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Another common beginner mistake I’ve seen happen is when it comes to cleaning the aquarium. During the cleaning stage they remove all of the water out of their tank.
Big mistake!
This will almost certainly kill your fish.
Remember the nitrogen cycle?
If you change too much water at once, you will destroy the beneficial bacteria and ecosystem which has built up in your tank.
Without these beneficial bacteria you will create a spike in ammonia which is toxic to your fish.
How do I avoid this mistake? Instead of removing all your water, you should only remove around 15%-20% of the total water in your aquarium.
This helps to keep both the pH level and temperature within safe thresholds for your fish and keeps nitrate levels within a safe threshold.
Also, remember to treat the new water before you add it to your aquarium. You can use a water conditioner to remove any harmful chemicals in tap water such as chlorine.
Finally, make sure to test the key water parameters (pH, ammonia and nitrate) before and after every change of water.
You can do this using a water test kit.