How Do You Keep Fish Tank Water Crystal Clear

I love having aquariums and I enjoy giving tips on how to maintain them.

If you choose to go with live plants, you will find that over a year or two, your aquarium will reach a steady state of being, ecologically. — If you choose to become with alive plants, you will find that over a year or two, your aquarium volition reach a steady land of being, ecologically.

Keep Fish Tank Water Crystal Clear

I often get questions near how to keep a fish tank clearer for a longer period of time. Let's face it: H2o changes tin can exist boring, messy, and time-consuming. Caring for my own aquariums, I accept gone from the dip-the-loving cup method to the siphon-into-the-bucket method to the Python hose method, which connects directly to a faucet or spigot to drain, siphon, and fill up. In my opinion, the latter is the least time-consuming and messy. Only wouldn't it be great to become two to three months in between water changes (instead of ane calendar month) without harming the fish and livestock in your aquarium?

This isn't like shooting fish in a barrel—at get-go. Your aquarium must exist prepared for the change. All of these elements play a part in the cleanliness of your aquarium:

Filtration
Decorations
Fish residents

If you do your inquiry and follow the full general guidelines here, y'all will exist able to help your aquarium reach a steady country of being, giving you lot an ecosystem that can survive with minimal maintenance.

All types of filters—submersible, hang-on, and external—are great choices. Pick one that is easy to use and that will be most practical for your aquarium. — All types of filters—submersible, hang-on, and external—are great choices. Pick one that is piece of cake to use and that will exist most practical for your aquarium.

ane. Filtration

Here is what y'all need to proceed in mind about filtration.

Considerations When Choosing a Filter

First, allow'southward talk about the filtration system in your aquarium. 3 main factors need to work together to go along an aquarium clean:

Chemical: Carbon, charcoal, and zeolite can convert toxins in the water chemistry.
Mechanical: Cotton wool or cream cartridges that physically remove droppings from the water.
Biological: Nitrate-forming and nitrite-forming leaner are produced past fish waste material, and a good rest of both is vital to a healthy aquarium.

When choosing a filter, in that location are many different types of filters to choose from:

Submersible
Hang-on
External

All are great choices. Pick ane that is piece of cake to apply and that will be most practical for your aquascape surroundings.

Information technology is platonic to cull a filter at to the lowest degree one size bigger than the tank'due south capacity. For instance: If you accept a 55-gallon aquarium, you would need a filter for a lx–75-gallon aquarium, and preferably with a substantial carbon media and bacteria bed.

Installing Your New Filter

The mechanical part of the filter can be changed at any time, but the chemical and biological filters need a break-in period so they can perform as expected. When y'all get ready to upgrade your filter, you want to put the new filter on your aquarium for at least three weeks with the old i notwithstanding in identify. This gives the new filter time to build its own bacteria bed and the charcoal and carbon fourth dimension to activate.

You likewise need to make sure your chemicals are adjusted accordingly, meaning your nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia levels need to exist stable. In that location are inexpensive tests available to perform this test. If the levels are out of remainder, I use Stress Glaze (a chlorine reducer) and Stress Zyme (a bacteria booster to aid the process along), only only time can ensure stability for your aquarium. Once you are sure your water is rubber, you can remove the quondam filter.

Curlicue to Continue

ii. Decorations and Environs

If your aquarium gets dirty very quickly and is difficult to clean, the type of décor yous have in your tank might be calculation to the trouble. Some types of décor need more frequent care than others. Plastic plants, rocks, and other knick-knacks volition need to exist cleaned periodically, while river rocks and live plants don't need to be cleaned as oftentimes.

Also, consider whether your choice of décor is appropriate for your fish. Practice your décor items contribute anything of value to your fish or are they purely aesthetic? I prefer natural environments and accept live plants in all of my aquariums (nine total, currently). Here are some advantages to a natural aquascape:

Plants help your water quality in more than ways than you think. The plants help convert the nitrites into nitrates. Some fish, similar guppies, Affections Fish, and Discus, for case, need to exist in an environs with live plants and a steady catamenia of h2o.

