# Cleaning Fish Tank COMPLETELY!



## FroggLVR (Feb 18, 2008)

My fish tank needs to be completely cleaned out. My ten gallon which only has a couple of fish. But I want to put new rocks in and ornaments. Can someone tell me the best way to do this without shocking my fish to death. 
:shock:


----------



## herefishy (Dec 14, 2006)

Just leave the fish in the tank and use a 3500# psi pressure washer. That should do the trick. Be careful though, you might blow the glass out.

ROFL. Just kidding. Changing your substrate would mean a bit of recycling of the tank. The majority of the bio-bed is located in the substrate. By changing the substrate, you will lose it.

I just put one of my smaller tanks, a 90g through its yearly deal. I drain as much water as possible while stirring and vacuuming the gravel. I refill the tank 1/2 way and stir the gravel some more while emptying the tank. I also clean the glass with an algae sponge. Wipe down and clean up all tubes, hoses, decorations and put it back together.


----------



## The Trans Am Kid (Jun 25, 2007)

herefishy said:


> Just leave the fish in the tank and use a 3500# psi pressure washer. That should do the trick. Be careful though, you might blow the glass out.
> 
> ROFL. Just kidding. Changing your substrate would mean a bit of recycling of the tank. The majority of the bio-bed is located in the substrate. By changing the substrate, you will lose it.
> 
> I just put one of my smaller tanks, a 90g through its yearly deal. I drain as much water as possible while stirring and vacuuming the gravel. I refill the tank 1/2 way and stir the gravel some more while emptying the tank. I also clean the glass with an algae sponge. Wipe down and clean up all tubes, hoses, decorations and put it back together.


What do you do with the fish during this?


----------



## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

herefishy said:


> Just leave the fish in the tank and use a 3500# psi pressure washer. That should do the trick. Be careful though, you might blow the glass out.


 :lol: ,you do make me chuckel.
umm when i have done a complete wash out i have removed the fish to a 
large container with the tank water and all the plants for cover.
then once the fish are put back into the tank,i don't put the light on
and don't feed them.
as long as this is not often then the fish should be ok,it's when you do it
loads like i did one time,then you kill the fish.


----------

