Owning an aquarium is a very relaxing and enjoyable hobby. It can provide endless hours of enjoyment to watch. That is until the aquarium glass begins to get dirty. Taking the time to clean aquarium glass can be a pain to endure. Many people avoid owning aquariums because they don’t want the hassle of cleaning it. They imagine hours of work to keep the tank clean and healthy. However, it does not need to be a difficult chore. There are ways to clean aquarium glass that will have you enjoying your aquarium again in no time. ContentsCleaning Aquarium Glass3 Simple Ways to Keep Your Aquarium Glass Clean1. There are two sides to cleaning your aquarium – the outside glass and the inside glass. Obviously you would clean each very differently. Let’s take a quick look at how to clean the aquarium glass on the outside first. Cleaning the inside of the glass can be just as simple. When you notice the algae building up on the inside of the tank, it is important to get in there and clean it off so that you can continue to enjoy the view of your aquarium.

This video can give you more tips on cleaning the outside of your aquarium, as well as mentions cleaning the inside. Cleaning the inside of your tank does not have to be difficult either. There are three simple methods for cleaning the inside that will have you looking at a clean tank in no time. The three methods we are going to look at are the simple sponge method, a magnet cleaner, and an algae scraper. You can choose which method you want to use. To see this method in action, you can watch the following video showing the sponge method being used to clean aquarium glass. Whether you decide to get in deep with a sponge, stay dry with a magnet cleaner, or stick in a scraper, all three methods are easy and effective. The worry of how to clean aquarium glass should not keep someone from owning a beautiful fish tank. With a little time and the right tools, any tank can be sparkling clean and a joy to look at.cookelma/iStock/Getty Images Whether you own a freshwater or saltwater aquarium, maintenance is required to keep the water clean and clear.

Saltwater aquariums need more work, though, and more consistent efforts. Clear water doesn't just look good, it's one sign your fish live in a healthy environment. While it may be tempting to purchase water clarifiers, they only treat the symptoms and don't address the cause of your cloudy, murky or dirty tank water. Feeding Overfeeding pet fish leads to cloudy tank water. Uneaten food dirties the substrate, floats around and breaks up in the water and slows or clogs the tank filters, leading to a less clean environment. Ask your fish supplier for advice about how much and how often you should feed your fish. Most types do fine with a once-daily feeding. Add fish food in a bit at a time and watch your fish eat until you have a good sense of how much to provide at once; when your fish start spitting food out, they've had enough. Use your net to remove leftovers, rather than let them sit in the water. Water Changes Regular partial water changes promote clean tanks and clear aquarium water.

Major changes to the aquatic environment are highly stressful to fish, and even potentially fatal to more sensitive species. For this reason, you can't just get rid of all the old water -- no matter how cloudy it may be -- and replace it with clean water at once. Change 10 percent of the water at a time every two weeks. freshwater aquarium fish buy onlineHave new water standing by at the same temperature as your aquarium water, and mixed to the appropriate gravity if you have a saltwater tank. where can i buy a fish tank on creditFor safety, turn off any parts and power to the tank. cfcb school cancellationsSiphon out about 1/10 of the water and replace it with the new, clean and clear water. best size fish tank for oscars

Maintenance Routine maintenance helps keep your tank clean, your water clear and your tank parts functioning at peak performance. Check often to ensure all the filters, lights, heaters, protein skimmers and other tank components are securely plugged in, leak-free and working well. fish tank games freeFollow the care guidelines in the instruction manuals for the components. fish tank store brisbaneClean filters, protein skimmers and all their various small parts as recommended. Perform regular water tests to ensure proper pH, saline, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite and carbonate levels. Cleaning Clean your tank regularly to keep it and its water clean and clear. Use a net daily to remove any debris floating in the water. An algae magnet works well to remove algae accumulation on the tank glass and on internal tank decorations.

