Guide · Maintenance tools
Aquarium maintenance checklist
What to check daily, what to do every couple of weeks, and the equipment jobs that come up every few months: airline, air pump, feeder batteries.
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Short answer
Every day, look at the fish, the water temperature and the equipment, and remove uneaten food. About every two weeks, change some of the water, vacuum the gravel and test the water. Every few months, check the parts that wear out quietly: airline tubing, air pump output and feeder batteries. Automation handles the schedule; only the daily look catches a problem.
Daily
The Merck Veterinary Manual's maintenance table lists these daily checks:[1]
- Fish. All present, swimming and eating normally.
- Water temperature. Read the thermometer.
- Equipment. Filter flowing, air pump bubbling, lights on schedule, feeder clear.
- Uneaten food. Remove it.
If you use an automatic feeder, this is also when you notice a missed or doubled feed.
Every two weeks (the routine)
Merck lists a water change every two weeks, with the amount depending on stocking level.[1] It also lists monitoring water quality and a regular schedule of cleaning, water changes and filter replacement as preventive care.[2]
- Test the water before the change, so you see what the change is correcting. See free vs total ammonia for reading ammonia results.
- Vacuum the gravel while you drain. Merck describes using a water and vacuum system to remove gravel waste during water changes.[2]
- Change the water. Python recommends 5 to 10% every other week for its users; that is a maker figure, not a rule for every tank.[3]
- Dechlorinate the new water. Merck says new water should be dechlorinated.[2]
- Clean the glass inside before you refill, while the water is lower.
- Filter care as your filter's manual describes.
For larger tanks, a faucet water changer saves carrying buckets, and the gravel vacuum priming guide gets a siphon started without your mouth.
Every few months (equipment)
| Job | What to look for | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Airline tubing | Stiff, kinked or cracked ends | Aquarium Co-Op says all airline eventually hardens in water and suggests cutting 0.5-1 in off the hardened end before reattaching[4] |
| Air pump | Less air, or much louder than before | Tetra says a Whisper that stops producing air or gets very loud may have a worn rubber diaphragm, a wear part not covered by warranty[5] |
| Feeder batteries | A low-battery warning, or a feeder you have not checked in a while | EHEIM's battery autofeeder takes two AA alkaline cells, not rechargeables, and shuts off about three days after showing "LO"[6] |
| Check valves | Water in the airline on the pump side | Replace a valve that lets water through; see which way a check valve goes |
| Cords and drip loops | Water marks, a loop that has slipped | Re-form the loop below the outlet; see aquarium electrical safety basics |
Before you go away
Run through the vacation checklist: it adds a feeder trial, fresh batteries and a note for whoever checks the tank.
Next
Questions
What should I check on my aquarium every day?
Merck's maintenance table lists daily checks of the fish, the water temperature and the equipment, and removing uneaten food. It takes a minute and is the step automation cannot do for you.[1]
How often should I change aquarium water?
Merck's general schedule is a water change every two weeks, with the amount depending on how heavily the tank is stocked. Python recommends 5 to 10% every other week for its users, which is a maker recommendation.[1][3]
Why has my airline tubing gone hard?
Aquarium Co-Op says all airline tubing eventually hardens when left in water for long periods. It suggests cutting off 0.5 to 1 inch of the hardened end before reattaching it.[4]
My air pump got louder and weaker. Is it broken?
It may be worn. Tetra says a Whisper pump that stops producing air or gets very loud may have a worn rubber diaphragm, a wear part not covered by its warranty. Contact the maker rather than opening a mains-powered pump yourself.[5]