How to Clean Aquarium Gravel

Every aquarium needs to be regularly cleaned so your fish will stay healthy and happy. Cleaning the gravel of the aquarium is an important step in this process. When it is time to clean the gravel, you should follow proper procedures for removing your fish and cleaning the gravel so that helpful bacteria will not be killed off. Learn how to clean your aquarium gravel and replace the fish in the tank. The entire project can be accomplished in about two hours.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 2 buckets
• Air stones
• Air pump
• Water hose

1. Remove the fish from the tank. Make sure you have a bucket filled with half water from the tank and half new water to put the fish in. Put air stones and an air pump in the bucket so the fish can breathe.

2. Unplug the aquarium and drain the water. Use this opportunity to clean the entire aquarium.

3. Scoop out about 2 cups of gravel and set aside. This gravel will go back into the aquarium after you have finished cleaning. According to Renton.com, washing the gravel will kill helpful bacteria and saving these 2 cups of gravel will allow the bacteria population to begin growing again after you've cleaned the tank.

4. Place the rest of the gravel into a large bucket, or divide it between two buckets if needed. Use a water hose to spray the gravel off. Swirl it around in the bucket while spraying with water. Continue to rinse and drain the water until the water runs clear.

5. Plug the equipment in the tank back up and replace the gravel and water. According to Renton.com, you should scoop out about half of the water from the bucket of fish and replace it with the same amount of water from the fish tank. Allow the fish 15 to 20 minutes to adjust to the new water before placing the fish back in the aquarium.

References

• Clean Aquarium Gravel