A fish tank is a tedious and delicate job and the bigger the tank the harder the harder the job. Let's say, for example you want to clean a 55 gallon tank, first off don't panic and take it in stride, with a little luck you will only have to do this twice a year. Ok to start find something to hold half the water or about 25 gallons, you may have to get several containers. But you will need one big one to put the fish in. siphon the water into the containers down to where the tank is about half full.

After taking out half the water, you can take out the fish and put in your biggest container. Next take out the ornaments, big rocks and plants putting the plants in the smaller containers of water. Pull out the under gravel filter if you have one and unplug the heater and remove it too. Everything should be out of the tank except the gravel. Now take you hands and swirl the gravel around so it will rinse most of the debris off in the remaining water.

Get the remaining water out with a bucket or siphon and pour in the flower bed or down the toilet, Once all the water is out start taking the gravel out and rinsing it under fresh water I use a strainer. once all the gravel is out and cleaned. Take a soap free rag or sponge and wipe and clean the inside of the glass making sure to get the corners clean of any algae build up.

Once you have the tank cleaned and dried, you can start putting things back starting with the undergravel filter. Next put in the gravel and arrange it the way you want too. next put in the ornaments, rocks, and plastic plants any live plants should wait until you have about two inches of water. Now what we want to do is put in about 6 inches of freshwater into the tank . To keep from messing up the gravel place a clean saucer or ashtray on the bottom of tank and pour the water onto it. make sure the water is about room temperature now add your chemicals at about half strength because you will be adding the water the fish are acustom too back into the tank. Now add as much water from the containers as you can leaving just enough for the fish to be able to swim. check the temperature and adjust to desired temp. add you heater and wait 10 minutes to plugin, add fish and rest of water. top off with fresh water. Now sit back relax and enjoy, you are done.