Top 15 Maintenance Tools Everyone Should Have for Their Saltwater Reef Tank!

1. Get A New Bucket: Using a brand new bucket for your tank maintenance will give you peace of mind knowing that nothing harmful to your system has previously been housed in it.

2. Specimen Container: These containers can be hung on the side of your bucket to keep your tools organized or, they can sit on your tank to keep your tools handy. It is also a great product for fragging corals or inspecting them.

3. Magnetic Algae Scrapers: Keep your hands dry and your glass free of algae. Not only are these magnets super simple to use, but they are also very effective at removing algae quickly. The Flipper, Algae Free, & Tunze models are all great choices. Just be sure to avoid any sand getting in the magnet as it can scratch your glass or acrylic.

4. Hand-held Scrapers: Handheld algae scrapers like the AquaBlade come in numerous sizes to help you remove algae from those hard-to-reach cracks and crevices.

5. Cleaning Sponges: The Seachem DuoPad and other foam cleaning sponges can be used individually or, they can be cut to size and placed between your magnetic algae cleaners to remove those tough algae spots.

6. Brushes: Having them in multiple sizes will allow you to conduct maintenance easily on both your tank as well as your equipment.

7. Siphon & Squeeze Starter: Adding these to your toolkit will make starting a siphon much easier while avoiding a mouthful of saltwater.

8. Keep A Fish Net Handy: Nets can be used for more than just fish. If you have a lot of floating algae, detritus, or debris then, a net is a great way to remove it.

9. Aquarium Tongs & Forceps: If you have a deep tank where it’s hard to reach the bottom and move things around then a set of tongs can make all the difference.

10. Tunze Glass Cleaner: Pairing this glass cleaner with a polishing cloth will allow your aquarium glass to sparkle and not have any of those ugly streaks.

11. Citric Acid: Keeping all of your equipment including pumps, powerheads, skimmers, and heaters clean is much easier with the use of some citric acid.

12. Bulb Syringe or Coral Feeder: This is a great tool for feeding both your fish and your corals. It can also be used to blast detritus off your sand bed or rockwork.

13. Pump & Vacuum Tool: Pairing an extra pump with a vacuum tool is the best way to keep your sump clean and free of excess algae.

14. PolypLab Camera Lens: You never know when your corals are going to show off enough for you to snap that perfect picture!

15. A tote, large bucket, or toolbox: Add a screwdriver set, rubber bands, zip loc bags, and absorbent towels to your arsenal and store everything in a handy container so you have easy access to everything you need. Remember salt water is corrosive so always rinse in freshwater and dry your tools and equipment before storing it.