Angel fish like this one thrive in flowing, planted environments. — Affections fish like this 1 thrive in flowing, planted environments.

The carbon dioxide emitted from fish waste is plant nutrient for the plants, just like humans breathing carbon dioxide into the air aids photosynthesis by copse and plants on the earth. Angelfish, for example, like the long flowing leaves of certain plants and practice not eat them. This helps keep the water to stay cleaner longer.
Some fish crave a rocky mesa, while others prefer a sandy bottom or a planted ecosystem.
African cichlids demand many hiding places, and the more rocks you have, the improve the cichlids will get forth. Information technology is not usual to accept live plants in a cichlid aquarium, only many other fish do enjoy munching downward on fresh plant life, and then do your research on what fish likes to eat what nutrition. I have plants in my African cichlid aquarium, only I planted the beast long earlier I added the fish. If plants take time to root and go settled, fish aren't as likely to dig them up or swallow them.
South American cichlids, however, adopt a mangrove-type surround for proper spawning areas and protection.

Aquariums with decorations like castles require more frequent cleaning than those with rocks. — Aquariums with decorations like castles crave more frequent cleaning than those with rocks.

If you are adamant about keeping plastic plants and decorations in the tank, you volition need to make clean the algae build up off as it becomes necessary. Make clean buckets and fresh hot h2o and a scrub brush designated solely for cleaning tin rid the décor of unsightly algae. With live plants, you lot will observe fewer algae in the tank, though.

3. The Right Type of Fish for Your Aquarium

There are many species of fish to choose from.

Common cold water varieties like goldfish, carp, and koi.
Tropical species include African cichlids (three different lakes in Africa give us a beautiful selection and come closest to providing the colors that saltwater fish practise).
Due south American cichlids come in an array of sizes and have an irised however svelte brandish.
Tetras come from different regions of the world and are like shooting fish in a barrel to mingle together.
Gouramis, mollies, platies, guppies, barbs, sharks and catfish are among the numerous varieties of community fish (with different levels of aggression).

Rule of Thumb

The rule of thumb is to have one individual fish per 1 gallon of water for a good for you size ratio in your tank. I personally like to have more than fish and a bigger filter. Then, I can unremarkably become away with having one fish per gallon. It'south important to stock the aquarium safely for the fish and appropriately for the species y'all may take.

Some fish like to swim in alkaline water, and some prefer a softer h2o environment. Examination your tank's pH levels for sensitive fish such as neon tetras, angelfish, and discus.
Tropical or freshwater fish live and swallow in various areas of the world and different levels of water depth. Brand sure your fish are uniform with each other, or you will accept carnage and dead fish clouding up the water.
African and South American cichlids require different aquarium décor and have different water needs than guppies, mollies, or tetras. They are much more than aggressive than goldfish and gouramis.

A variety of foods helps maintain your fishes' color, growth, and overall health.

4. Feeding Your Fish for a Clean Tank

How y'all feed your fish also plays a role in how easy is information technology to go on your aquarium clean. Dissimilar fish have dissimilar diets: some eat other fish, some eat veggie diets, and in that location is a broad variety of flakes and pellets to go on your fish from starving to death.

Providing your fish with a variety of foods helps maintain their color, growth, and overall health. Remember: The more y'all feed them, the more than they poop. Only feed them what they can consume in two minutes, and there will be less waste. This volition reduce the amount of ammonia in the h2o. Ammonia turns h2o a murky yellowish-brown color.

End Result: A Steady Country of Being

If you lot are like me, in one case yous take your tank filter, decorations, fish population, and feeding routine just the way y'all like it, y'all will rearrange your aquarium several times earlier being satisfied with the way it looks. Attempt not to stress your fish by moving them for two to three months, and you will find your aquarium stays cleaner longer.

If y'all choose to become with live plants, you lot will detect that over a year or 2, your aquarium will accomplish a steady state (this should be every enthusiasts' goal!). A steady land means that the chemistry of the water in your aquarium is changing slowly if at all. Remember of it this way: If your electricity failed and you could not employ the filter in your aquarium for a yr, the counterbalanced combination of plants and fish would filter the water on its own. The only cleaning yous would accept to exercise would be to clean the algae off the sides of the drinking glass and modify the water 4 times a twelvemonth.

