Best Aquarium Maintenance Supplies

Kate Barrington
by Kate Barrington

Your tank is perfect – but how do you keep it that way? You need the right aquarium maintenance supplies to keep it looking its best.

Setting up your aquarium will take time, especially if it is your first. You have to choose the right size tank and pick the best aquarium equipment to keep it running. Once everything is set up and turned on, then you have an even more important job – maintaining the ideal conditions in your tank. Read on to learn some simple tips for maintaining your aquarium and to see our top picks for the best aquarium maintenance supplies to help you do it right.

Best Aquarium Maintenance Supplies

Having the right aquarium maintenance supplies is only half of the equation – you also need to use them and use them often. Your best bet is to come up with an aquarium maintenance schedule and stick to it as much as possible. Here are our top picks for the best supplies to maintain your aquarium:

API Tap Water Conditioner

This water conditioner instantly neutralizes chlorine, chloramines, and other chemicals to make your tap water safe for aquarium fish. It is highly concentrated which means you don’t need a lot of it and it comes in a variety of different sizes.

API Stress Coat Water Conditioner

This water conditioner has the added benefit of replacing the protective coat on your fish that can be damaged by stress. You can use it when adding or changing water in your tank or when you add new fish to the tank.

TERA PUMP Gravel Vacuum

This gravel vacuum makes it easy to remove accumulated waste from your tank substrate with each water change. It comes in a small or large size so you can choose the best option for your aquarium and it has a host clip to prevent spills.

Python No-Spill Aquarium Maintenance System

This aquarium maintenance system makes it quick and easy to add or remove water from your tank. You’ll never need to use another bucket or a messy siphon again with this system. It comes in 25, 50, 75, and 100-foot lengths.

Segarty Aquarium Tools Kit 5 in 1

An often overlooked- but equally important- part of aquarium maintenance are aquascaping and general aquatic plant care. Not unlike plants in a garden, aquatic plants also need to be trimmed, the gravel around them as well as any aquarium decor clean and neat, and generally pruned and maintained to thrive. And to do that successfully and with ease, you’ll need the right tools- such as this handy Segarty Aquarium Tools 5 in 1 kit. The set includes two pairs of scissors (one straight and one curved) for trimming and shaping of the plants, even if they are in the remote corners of the tank, a spatula for aquascaping and arranging the gravel, and two pairs of tweezers (one straight and one curved) for cleaning debris and planting new specimens in the aquarium.

All of the tools are made from forged stainless steel, ensuring their durability and rust-resistant qualities, so you can be certain these will last you years with ease. The handles are smooth and ergonomic so they are also comfy to grip and use- the only “downside” is that you can’t avoid wetting your hands when you use these aquascaping tools.

API Master Test Kits for Aquariums

These test kits come with everything you need to test seven different aspects of water chemistry. Choose from a freshwater or reef kit according to the type of aquarium you have and follow the easy instructions to use the testing solution and color card.

Hygger Carbon Fiber 6-in-1 Algae Scraper

Remove algae with ease using this 6-in-1 algae scraper. It comes in a medium or oversize option and includes a telescoping handle with a gravel rake, metal blade, flat sponge, right-angle sponge, tube brush, and a fish net.

MiguCo Stainless Steel Algae Scraper

This algae scraper may be simple, but it gets the job done. Simply attach a new blade to the handle with each use and you’re ready to go.

SLSON Double-Ended Aquarium Filter Brush

Cleaning your filter can be tricky if you don’t have the right tools for the job. This double-ended filter brush makes quick work of even small filter tubes and you can use it on your other tank equipment as well.

SLSON Aquarium Filter Brush Set

This aquarium filter brush set comes with 10 different sizes and bristle types so you can use the perfect brush for the job at hand.

Simple Tips for Aquarium Maintenance

Once you set up your aquarium, you should let it run for at least a week or two before you add your aquarium fish. This gives the tank time to “cycle” which simply involves building up a colony of beneficial bacteria that will help facilitate the process of waste metabolism, helping keep the conditions in your tank within the healthy range for your fish and other tank inhabitants.

Here are some simple tips to help you maintain your aquarium:

  • Test your tank water on a weekly basis. The only way to know whether conditions in your aquarium are ideal or not is to perform weekly water tests. Record the results in a notebook so you can compare them week to week, checking for problematic changes.
  • Perform regular water changes. Changing your tank water helps remove dissolved wastes and replace trace nutrients, so perform a water change at least once every two weeks of at least 10% to 15% your total tank volume.
  • Always condition new tank water. Before adding new water to your aquarium, you need to treat it with a water conditioner to remove chlorine and heavy metals that are toxic to your fish.
  • Clean and service your filter on a monthly basis. You’ll need to replace your filter media once a month and clean the filter – just avoid cleaning the biological filter so you don’t kill your beneficial bacteria.
  • Remove algae as needed. Over time, algae may accumulate in your tank, especially if you leave your lights on too long or there is an abundance of certain nutrients. Remove algae by using a gravel vacuum when you perform water changes and manually remove algae as needed.
  • Check to make sure everything is working. In addition to checking the conditions in your tank, you also need to maintain your equipment properly. Check everything at least a few times a week to make sure it is still running and do a more in-depth check once a month.

With the right tools and equipment, maintaining your aquarium won’t be difficult. As long as you stay on top of your routine maintenance tasks and pay attention to the little details, your aquarium will be alive and thriving for years to come.

Kate Barrington
Kate Barrington

Kate Barrington is the loving owner of two cats (Bagel and Munchkin) and a noisy herd of guinea pigs. Having grown up with golden retrievers, Kate has a great deal of experience with dogs but labels herself a lover of all pets. Having received a Bachelor's degree in English, Kate has combined her love for pets and her passion for writing to create her own freelance writing business, specializing in the pet niche.

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