Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning
• Things You Need

You should change the aquarium water at least once a week if you cannot change it regularly. Frequent washing of the aquarium has two purposes. Firstly, it will wash off the bad smell from the aquarium. Second, it will keep your fish healthy. If you see the aquarium glass starting to fade, then it's time to replace the dirty water with clean water.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Transferring fish

1. 

   Find a storage tank. Fish will need to be added to the tank temporarily while you wash and replace new water in their current tank. So look for an aquarium of the right size, a bucket or a pot that will serve as a temporary aquarium.
   • Use a tank or basin that has not been washed with soap, as leftover soap can harm the fish.

2. 

   
   
   "Water treatment. You will need to treat the water that will be used in the tank temporarily to balance the temperature and pH. Leave overnight after filling the tank temporarily and wait for the chlorine concentration in the water to neutralize.
   • If you do not wait for the water to treat overnight, be very smart about treating it with chlorine bleach. These products neutralize chlorine concentrations found in most municipal and urban water supplies.
   • Make sure the water in the temporary tank is at the same temperature as the water in the current tank. You may want to put the lid on top of the tank to prevent the fish from jumping out.

3. 

   
   
   Avoid direct sunlight. Do not place the tank temporarily in a window or under strong light, as the heat from these places can raise the water temperature, silently harm the fish. Also, make sure to place the tank temporarily in a place where children and pets cannot disturb the fish.

4. 

   
   
   Fish transfer. Remove fish from the tank with a racket and place them in a temporary tank with clean water. Use a large tub as a temporary tank so the fish has enough space to swim.
   • When using a racket to transfer fish from one tank to another, make sure the two tanks are close together. This will limit the amount of time the fish is not in the water, thereby reducing the stress level in the fish.
   • Alternatively, you can use a small clean tank to transfer fish. Make sure the tank doesn't stick or have any soapy residue, and choose a round, round tank. When you do this, simply immerse the small tank in the large tank and wait for the fish to swim inside. Be patient and don't chase fish around its tank. This can be stressful for the fish.

5. 

   Follow the fish. While cleaning the tank, make sure you keep an eye on the fish in the tank temporarily. Look for changes in their behavior, color, and activity level. The following signs will indicate that the water in the tank is temporarily too warm.
   • Overreaction.
   • Change of color in fish
   • “Gasp” the water (although some fish, like labyrinths, breathe this way)
   • If the water is too cold, your fish will have the following signs:
   • Inactive
   • Lie on the bottom of the tank
   • Discoloration
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Part 2 of 3: Cleaning the current aquarium

1. 

   Discard dirty water. Pour old water out of current tank. Use a racket, sieve or filter to keep solid objects from falling out of the tank and sinking into the drain hose. You can also pour dirty water into your garden or pot.

2. 

   Wash the decorations. Brush off gravel and aquarium decorations with warm water with a little salt. For best results, add gravel and trinkets to the sieve and scrub away with hot water in the tub. When done, set them aside and let dry.

3. 

   Clean the tank. Clean the tank with warm water and a little salt. Avoid using soap and detergent as they can leave chemical residue inside the tank. Then rinse the tank with warm water.
   • If you see a significant build-up of lime in the aquarium, scrub it off with vinegar, then rinse off the vinegar with warm water.

4. 

   Let the tank dry. After washing and rinsing the tank, let the tank dry for about 20 to 30 minutes. This will allow the glass surface in the tank to dry after being in contact with the warm water used for scouring. Waiting a while for the tank to return to room temperature will help ensure the tank is at the ideal temperature once the fish returns. advertisement

Part 3 of 3: Filling the aquarium

1. 

   Return hard objects to the tank. Add gravel and decorations to the cleaned aquarium before adding clean water to the tank. Make sure everything is arranged the same way as before so that the fish will not be uncomfortable when changing their environment.

2. 

   Fill the tank with clean, treated water. Fill the tank with treated room temperature water or leave overnight to obtain room temperature. If you use chlorinated agents, be careful not to spill them, as it can leave chemical odors on carpets or furniture.
   • Again, you may want to use chlorine instead of waiting overnight for the chlorine to neutralize. If so, make sure the water is at the same temperature before returning the fish to the tank.
   • Make sure you cover the tank or keep out of reach of pets or children. This will prevent the water from getting dirty while it is being processed.

3. 

   Fish movement. Scoop the fish out of the tank temporarily using a racket or small bowl. Try to move the fish as quickly as possible to avoid stressing the fish.Also, be careful not to drop the fish or let them jump out, as they could be seriously injured if this happens.

4. 

   Return the fish to the original tank. Return the fish to a tank that has been filled with clean water. Gently lower the fish into the water using a racket or bowl. Do not drop the fish straight into the tank.

5. 

   Follow the fish. Fish are most likely to become stressed and develop environmental and temperature related illnesses during and immediately after washing their tank. So always keep an eye on the fish after re-entry to make sure they are acclimating well to a clean environment. advertisement

Advice

• Treating the water in the aquarium will help the fish habitat to be cleaner and you will need less water changes. Discuss your water treatment with an expert or someone who works at your local pet store.
• Make sure you don't buy too many fish or choose fish that are too large for the tank.
• If you don't like water treatment, use bottled spring water instead.
• Never change the water 100%. It will remove beneficial bacteria and possibly shock the fish when placed in the tank. Your fish may also be shocked by the change in water temperature.
• It is better not to keep the fish in a small tank. They are too small to fit the filter and the heater. Siamese fighting fish and goldfish both need large tanks and filters, especially goldfish. Goldfish grow very fast!

Warning

• Make sure the water in your temporary and current tank is dechlorinated and at room temperature before transferring fish to either tank.
• If you use chlorinated drugs, follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully to protect your fish.

Things You Need

• Aquarium
• Pebbles
• Temporary tank for fish while you change water
• Small eye sieve (optional)
• Chlorine (optional)