How to Clean an Aquarium Hood

Cleaning an aquarium is a very important task, both to maintain the health of the fish as well as to maintain the pleasant appearance of the tank. Aquarium tanks should be cleaned every two weeks when they are less than three months old and only once a month after that. When cleaning the aquarium tank, it is important to clean the hood as well as change the water in the tank.

Things You'll Need

  • Sink
  • Water
  • Cloth
  • Algae scrubber
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Unplug all of the aquarium electrical components from the electrical outlet.

    • 2

      Grasp the light ballast, which sits on top of the aquarium and lift it straight off. Set the light aside.

    • 3

      Grasp both ends of the aquarium hood and lift it straight up off of the tank. Slowly turn the hood upside down to prevent the condensed water from dripping off onto the floor.

    • 4

      Place the aquarium hood into a sink or tub.

    • 5

      Use a wet cloth to wipe the top and bottom of the aquarium hood. An algae scrubber can be used if the cloth does not remove all of the algae. Continue wiping the hood until no slime or algae is seen.

    • 6

      Rinse the hood in plain tap water under a running faucet.

    • 7

      Dry the aquarium hood with a clean, dry cloth and set aside.

    • 8

      Clean the remainder of the aquarium and then reinsert the aquarium hood back onto the top of the tank.