How to Clean Dirty Fish Tank

Most anyone keeping Betta or tropical fish will love to have crystal clear water that shows off the beauty of the shimmering colors so many fish display. Unfortunately, many times when a fish tank becomes too small to hold all the fish, a new one is installed. The old tank does not get cleaned as well as it should, and before long the dirty fish tank is forgotten in the back of the garage. It may one day be needed again, so follow these simple steps to learn how to clean a dirty fish tank efficiently and without spending a lot of money.

Things You'll Need

  • Water
  • 2 buckets
  • Algae pad
  • Household bleach
  • Measuring cup
  • Paper towels
  • Lime remover specifically designated for the use in aquariums
  • Glass cleaner specifically designated for the use in aquariums
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Instructions

  1. Cleaning a Dirty Fish Tank

    • 1

      Fill one bucket with clean water.

    • 2

      Use some of the clean water in the bucket and pour it into the dirty fish tank. Slosh it around in the tank and then dump out the tank, letting the water remove as much of the loose debris as possible.

    • 3

      Pick up the algae pad and work on the inside of the glass. Use clean water from the bucket to periodically pour some into the dirty fish tank, slosh it around, and then remove the loosened debris and algae. Repeat this step as often as needed to clean the inside of the tank.

    • 4

      Decorations, artificial plants and other items you might have placed inside the fish tank may also have suffered from neglect. Since the algae pad will not work on them, rinse them under clean water until loose debris is removed.

    • 5

      Place the decorations and artificial plants into the second bucket. Mix bleach and water in the measuring cup so that you will have a 10 percent bleach-to-water solution and pour it into the second bucket. Let the decorations and artificial plants soak for about 30 minutes.

    • 6

      Use paper towels to dry the inside of the aquarium. Take a close look at the corners toward the top and also the underside of the aquarium hood. If you see white or yellow buildup, you are most likely dealing with lime.

    • 7

      Take the lime remover specifically designated for use in aquariums and follow the directions on the container. Work with the substance until the lime buildup has been effectively removed. Rinse the tank often, using the clean water from the first bucket.

    • 8

      Rinse the hood as often as needed to do away with the lime remover.

    • 9

      Remove the decorations, rocks and artificial plants from their soak in the second bucket, and rinse them under clear running water. Most of the debris should come off with little scrubbing. For the more stubborn pieces, use the algae pad from Step 3.

    • 10

      Set out the decorations to air dry.

    • 11

      Clean the outside of the aquarium with glass cleaner specifically designated for use on aquariums. Repeat as often as needed to get a crystal clear look to the enclosure.

    • 12

      When the tank looks like it is clean, repeatedly rinse it with clean water from the first bucket. Let the tank air dry. When all components are dry, your tank will be ready to once again contain water, and eventually, beautiful fish.