Most people calling us for the first time open with the same question: "What does aquarium cleaning service actually cost?" Fair. Here is the honest answer, with no upsell math.
The short version
For a standard freshwater tank in a Florida home, professional aquarium cleaning typically runs:
- 20–40 gallon tanks — about $60–$90 per visit
- 55–90 gallon tanks — about $90–$140 per visit
- 120–180 gallon tanks — about $140–$220 per visit
- 220+ gallon and custom builds — quoted per system
Most residential clients are on a bi-weekly schedule. Commercial lobbies and waiting rooms are usually weekly. One-time deep cleans cost roughly 1.5–2× a regular visit because the tank is rarely in a state where 45 minutes will do.
What a real cleaning visit includes
If a quote is dramatically cheaper than the range above, look at what is being skipped. A proper visit should cover:
- Water test — ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, and (for planted tanks) GH/KH
- Glass cleaning — inside algae, outside polish, hood, light
- Substrate vacuuming — not just the visible top layer
- 25–40% water change with temperature- and pH-matched, dechlorinated water
- Filter service — rinse media in tank water, check impellers, inspect tubing
- Equipment check — heater, lights, CO2 if planted, pumps
- Livestock observation — flagging anything that looks off before it becomes a problem
- A written log so you (and the next tech) know what was done
A "$40 cleaning" almost never includes the last four. Those are where tanks actually live or die.
What drives the price
- Tank size — bigger tanks = more water to haul, longer service window
- Tank type — planted and African cichlid tanks need more attention than community tanks
- Frequency — bi-weekly is cheaper per visit than monthly because the tank stays in a steady state
- Access — wall-mounted, in-cabinet, and second-floor installs add time
- Travel — drive time outside our standard service radius gets folded in
How frequency changes the math
The biggest cost lever is how often we come, not how long we stay. A monthly visit on a tank that needs bi-weekly almost always costs more in the long run — algae blooms, replaced livestock, and emergency calls add up faster than two routine visits.
For most healthy freshwater displays in Florida (warm rooms, hard water), we recommend:
- Community freshwater — every 2 weeks
- Planted / high-tech — every 2 weeks, sometimes weekly
- Commercial / lobby tanks — weekly
- Low-stock, mature systems — every 3–4 weeks is sometimes fine
What it should not cost
- A "free" cleaning bundled with a contract you cannot cancel
- A flat $200+ per visit on a 40-gallon community tank
- Anything quoted before someone actually looks at the tank or asks questions
If a price feels off in either direction, ask what is included. A good aquarium service will walk you through it without flinching.
Getting an accurate quote
We quote per system, not per gallon. If you send us a photo of your tank, the dimensions, and what livestock you have, we can usually give you a real number the same day — no in-home visit required.
Ready to stop guessing? Get a quote and we will walk you through what your tank actually needs.