Best way to clean out a fish tank!??

[jackiegoins]

Basically we have 2 goldfish and when we first got them were told never to fully clean out the tank...We were told to take out a jugful of water from the tank and replace it with fresh water one a week and this would keep the tank looking fresh and clean...Well that deffo isn't the case with my tank!! I went to feed them this morning and the water is looking really brown and there is poo everywhere! Ive taken a couple of jugfuls out and replaced it but it is still looking really dirty...I think it really needs a proper clean and the tank itself needs a clean inside as well as the gravel at the bottom of the tank..Can I not put the fish in a separate container with some of the tank water,give the tank a good clean and replace it with all new fresh water?? I know I would have to leave the water for a day or 2 to settle but am worried as obviously I don't want to kill the fish!! But apart from doing that I really don't know what else to do! Any suggestions would be gratefully received!!

Thank you

Don't replace all the water as you'll upset the nitrate cycle which can kill the fish. But you should probably be doing bigger water changes than you have been.

Do you have a filter? That's the main thing that will keep the water clean.

i clear the water out the tank first and put my fish in a little bowel while i clean the tank. Then i rinse the filter thoroughly and then use my magnetic cleaning pads to clean the tank of algae etc etc and then put fresh water in and then put the fish back in.

Get a sponge filter then all the gunk sticks in the sponge and all you have to do is rinse that. You can also get some tank cleaning snails.

You need a very big tank for goldfish (bigger than for Tropicals) and a decent mechanical filter.

What are they in at the moment? What filter have you got?

Goldfish produce a lot of waste, so you will need a little gravel cleaner (like a handheld vacuum cleaner) to get rid of the poo.

The partial water change is so you don't upset the nitrate balance. Remember they are swimming around in water they have pooed in so there is beneficial bacteria that is needed to break down the poo.

The best videos on how to clean a fish tank are the ones by people who run aquariums or sell fish. There are loads on YouTube. Like