STOP Cleaning Your Aquarium Like This — 5 Japanese Habits That Keep Fish Alive, by Isamu Yoshida on YouTube. 14 min 9 s.
- Video length
- 14 min 9 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Unplug the heater and filter before you put your hands in the water. Take the lid off and set it somewhere safe.
Fill a bucket with a few litres of water from the tank. Use this water for all rinsing, never tap water straight from the tap.
Lift out decorations one at a time and scrub each with a soft brush in the bucket water. Work gently to lift loose algae and debris.
Leave the algae on the back glass and on one or two surfaces. Fish graze on it and it helps keep the tank settled.
Clean the parts nobody thinks about: the filter intake strainer, spray bar, heater guard, the gap behind the background and the lid rim.
Rinse filter media only in the old tank water you removed. Squeeze the brown sponge gently instead of scrubbing it white.
Run the flow test by watching the filter outlet. If the flow has clearly dropped, the media needs a rinse.
Put the decorations back, refill with dechlorinated water at a similar temperature, then plug the heater and filter back in.
Tips and common mistakes
Spend one minute a day looking at fins and behaviour, because problems show up there before the water looks dirty.
Never use soap, detergent or bleach on decorations, since residue left behind can kill fish.
Clean only part of the filter at a time so the bacteria colony can recover between cleanings.
Questions
How often should I clean aquarium decorations?
Only when they look clogged with algae or debris, which is usually every few weeks to a couple of months. Scrubbing everything on a strict schedule does more harm than good.
Can I rinse my filter sponge under the tap?
No. Tap water chlorine kills the bacteria that keep your fish alive. Rinse it in old tank water you have just removed.
Should I scrub all the algae off the glass?
No. Clean the front glass so you can see the fish and leave some growth on the back and sides.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
