top of page

cleaning the fish tank


Cleaning the fish tank is one of those household chores I put off as long as I can until finally my conscience gets to me. Then I roll up my sleeves and (almost literally) dive in. First, I remove all the stuff in there – the fake plants, the fake driftwood, the rock cairns I build next to the buddha statue. Everything comes out and is soaked and then cleaned, carefully, tediously, in warm water with old scrubbers and toothbrushes while my legs start to ache and my back tightens up from standing ever-so-slightly bent over the sink for just a little too long. The lid, the filter, the inside of the glass, the outside – everything needs scrubbing. After letting the debris settle, I vacuum out a third of the tank’s water with a siphon, replace it with clean fresh water, a new filter and rearrange all the fake plants, the fake driftwood, rebuild the rock cairns and settle the buddha statue back in place where he serenely smiles at the fish, the plastic plants, the fake driftwood, the balanced cairns and at me in the living room where I am satisfied that this onerous chore is done, once again.


The quiet sound of water flowing through the filter soothes. The water-softened light shines greenly in the room. I put my feet up and let my self settle like the serene buddha and flow like the fish, all of us breathing in, breathing out.


You can learn a lot from keeping a fish tank clean.

  • You have a responsibility for others in your life.

  • It’s your job to keep a safe, healthy environment for those who rely on you.

  • Maintenance is usually not fun; it can even be tiring but you have to do it anyway.

  • Imagining what it’s like to live in a completely foreign environment increases appreciation for the familiar one you do live in.

  • Being appropriately reliable can promote well-being.

  • Relaxing and appreciating your efforts after working is a satisfying part of the process.


In one way or another, we all live in a fish bowl. Taking care of each other is a way of taking care of ourselves. It’s never a one-and-done situation, either. It is always part of the journey. So, if you missed a spot, don’t worry. You will know where to begin the next time.

 

1/6/2025

Comments

bottom of page