A planted tank stays healthy with small, regular habits rather than occasional big clean-ups. This checklist breaks planted aquarium care into daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal tasks, so you always know what to do and nothing builds up into a problem.
Quick answer: For a planted tank: check fish, temperature and the light timer daily; change 25–30% of the water, dose liquid fertiliser, remove dead leaves and wipe algae weekly; trim stems, carpets and moss every 2–4 weeks; rinse filter media in old tank water monthly; and replace root tabs every 1–2 months. In India, add summer cooling and monsoon power-cut backup to your seasonal routine.
Daily (2 minutes)
- Check that fish are active and eating.
- Glance at the thermometer, especially in summer.
- Confirm the light timer and filter are running.
- Feed lightly; remove uneaten food.
Weekly (15–30 minutes)
- Remove dead or melting leaves.
- Wipe algae from the glass.
- Change 25–30% of the water with dechlorinated water at a similar temperature.
- Dose liquid fertiliser after the water change. See how often to fertilise.
- Thin floating plants so they cover no more than about half the surface.
Every 2–4 weeks
- Trim stem plants, carpets and moss. See how to trim aquarium plants.
- Check Anubias and Java fern for algae on old leaves.
- Test water parameters if plants or fish look off.
Monthly
- Rinse filter sponges in old tank water, never tap water.
- Clean the light cover and check equipment cords.
- Siphon debris from the substrate in open areas.
Every 1–2 months
- Replace root tabs (about every 1–2 months, or as the pack directs) near Crypts, swords and Vallisneria. See root tabs vs liquid fertiliser.
- Divide overgrown plants or propagate cuttings.
Seasonal tasks in India
- Summer: keep water below about 30 °C with fans and shorter light hours. See heat-tolerant plants.
- Monsoon: keep a battery air pump for power cuts and watch humidity. See monsoon care.
- Winter (North India): use a heater for tropical plants if water drops below about 20 °C.
Getting back on track after a month of neglect
Travel, illness or a busy stretch at work happens, and a neglected planted tank looks alarming. The recovery is straightforward as long as you do not try to fix everything in one evening.
- Day one. Remove dead and rotting plant matter by hand, and change about 30 per cent of the water. Do not clean the filter on the same day.
- Day two. Scrape algae off the glass and trim the worst-affected leaves. Siphon out the debris that comes loose.
- Day three or four. Change another 30 per cent of the water. Two moderate changes spread out are far gentler on fish than one enormous one.
- Day five. Now service the filter in old tank water, once the bioload has stabilised.
- Week two. Resume normal fertiliser dosing and trimming. Hold off on adding new plants or fish until the tank has run clean for a fortnight.
Resist the temptation to strip the tank down. A big disturbance on top of a month of neglect is what usually causes an ammonia spike and fish losses.
Keeping the kit within arm’s reach
Maintenance gets skipped when the equipment is buried in a cupboard. A small box kept beside the tank makes the difference between a five-minute job and a postponed one.
- Long tweezers and curved scissors for trimming and replanting without wetting your sleeve.
- An algae scraper or an old credit card for the glass.
- A siphon sized for your tank, plus a bucket used only for aquarium work.
- Dechlorinator, liquid fertiliser and a few root tabs.
- A cheap thermometer, which matters more during a 32°C Indian summer than most keepers expect.
- A clean cloth for the outside glass and the light fixture, which collects dust and cuts output over time.
Plants in this guide
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Frequently asked questions
How often should I clean a planted aquarium?
Do small tasks weekly: a partial water change, removing dead leaves and wiping algae. Avoid big, infrequent deep cleans that disturb the tank.
Should I vacuum the gravel in a planted tank?
Siphon open areas lightly; avoid deep vacuuming around plant roots, which disturbs them.
Can I skip a week of maintenance?
Low-tech tanks with slow plants usually handle a missed week, but do not make it a habit.
Do I need to switch off the filter during a water change?
Switch it off if the water level will drop below the intake, since running a filter dry can damage the impeller. For a routine 25 to 30 per cent change on most tanks, the intake stays submerged and you can leave it running. Always switch the heater off too if the level drops far, and let it cool before refilling.
Is tap water safe for a planted tank water change?
Yes, with dechlorinator added and the temperature roughly matched to the tank. Chlorine and chloramine harm both fish and the bacteria in your filter, so never add untreated tap water directly. In areas with very hard supply water, plants cope fine but you may see more calcium deposits on older leaves.
How do I keep a planted tank going while travelling?
Do a water change and a trim the day before you leave, and put the light on a timer at a slightly shorter photoperiod. Skip fertiliser dosing rather than doubling it, and either skip feeding entirely for a week or use a measured auto-feeder. Overfeeding by a helper causes far more damage than a week of light hunger.
Travelling soon? Read how to leave a planted tank for one or two weeks.
Shifting house? See how to move a planted tank without losing the plants.