Use one often to stay on top of buildup. Wipe away visible salt creep every day or two if you have a marine aquarium. Salt creep is the name given to the crusty accumulation left behind when salt water gets on surfaces. Removing it proactively from glass, filters and other aquarium components prevents it from getting out of hand and significantly dirtying your tank and even inhibiting filter performance and protein skimmer performance. Use glass cleaner on the tank exterior to remove smudges and marks that make your tank water look cloudier. : Aquarium Maintenance TipsAnimal Planet: How to Know When to Feed a Fish Photo Credits cookelma/iStock/Getty Images See More Animals What Happens When Fish Lay Bubbles on the Top of the Water? Goldfish Gender Identification What Does It Mean When a Goat Paws the Ground? How to Tell if a Goldfish Is Getting Enough OxygenPlease call our toll free number to discuss ordering. 7:30 am - 10:00 pm CST Mon-Fri 8:00 am - 8:00 pm CST Sat-SunDOG CAT Converting A Freshwater Fish Tank To A Saltwater Fish TankIs it difficult to convert a freshwater fish tank to saltwater?

Q. I have a 72-gallon bowfront fish aquarium with a mixed community of freshwater fish. My daughter loves the color and vibrant nature of saltwater fish and I am thinking of converting over. Is it difficult to convert a freshwater fish aquarium to saltwater? Can I just remove the fish and add a sea salt mix to my existing water?A. It is far more difficult to convert a freshwater fish aquarium to saltwater than using the method you described in your question. It certainly would make for an easier conversion if this was possible. To properly change a freshwater fish aquarium to saltwater, it takes more than just a quick removal of fish and additive of a sea salt mix. To properly convert your freshwater fish aquarium I would recommend taking all the fish, substrate and decorations out of the fish aquarium and replacing all your biological and chemical filtration media.The truth is, saltwater aquarium fish have far different pH and water quality requirements than their freshwater cousins.

I would guess when you kept freshwater fish you didn’t pay much attention to water parameters such as calcium and alkalinity; though in the saltwater world these play an important role, even in fish-only systems. Saltwater fish live in very stable conditions naturally. Because most of the fish that we keep in our saltwater aquariums are captured from the wild, we must be willing to replicate these conditions in captivity. This means providing the aquarium with substrate that can buffer water pH, alkalinity and calcium in a manner that produces minor fluctuations. On the saltwater side of the hobby we use aragonite sand, crushed coral and live rock to achieve this. These substrates (in the case of the sand and crushed coral), are very dusty, though this dust helps the water buffer to create the right parameters. Most freshwater substrates are chemically inert therefore they don’t provide any buffering capabilities. So at the least you would need to replace your aquarium gravel with either crushed coral or aragonite sand.

The next problem would be bacteria die-off. Your aquarium gravel, water, and even the aquarium walls are coated with beneficial bacteria’s bio-film. Once the aquarium’s water went from fresh to salt the freshwater bacteria could no longer survive and would die-off. While you usually have a cycle when starting a new aquarium, the mass die-off of tons of colonies of freshwater bacteria would quickly cause uncontrollable ammonia and nitrite spikes beyond that of a traditional nitrogen cycle. Removing the aquarium gravel, draining and cleaning the aquarium, and allowing the aquarium to dry would prevent this process.The next area of concern is your aquarium’s filtration. A saltwater aquarium requires far different filtration than freshwater systems. Many aquarists are successful with just live rock and what is called a protein skimmer. Protein skimmers utilize powerful pumps and inject air to create a foam/froth that traps certain ionic particles (algae cells and waste) to create cleaner water.

In order to have a successful saltwater aquarium you must employ a protein skimmer. You could consider having only a skimmer and live rock as your filtration though some power filtration (especially something that employs a chemical medium like carbon) would be advisable. My recommendation, and I realize this incurs perhaps unforeseen expenses, would be to purchase all new power filtration for this aquarium. Saltwater aquariums require far more vigorous water movement than freshwater systems and therefore a high output power filter could be of value in helping create the water movement needed.One thing to consider is whether or not you want your marine aquarium to be a fish-only system or reef aquarium. Many aquarium writers recommend people not start with reef aquariums though I feel it is possible for beginners in the hobby to be successful, even with advanced systems. The key to success with any marine system is to first research what you intend to do, then implement the best system you can, and follow a strict and applicable maintenance schedule.