Aquarium health and hygiene
Aquarium health and hygiene covers the products that keep tank water and surfaces in good condition day to day — water conditioners, algae treatments and cleaning tools — rather than fish food or décor. Most of it is about prevention and routine maintenance rather than fixing a problem once it's already visible.
Water conditioners
Tap water conditioner is one of the most basic essentials in the aquarium hobby, used to neutralise chlorine and chloramine before water goes anywhere near fish, since both are added to tap water for human safety but are harmful to aquatic life. It's added every time you do a water change, not just when setting up a new tank.
Some conditioners also address other elements present in tap water, like heavy metals, so check what a specific product covers rather than assuming every conditioner does exactly the same job.
Algae control and tank cleaning
Algae wafers and scrubbing tools tackle algae from two different angles — wafers are actually a food designed for algae-eating fish and invertebrates, encouraging them to graze naturally, while scrubs and magnetic cleaners physically remove algae from glass without needing to put your hands in the water.
Magnetic cleaners in particular let you clean the inside of the glass from outside the tank, which is quicker and disturbs fish far less than manual scrubbing. Regular light cleaning little and often keeps algae from building up to the point where it needs a bigger, more disruptive clean.
In this section
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Large Aquarium Maintenance Set
A 48-inch condensation tray, a 22-inch glass scraper, a digital thermometer and 250ml of AquaSafe for a big tank.
£32.49
Supa Aquarium Net
Supa aquarium nets in coarse and fine meshes for fish catching and tank maintenance
From£1.65
Marina Digital Aquarium Thermometer
A digital aquarium thermometer that mounts on the outside of the glass and reads easily
£3.49
Marina Deluxe Aquarium Scraper
A four-in-one aquarium tool: two pad faces, a scraper blade and a planter fork
£8.79
Marina Floating Aquarium Thermometer
A floating aquarium thermometer with a safe-zone marker for tropical fish
£3.49
Supa Condensation Tray
A 48-inch aquarium condensation tray, shielding the hood's electrics from tank water
£11.49
Aquatic Roman Gravel Jet Black
2kg jet black aquarium gravel, inert and colourfast for coldwater, tropical or marine tanks
£3.99
Pettex Aquatic Roman Gravel Natural Lakeland
Natural Lakeland-tone aquarium gravel for coldwater, tropical or saltwater tanks
From£3.99
Pettex Aquatic Roman Gravel Blend Mix
Natural blended-colour aquarium gravel for coldwater, tropical and saltwater tanks
From£3.99
Roman Gravel Jet Black
8kg of natural jet black aquarium gravel for coldwater, tropical and saltwater set-ups
£12.49
Rosewood Pet Keeper Plastic Tank Medium
7.2L ventilated plastic holding tank for small pets and fish, 30 x 30 x 20cm
£13.49
Common questions
- Do I need to condition tap water every time?
- Yes — tap water conditioner should be used every time you add fresh tap water to the tank, whether that's a full water change or just topping up evaporation, since chlorine and chloramine don't break down on their own quickly enough to be left untreated.
- How do I get rid of algae in my tank?
- A combination of reducing light exposure, controlling feeding so excess nutrients don't build up, and regular cleaning with a scrub or magnetic cleaner is the most reliable approach. Algae-eating fish and invertebrates fed with algae wafers can help keep on top of it too, though they work alongside cleaning rather than instead of it.
- Are magnetic tank cleaners safe to use?
- Used correctly, yes — they let you clean the inside of the glass without submerging your hands, which is both more convenient and less disruptive to fish than manual cleaning. Check the magnet strength suits your tank's glass thickness before using one, since too strong a magnet on thin glass can be an issue.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.