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. Algae eater fish can help, but they will not do all the work.
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.
Cleaning Aquarium Glass
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.
- Use warm water to wet a soft cloth or paper towels
- Newspaper works wonderfully to clean the glass
- You should not use spray cleaner, such as Windex, anywhere near the tanks, as the airborne spray can get in the water
- For hard water crystals, soak with a cloth using warm water to dissolve
- When cleaning acrylic use a cleaner specifically for it, as anything ammonia-based will ruin it
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.
3 Simple Ways to Keep Your Aquarium Glass Clean
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.
1. Simple Sponge Method
- Purchase a foam kitchen sponge; make sure that it doesn’t have added cleaner to it
- Remove tank cover
- Reaching in gently with your hand, slide the sponge up and down the side to clean away the algae
- Avoid overfilling tank or rapid arm movements or water will spill over the top
- Do not wash the sponge out with soap and reuse
2. Magnet Method
- Purchase a magnet cleaning set for your tank. The Mag Float cleaner (for medium tanks are a very effective choice.
- Remove tank cover
- Place the half of the magnet set with the cleaning pad on the inside of the tank, with the cleaning pad facing the glass.
- Place the second magnet on the outside of the glass facing the inside magnet. The two magnets should hold the two pieces together.
- Gently slide the outside magnet up and down to guide the inside cleaning pad along the inside of the glass.
- Slide magnets over the glass until all of the algae is removed.
- Replace the cleaning pad for each cleaning.
3. Algae Scraper
- Purchase an algae scraper tool, such as the TOM Aquarium Algae Scraper, which comes with multiple attachments for cleaning.
- Remove tank cover
- Select the scraper attachment you would like to use
- For tougher algae, you can use the pronged scraper
- Slide the scraper up and down the sides to remove all algae
- Avoid rapid motions, as water will slosh out over the top
- Rinse the scraper and attachments in warm water for re-use
- Never clean with detergents or put in the dishwasher
Finishing Up
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.