I hope y'all have institute this helpful and time-saving and so you have more fourth dimension to relish your aquarium instead of maintaining information technology. Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Bantu on March 27, 2020:

My gold fish tank very cloudy at all time how maintain water clearity

FishLover on May 28, 2019:

This information is completely incorrect for goldfish. A mutual or comet goldfish (unmarried tail) requires a bare minimum of 40 gallons and so 20 gallons for each additional goldfish. Fancy goldfish (bigger tail) crave 20 gallons per fish and 10 gallons for each boosted fish. Koi fish are non aquarium fish, they are pond fish. Eatables and comets should be in a pond as adults... people are so misinformed about these fish.

Annie Mc on Jan 24, 2019:

I have 55 gallons tanks 6 koi goldfish ,4 algea eater ,10 minor goldfish ,I take two big filter clearer with 2 filter in each of them merely i have to clean my tank every two calendar week wash my filter every two days. I have twenty gallons tank it has 2 small catfish 3 black papa heart 2 mixer color 2 gold papa eye 2 algea eater .I two filter clearer. I take two much money tied up in it with the goldfish I wish i know what i know now when i purchased my fish .please help me. i hear that goldfish is hard to go along make clean.

Debra on November 08, 2018:

I have a 125 gallon fish tank and a 46 gallon fish tank the 125 gallon is the i i have the problem with keeping the water articulate I have nearly 25 fish in that tank they are big Koi and goldfish I accept two inside filter 2 sterlizer and a canister why can't my water stay clear former it will exist clear and sometime it's non i need some advice delight help me

sue on June 24, 2018:

how many time exercise feed goldfish

Andy wilky on April 09, 2018:

I have just got my fish tank only starting I have put blackness widows and neons and a infant gupie i of my widows is ever almost the filter what tin ido to assist

Sclsunaz on February 24, 2018:

Well thank you for all the answers to the question I posted 3 months agone. I bought a uv light and trouble solved.

Debbie on February 16, 2018:

I accept a 125 gallon fish tank my water is not clear i just got this tank how can i go my water clear please assistance

sparton on November 07, 2017:

good thought thank u

sclsunaz on November 02, 2017:

My aquarium has been set up for a few months now and of a sudden it got cloudy. I tin't get it clear. I've tried clarifying chemicals and water changes. It's been a few weeks now and it'due south driving me and the cichlids nuts. I'thou not sure why they are still alive. I tested the water just now and it'southward the same as it was before h2o change

GH sixty KH 80 PH seven.0 NO2 0.5 NO3 xx

I dont know what to exercise. I have a sun dominicus canister filter information technology's the i that doesn't have the uv light I'yard thinking well-nigh ownership one and come across if I can get it clear. The water I nonetheless cloudy but the water in the canister is green then that's algae right? It is on the within wall and the lord's day does non even come up close to information technology.

I've heard blistering soda and Edson salts are one way to get water perfect for my fish ane teaspoon per 5 gallons.

Aid.........

Kelly on October 01, 2017:

I just got a new 65 gln aquarium and I accept koi in it. I just had it for a week at present and the h2o is dark-green and murky. I can't go it make clean. I did a 25% h2o modify and added a clarfier but it simply looks atrocious. I read about filters needing to wheel, how long can I expect this water to look similar this and is it safety for my fish? I accept three live plants and 3 structures.

Gary the Snail on September 18, 2017:

My beta aquarium never had a problem with algae until we added live plants. They made the tank so muddied that I had to get rid of them. I would recommend sticking to plastic plants if yous don't desire to clean as often.

jajajaja on January 27, 2017:

tin the sabbatical touch on the steady flow of water in the aquarium? how many times would you feed your fish?

Anonymous Mermaid on December 28, 2016:

You are an organized writer! Wow! Cheers so much. Information technology was detailed, sequenced, and easy to follow! :)

Nivas from Salem on September 10, 2015:

Expert one....!!