaning products.
3. Special siphon for cleaning soil or ordinary hose.
4. ScissorsIf there are aquatic plants.

Preparations for cleaning aquarium

First of all be sure to disconnect from the network, all devices are in it. Prepare the water that will be added instead of fusion: it must pre stand for 48 hours. Also be reserved for washing with boiling water aquarium filter. And do not feed the fish for 2 hours before and after the clean tank.

Wash before first start

If you purchased a vessel smallThen it's best to wash it in the bathroom. Spread the bottom of a bath towel or folded into the fabric several times in order to avoid scratches. Place the tank, rinse with hot water from the shower. Then clean the walls on both sides and bottom by means of soda and a sponge for washing dishes. Rinse thoroughly. When you perform all actions, be very careful not to touch the glass showerhead. Otherwise, it may crack.

If your aquarium is very bigIt is necessary to wash it directly at the place where it is installed. In this case, after rinsing will need to pump dirty water through a hose.

regular cleaning

The main mistake made by many novice hobbyists - is otsazhivanie fish at harvest time. It's worth noting that for aquatic life even minor changes in the environment is stressful, and only transplanted there and back can lead the nervous system in a critical state. therefore Leave the fish in placeThey you did not hurt either.

Before you clean your fish tank, wash and rinse your hands, that they are not left any dirt or detergent. While cleaning should follow the correct procedure.

1. Clean the wall of plaque. To do this, carefully walk around cleaning sponge for washing dishes on the inner side of the side of the aquarium glass. Pay particular attention to the joints, because it is in them often accumulates the most dirt. Instead, use a loofah sponge can or toothbrush. There is also a special magnetic scraper for this purpose. They are very easy to clean the aquarium, but keep in mind that getting all the grains of sand between it and the glass can cause scratches or cracks on the walls.
2. Cut with scissors all yellowed and rotting leaves of aquatic plants.
3. Determine how much you need to drain the water. To determine the necessary amount of its replacement, pay attention to the condition of the aquarium inhabitants. If the fish are completely healthy, it can be drained of 10-20% water, and if some of them are sick, then drain 25-50%. It is not necessary to exceed this percentage, since otherwise aquarium microflora can not recover.
4. Gently slide the end of the siphon tube or hose above the tank bottom, collecting the dirt. Make sure that the volume of the fusion and the water does not exceed the permissible. It is also desirable to apply special gravel vacuum: It removes the dirt from the soil and saturates it with oxygen. However, if you do not have this device, you can just gently povoroshit the ground and remove the dregs raise all the same or siphon hose.
5. remove all decorative ornaments from the tank and rinse thoroughly with running water. Then pour over boiling water and allow to dry.
6. Now for aquarium filter. It should be cleaned with water, which was drained. To wash the filter is most convenient to use a toothbrush.
7. Fill new water. Remember that it must necessarily pre-stand for two days. Pouring water is best not to directly to the bottom and on the saucer or decorative element of the aquarium, so you can prevent blur of soil and raising a new wave of dirt.

In this regular tank cleaning is completed. To the need for it arose as little as possible, get a few fish-cleaners, which will constantly collect dirt from the walls and the ground. With this role perfectly cope catfish, Ancistrus, which is also called hangers. Many of the viviparous fish, such as guppies, mollies and platies also contribute to cleaning. And do not forget the snails ampulyarii that have long proven themselves excellent cleaners aquariums.

emergency cleansing

If your fish suddenly started to get sick and die for no apparent reason, there needs to be an urgent restarting of the aquarium. Otherwise, you risk losing all of its population. Before the emergency cleaning is necessary to temporarily relocate all aquarium inhabitants to another location, thus it is necessary to move further out the sick from the healthy.

Pour off all water. Remove the decorative ornaments and soil, wash them with a brush and rinse with boiling water. Thoroughly clean the aquarium with all sides and pour the sanitizing solution into it. For this purpose can be used, for example, potassium permanganate or furatsilin. After disinfection, thoroughly rinse the tank, dry and ventilate it during the day. Then return to his ground and decorations, fill a new, previously prepared water. To colonize the fish can no earlier than next week. This time is necessary to create the aquarium of the microflora.

Take the time for a regular proper care of the aquarium, then its inhabitants will delight you for years to come.