Tank Cleaning Tools
- A dirty tank can endanger the health of your fish.aquarium fish 8 image by cherie from Fotolia.com
Fish tanks--also known as aquariums--need proper care and cleaning to keep functioning properly. A dirty tank will breed bacteria that can cause potential harm to the fish. Certain specialized tools are required to keep your tank clean. These tools are available at pet and department stores, and are relatively inexpensive. - This tank-cleaning tool may be the most important weapon in your cleaning arsenal. The purpose of the gravel cleaner (or siphon cleaner) is to remove the fish waste and old food that has settled at the bottom of the tank. If you do not clean the waste out of the tank, the water will begin to smell and bacteria will grow, which could cause health problems in your fish. The gravel cleaner has a long tube attached to it with an open end. The open end of the tube is placed inside an empty bucket, into which the dirty water will siphon.
- Algae are a common problem in many fish tanks. Algae will grow on the inside walls of the tank, quickly making your aquarium look dirty and dingy. Use a glass scraper in the same manner as a squeegee to scrape hard-to-remove algae from the fish tank. Glass scrapers have either metal or plastic blades. Metal blades work best on glass, while the plastic blades work well on acrylic tanks. The glass scraper is attached to a long handle to make cleaning easier.
- The brush kit contains a variety of different sizes and widths of brushes. Use these brushes to clean various areas of the tank's filtration system. Over time, the filter box and impeller wells will develop a buildup of dirt, debris and slime that you must remove. Using the brush kit allows you to get into those hard-to-reach areas that a cloth cannot.
- If the outside glass is dingy, dirty and full of fingerprints, it doesn't matter how good the inside of the tank looks. Use a glass cleaner approved for fish tanks and apply it to a soft cloth. Start at the top corner of the tank and wipe across towards the other corner while moving downwards. Once the front glass is cleaned, move onto each side and--if you do not have a fish aquarium background picture on the outside of the tank--finish with cleaning the back.
