Cleaning and Maintaining a Saltwater Aquarium

In order to keep saltwater fish tanks healthy, clean and attractive, the owner must be committed to doing the work that’s required. Aquariums come in a variety of sizes and styles, and the simpler your setup, the easier it will be to maintain. Videos available on the Internet instruct their viewers on the proper cleaning and maintenance techniques for a saltwater tank. The main issues are algae growing on the glass and food particles and other debris that settles into the gravel or sand (the substrate) at the bottom of the tank. The aquarium’s filters must also be cleaned on a regular basis.

Before beginning, gather everything you’ll need to finish the job. For example, if you intend to remove your fish from the tank while you’re cleaning it, you’ll need a smaller temporary aquarium or a large pail to place them in. Normally you won’t need to do this unless your aquarium is contaminated or extremely dirty. If you do remove your fish, most people recommend that you remove as much as 25% of the tank’s water to reduce the amount of contaminants. You can use some of this removed water in the alternate container you place your fish in while you’re cleaning.

Turn off the aquarium’s heater and let it cool before taking it out. This step will help you avoid breakage due to a sudden change in temperature. You’ll only need to do this if your heater has become dirty and cleaning it will help it run more efficiently. You can clean the inside of the glass in a couple of ways. A sponge with a long handle will work, but if the algae are bad, you can use a scraper if you’re careful not to scratch the glass. Use a siphon to remove debris and food particles from the substrate. Manual siphons and siphons with pumps attached can be purchased at the aquarium store. If you’re a newbie, ask an employee to explain how to use the one you buy. Once you start up the siphon, push the large tube into the substrate and give it a slight wiggle. This technique will stir up the debris, which will then be sucked up through the siphon and into the container you’re using to hold the dirty water. Be careful not to siphon up any of the creatures living in your tank.

Continue moving the siphon around the bottom of the tank by lifting and re-inserting into various locations until the majority of gravel is cleaned. In smaller aquariums, move the rocks or decorations for better access to the gravel then replace to former location once that area is cleaned. This is a good time to do any rearranging that might be needed. Be careful not to disturb the roots of plants if at all possible.

Once the tank is cleaned, the next step is to clean the filters. Take out the foam pads and clean with unchlorinated water and replace. The removal up to 25% of the tanks water is a fast and efficient way to reduce the contaminants in the aquarium. When refilling the salt water tank, make sure the fresh water is unchlorinated, is approximately the same temperature as the existing aquarium water and has the appropriate salt content. Mix the salt thoroughly and use a tester to make sure the salt density measures 1.025. Add this warm mixture to the aquarium slowly so that the environment is not disturbed and that none of the fish get stressed.

Maintaining a saltwater aquarium should only take 60 to 90 minutes every week or two. Watch your fish closely for sluggishness or signs of disease, and separate any unhealthy fish as quickly as possible to try to prevent the remaining fish from falling ill. Brushing the tank’s glass and filter will reduce the number of times a major cleaning will be necessary. If you find a lot of uneaten food on the bottom of your aquarium, reduce the amount of food you give to your fish. They don’t eat a lot, but they do prefer smaller but more frequent feedings. Larger, more diverse salt water setups like reef aquariums need highly advanced filtration systems. You might need to hire a professional to do a major cleaning if you have one of these systems. Maintain your tank on a regular basis and you’ll keep your fish healthy, colorful and enjoyable to watch.

About the author:
April Levine is an aquarist with years of experience in keeping tropical fish. She maintains many fish tanks full of the rarest tropical fish in the world.