How to Clean Fish Tank Decorations? Step by Step Guide

I have put together this post for all aquatic enthusiasts to read in order to address all of these inquiries. You will not only learn how to maintain and when to clean the tank decorations but also how to clean them.

So, without further ado, let’s get started.

How to Clean Fish Tank Decorations?

You must keep your tank clean in order to ensure that the water quality is constantly excellent and that your community of fish and invertebrates is happy and healthy. However, unless the tank is in really bad shape, you don’t necessarily need to remove all of the water from it, despite what many people believe. In fact, keeping the majority of the water in the tank will aid in maintaining the proper quantity of the beneficial bacteria required for a healthy aquarium.

Below is a step-by-step guide to cleaning your aquarium decorations.

1. Removing the Tank’s Decorations

Take Down the Decorations one at a Time

Never clean all of your decorations at once, even if you’re rushed for time to get your aquarium looking nice. On decorations are helpful bacteria that keep your fish healthy. Removing them all at once risked upsetting the delicate balance in your aquarium.

• Your fish will experience stress if all the decorations are taken down at once.
• Maintain the fish in the aquarium.
• When cleaning specific tank components, there is no need to remove them.
• Before you reach into the fish tank, wash your hands with warm water with soap.
• Make sure you thoroughly rinse the soap off your hands. Fish are harmed by soap and even killed by it.

Place Live Plants in a Tank Corner

You don’t need to remove living plants from your tank if you keep them there. Naturally, plants keep themselves clean. Simply transfer them to a tank corner so you can view and clean the rest of the tank.

• If you wish to modify the appearance of your aquarium, you may swap out the old live plants for new ones.
• Since live plants act as a natural filter, they are a great method to improve the health of an aquarium.

The gravel at the Tank’s Bottom Should be Vacuumed Off

The most typical type of decorating is gravel, which over time may develop an algal growth. Make it seem nicer by using a specialized gravel vacuum. When you insert the gravel vacuum into the gravel, it will suck up both gravel and water.

• The pressure will tumble and clean the gravel as it is drawn into the tube.
• The gravel will eventually return to the tank’s bottom after being sucked up by the vacuum.
• The tank will receive some clean water after doing this. When you are done washing the decorations, you must swap them out with de-chlorinated water.

2. Individual Decorations Cleaning

Put Some Water onto the Boil

Ascertain that the pot is big enough to accommodate one or more decorations at once. It may be ordinary tap water. Do not add anything to it, including chlorine or dish soap.

Put the Ornaments in Water to Soak Them

One or two ornaments should be added to the saucepan once the water has boiled. Give them around 20 minutes to soak. Most of the algae should be eliminated as a result, making it simpler to clean the decorations.

• Your decorations must be able to resist the boiling water’s temperature. They should be discarded if they melt or decompose.
• Before soaking the ornaments, turn off the heat in the water.
• Use a toothbrush to clean the ornaments. The decorations may now be taken out of the pot and scrubbed with a toothbrush’s bristles. It should be rather simple to remove the algae.
• Make use of a toothbrush designed just for your aquarium. You shouldn’t use it to clean anything else or your aquarium can become contaminated.
• After doing this, if your decorations still seem tidy, you may proceed to re-inserting them into the tank.

Create a Bleach Solution in a Bucket

This action is not usually required. However, you might wish to clean the ornaments with a bleach solution as well if you want to be certain that all of the algae has been eliminated.

• 95 percent water and 5 percent bleach should make up your solution.
• 4 teaspoons of bleach to 2 gallons (7.6 L) of water is a simple recipe to use.
• It is OK for this water to be chilly or warm, but not hot. Bleach might stop working in hot water.

3. Put the Ornament in the Bleach Mixture

Give it Five Minutes or so to Sit

• Your decoration should then be tidy and clear of any lingering algae.
• Never use bleach on aquarium rocks or gravel. Your aquarium’s health will suffer as a result because the fish could take in the bleach.
• Always use bleach in a room with good ventilation. The gases could be harmful.
• If the fumes cause your eyes to burn or run, you are using too much bleach and not enough ventilation.
• When handling bleach, rubber gloves should be worn. Your skin can become dry or irritated.

Re-clean the Decoration

Utilize the same toothbrush you did before. To get rid of any residual visible algae, scrub the decoration. To avoid future algae accumulation, be careful to flip the decorations over and clean all surfaces.

• When you’re finished, rinse the toothbrush to remove the bleach solution. To accomplish this, simply run it under the faucet for a minute.
• Rinse the ornament with cold water. After cleaning each ornament, briefly submerge it in cold water. This will get rid of any leftover bleach.
• After cleaning, do not dry the decorations off. This is not required.

4. Swapping Out the Decorations

Pour de-chlorinated Tap Water into a Bucket

This bucket must be brand-new and spotless. Fill it with tap water until it is full enough to cover the ornaments. Warm but not hot water should be available.

• There is some chlorine in most tap water. The amount of chlorine in the tap water in your city should be available at your neighborhood pet store.
• Dechlorinating pills are available at your neighborhood pet store. Make sure you’re using them correctly according to the instructions on the box.

In the de-chlorinated Tap Water, Soak the Ornaments

Give the decorations around 20 minutes to soak. Ensure that the decorations are completely free of all chlorine and bleach. These substances can be fatal to fish.

• Driftwood and other porous decorations will take up the de-chlorinated water, which will then mix with the aquarium’s water. This is one of the reasons it’s crucial to use de-chlorinated water for the final soak.
• After de-chlorinating, you may quickly rinse your decorations under running water.

5. Replacing the Decorations in the Tank

You may now re-insert your decorations into the tank without risk. If you’d like, you may move them around in the tank. It is best to throw away any decorations that appear to be eroding or falling apart.

• To change the appearance of your aquarium, you may always add new decorations or rearrange existing ones.
• Replacing each ornament one at a time You don’t want to subject your fish to undue stress by drastically altering their surroundings once more.

Place the Living Plants Back Where They Were

• You may now put the live plants back if you moved them when cleaning the decorations. Before reaching inside the tank, make sure your hands are clean. Just relocate the plants to a different location in the tank.
• To keep the plants in place, you might have to bury their roots in the gravel.

Sanitize your Hands

After touching anything within a fish tank, always wash your hands. Use warm water and soap. Although not harmful, fish tank water does contain germs and trash.

How to Clean Aquarium Decorations?

• Remove the decorations
• Clean them individually using water/bleach or a mixture
• Use a soft piece of cloth or a brush
• Wash them again in non-chlorinated water
• Put them again in their place.

The Bottom Line on How to Clean Fish Tank Decorations?

It should be obvious to you that cleaning is an important element of the procedure after reading all the strategies and advice stated above. It not only improves the appearance of your tank but also maintains the health of your fish.

I advise you to study all of the suggestions since they are really helpful once the cleaning is over.