Allow the silicone to dry for the amount of time listed on the silicone package instructions. Clean the filter, thermostat and tubes. When cleaning your gravel, some water is removed from the fish tank; therefore, cleaning your gravel can be done along with your weekly water change. To learn how to clean the rocks in a big fish tank using a siphon, scroll down! Remove your fish from the tank. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Soak and clean the filter, heater, hose, pump, gravel and decorating things with vinegar. Last on the list of jobs is to clean your filter. Only wash if you need to. Aquarium-safe glass cleaner or a vinegar-based solution. Knowing when and how to clean a fish tank is a fundamental skill for any aquarist. You place one magnet on the inside of the aquarium, and attach the other to the outside of the aquarium. 1⁄4 cup (59 mL) of bleach per 3–4 US gal (11–15 l) of water in a separate container (optional). wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. Wear rubber cleaning gloves when dipping your fingers into the bleach solution to remove your air stone pieces. Clean the tank with a little vinegar and a cloth. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Put your fish in the fish tank, but only with some of the water (enough for them to move). Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 26,908 times. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/40\/Clean-Fish-Tank-Rocks-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Clean-Fish-Tank-Rocks-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/40\/Clean-Fish-Tank-Rocks-Step-1.jpg\/aid8815957-v4-728px-Clean-Fish-Tank-Rocks-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"