Aquarium Cleaning Bucket

Every aquarium owner should have a bucket designated for only aquarium use, yet few do. Get a sturdy bucket and place a label on the side that says "Aquarium Use ONLY". If you feel creative, decorate the bucket with fish stickers or amusing fish-themed phrases. A "Finding Nemo" or "Moby Dick" bucket can be a lot of fun to create!

Next, fill the bucket with all the items listed below. If you think of a few other cleaning items, go ahead and toss them in. The more the merrier! Put a festive bow (or several bows) on the handle, and voila - you have a gift to be proud of!

When cleaning an aquarium, it's wise to stand on a rubber mat to eliminate the possibility of electrical shocks. The mat serves a dual purpose of protecting the floor from water drips and splashes.

Any rubber mat will do the job. I'd suggest choosing the favorite color of the person receiving the gift. Remember, you can decorate the mat, just as you did the bucket. Write on it with a magic marker, or put stickers on it. Anything goes! It's your gift, so make it unique.

A water siphon (aka: gravel vacuum) is a must for maintenance. Even if your friend has one, a new one is always appreciated. Be sure to choose one that is self starting. If you have the funds to splurge, get a python, they are well worth the extra investment.

Water conditioner is another of those must have items that any aquarium owner will appreciate. In fact, if you have extra money to spend, get a second bottle. It doesn't expire, and it will be used.

Toss in a couple of inexpensive algae pads. Everyone needs them, and they get nasty pretty quickly. It's impossible to have too many algae pads. If you want to spend a little extra, get the algae magnets. Your friend will love them.

Although it may seem a bit cheesy, paper towels are a great item for the cleaning bucket. They are inexpensive, but absolutely needed! If you have room, put in a couple of rolls. I guarantee they will be used.

It's a fact of life that aquariums have glass or acrylic surfaces that need cleaning. Standard class cleaners contain ammonia, which is unsafe for fish, so get a cleaner specifically for aquarium use.

Last, but certainly not least, put in a package of filter cartridges or replacement filter media. If you don't know what kind of filter your friend has, do your best to find out. Asking for filter advice is a good way to get the name of the filter.

Your friend will be very impressed when he/she sees the filter cartridge in the gift bucket. As a last resort, if you can't get the filter name, tuck in a gift certificate for your friends favorite pet shop.