How and with what to disinfect an aquarium?

Very often in apartments and offices you can see an aquarium with fish, which have been popular for a long time and have become pets of people who do not have a lot of free time.

But the idea that these fish in the aquarium do not require almost any maintenance is wrong. In order for its residents to feel comfortable, it is important to keep the reservoir clean. This is also the key to the long life of the individuals that inhabit it. In this article, we'll talk about how to properly and with what you need to disinfect an aquarium.

So, there are more than enough reasons to periodically disinfect your aquarium. Before we talk about how and when to clean the tank while fish are living in it, let's discuss the need for the first cleaning - disinfection.

The rules for conducting primary disinfection are quite simple:

• fill the tank with plain water;
• prepare a solution of potassium permanganate (the color should be dark, saturated) and pour it into a tank of water;
• throughout the day, the aquarium should be filled with this solution - this time is quite enough for all bacteria to die;
• then the liquid must be poured out and the aquarium must be well wiped;
• then the container is rinsed several more times under running water.

After the aquarium has been disinfected for the first time, it can be filled with water to start the inhabitants. But it is worth remembering that you cannot simply take water from the tap and pour it into the tank - all chlorine must be removed from it. To do this, it is defended for 3 days, and only after that it is poured into the aquarium, and then defended for several more days. When all of the above activities are completed, fish can be launched into the aquarium.

From time to time, it is imperative to clean and disinfect not only the walls and bottom of the aquarium, but also everything that is in it. The main goal is to remove and prevent the appearance of harmful microorganisms from the surfaces of the objects in the tank.

During the period when the aquarium is already functioning, and fish are swimming in it, you need to carefully monitor the condition of the water, surfaces and the health of its inhabitants.

If something goes wrong and you notice that various bacteria and algae have appeared in the tank, then disinfection cannot be avoided. The first step is to "evacuate" the inhabitants and remove all of its contents from the aquarium. For a while, the fish must be placed in another container, and the water must be drained.

There are several ways to disinfect an aquarium. Below are the most popular and effective ones that can be done at home.

• Disinfection with boiling water. You need to boil water and fill the tank with it. It is necessary to pour in gradually so that the glass does not burst from exposure to high temperatures. Experts say that all microbes die with this heat treatment.
• Special substances. Store-bought disinfectants can also be used to treat the tank. These products include chlorine-containing solutions. After using them, the aquarium must be very thoroughly washed.
• Hydrogen peroxide. She washes the entire aquarium and its contents. Hydrogen peroxide is considered safe, but it is also best to rinse the aquarium after using it.
• Salt. Since it is in every kitchen, it is not difficult to apply this method at all. It is necessary to prepare a slurry of salt and water, grease all the seams and glass with it well. Then fill the container with water and add salt - a teaspoon of salt is needed per liter of water. For 3 hours, the aquarium should be filled with water-salt solution. Then the water is drained, the container is washed out.
• Potassium permanganate. Very often the aquarium is disinfected with potassium permanganate. To do this, you need to prepare a medium-pink solution and thoroughly rinse the tank with it. This solution can be used to process not only the aquarium, but also plants and decorative elements.
• UV lamp. This method is considered mild disinfection. For treatment with an ultraviolet lamp, it must be placed over the aquarium for several days. For greater efficiency, this method can be combined with one of the above.

Earlier in the article, we talked about the need to carry out both routine disinfection of the aquarium and mandatory in case of detection of harmful microorganisms. But there are also emergencies that are associated with illness and death of fish. After such unfortunate events, it is very important to do the processing correctly. To avoid the possibility of disease in healthy individuals, total cleaning will be required:

• first of all, you need to fill the tank with a disinfectant for at least 24 hours - bleach or whiteness will do;
• all inventory, decor that was in the tank must be thoroughly boiled;
• then the aquarium is well washed, dried - for this you can use an ultraviolet lamp.

In addition to treating the container, it is very important to properly decontaminate the aquarium soil. Various organic matter and microorganisms, the presence of which is detrimental to fish, can take root and function well in it. There are three ways to disinfect:

• boiling;
• processing with special means;
• calcination.

The first method involves boiling the soil for 15 minutes. Special preparations for disinfecting soil and aquarium plants can be purchased at the pet store. But calcination takes place in the oven - the soil must be placed on a baking sheet, and for 15 minutes at a temperature of 180 degrees, it must be in the oven.

You will learn about disinfecting the aquarium in the video below.