Capillary Attraction

[brian1]

This may be a silly question, if you put 2 pieces of glass together and stand them in water, the water rises up causing, Capillary attraction,this is what's happened to my tank vac cleaner and I can't budge the inner tube to lengthen it to reach the tank floor, I should have dried it before putting it away...umph, any idea's on how to release it? It is plastic and don't want to crack it.........

 

[doresy]

I had one of those in the early days and the same happened to me! It was grit between the two tubes that got mine stuck.

With mine there was enough of the inner tube extended to grab hold of so I twisted the two tubes back and forth in opposite directions while also pulling apart. Slowly, with horrible grating noises the tubes extended until they separated.

TIP, if you are worried about crushing the tube while gripping it then try inserting something like a loosely fitting wine cork.

I now own a single tube gravel vac. that reaches the bottom of my tank

 

[brian1]

Thanks for that, yes, I can see the sand particals and it will not budge, been down to Wharfs aquatics, got some tubing that fits, see if I can use that?