Aquarium maintenance checklist: daily, weekly and monthly
AquaLog guide · Published
In short: Every day, feed, check the temperature and look over your fish. Every week, change 10–25% of the water, vacuum the substrate and test. Every month, rinse filter media in tank water, trim plants and check your equipment.
Every day
- Feed small portions that are eaten within a couple of minutes.
- Check the thermometer.
- Count your fish and look for anything unusual: clamped fins, spots, gasping, hiding.
- Make sure the filter is running and the water is flowing.
Every week
- Change 10–25% of the water and vacuum the substrate. See how often to change aquarium water.
- Test ammonia, nitrite and nitrate (and pH if your fish are sensitive to it).
- Wipe algae from the front glass.
- Remove dead leaves and uneaten food.
Every month
- Rinse filter sponges or media in old tank water, never under the tap, and never all of it at once.
- Trim and replant fast-growing plants.
- Check the heater against your thermometer, and look over tubing and seals.
- Clean the lid and light cover so plants get the light they need.
Every few months
- Replace worn parts such as impellers and filter floss as they wear, a little at a time.
- Review your stocking: have fish outgrown the tank or the group?
- Check your test kit's expiry date; old reagents give false readings.
What warning signs mean act now?
- Fish gasping at the surface or crowding the filter outflow.
- Any ammonia or nitrite reading above zero.
- Cloudy or smelly water, or a sudden burst of algae.
- A fish missing at feeding time.
When something's wrong, test the water first, then do a partial water change. Our guide to water parameters explains what each reading means.
How do you keep track of it all?
A routine only works if you know when you last did each job. AquaLog logs water changes, tests and filter cleans in a couple of taps, reminds you when each is due, and shows what's overdue across all your tanks. It works offline too. Start your log.