Tools for Cleaning a Discus Aquarium

CLEANING TOOLS

Some tools you can use to clean your tank include a siphon hose, a scouring pad, a razor blade, and a “magnet cleaner.”

How do I remove water from my tank?

Siphon Hose

Use a siphon hose. Siphoning can be an easy way to remove water from your tank. If you have a large tank, you can use a long hose to siphon water directly into a drain or outside garden. While you are siphoning the water, you should also clean (vacuum) your gravel.
Many water-changing hoses that include a gravel cleaning attachment are available at local fish stores. These attachments connect to the end of the siphon hose. When the tube is put into the gravel, the water movement disrupts the gravel, but only the dirt and mulm is light enough to be siphoned out.

How do I remove algae from the side of my tank?

Scouring Pad

Use a scouring pad. A plastic, non-soapy scouring pad can be used to remove algae from your tank’s sides. If you have an acrylic tank, you want to be extra careful that the pad isn’t hard enough to scratch the side.

How do I remove slower-growing algae that need a stronger removal method? 

Razor Scraper

Use a razor blade. Some slower-growing algae need a stronger method for removal and cannot be easily removed with a scouring pad. A razor blade works best at this point. You can use a razor blade to remove a lot of things from the sides of your tank, but you want to be careful because razor blades can scratch your tank as well.

What other tools can I use to remove algae?’

Magnet Cleaner

Use “magnet cleaners.” “Magnet cleaners” can be a helpful tool for removing algae. This removal method places a scraping block on the inside of the tank that is held in place by a magnet held on the outside of the tank. Moving the outside magnet moves the scraping block and removes algae without disrupting the tank. A larger magnet is best because they have a stronger magnetic field and work best on smaller tanks, which have thinner glass.

Explore the rest of our Tank Setup articles to learn about more ways to clean your tank. 

QUESTIONS

• What tools mentioned in this article will you use to clean your tank?
• What cleaning tools besides the ones mentioned in this article will you be using?
• Why is cleaning your discus tank critical for discus health?