How to Clean a Glass Fish Tank

Cleaning a glass fish tank is not as easy as you might think. If you do it the wrong way you risk killing off all of your fish. Using soap to clean the tank, for example, is the wrong way to clean a tank. Soap residue is hard to completely rinse off and it kills fish.

Things You'll Need

  • Large container Algea scrubber Bowl Fish net Bleach Toothbrush Filter brush Gravel cleaner Washcloth Paper towel Windex
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Instructions

    • 1

      Fill a clean container designated only for your fish tank with tap water. Let it sit out for twenty four hours before you plan on cleaning your tank. If you don't do this, the chlorine in your tap water can kill your fish.

    • 2

      Scoop some water out of your fish tank and in to a bowl. Make sure it is enough to accommodate your fish while you are cleaning out the tank. Then use your fish net to catch your fish and put them in the bowl.

    • 3

      Start scraping the algae off of the inside of your fish tank with an algae scraper.

    • 4

      Take out your rocks, fake plants and tank decorations to be cleaned. Place them in a bucket of 10% bleach and 90% water. Scrub them with a toothbrush if they are really dirty, otherwise let them sit in the solution for fifteen minutes. Rinse them thoroughly with water before placing them back in the tank.

    • 5

      Unplug the filter and take off the tubing. You can clean the tubing with a filter brush. Filter brushes are sold at pet stores with the fish supplies. Just use plain water and the filter brush to get it clean. Then re-attach it to the filter.

    • 6

      Take out half of the fish tank's current water. Before replacing it with the water you prepared the day before you need to clean the gravel. You can do this by using a gravel cleaner. It will vacuum out all the particles between the gravel bits.

    • 7

      Replace the water and the return the decorations and rocks to their places.

    • 8

      Turn the filter back on and wait twenty four hours before returning the fish to their tank.

    • 9

      Wipe down the lid to the fish tank with a wet washcloth.

    • 10

      Spray some Windex on your paper towel and then wipe the outside of the glass (never the inside).