Cleaning A Huuuuuuuge Tank

[JonesyJ666]

Ive got a 6 x 2 x 2ft tank. Now the normal gravel cleaner i got doesnt work at its not long enough.
How else do you guys clean the substrate of a tank this big? i have sand btw
 
thank you 

 

[Wills]

You can buy the larger sized ones at most fish shops. I always find it hard to reach in to the bottom though once the tanks on the stand its sort of upto my shoulder so putting my arm is cant quite reach the bottom lol. I have one of those wooden steps from Ikea to help out - an no before anyone says it Im not short lol!
 
The other thing you can do with sand is get a stainless steel bbq fork or prong and stir up the substrate then suck up the crap that is released with just the hose part of the syphon.
 
Also an other tip on a big tank, use a hose to empty the tank so so so much quicker than buckets. I only recently started doing this and my life is better because of it
 
Wills

 

[Chad]

My tank is 6 feet x 24 inches x 30 inches. Here's what I did.
 
[media]http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=4f1AY5GhLVk[/media]

 

[Dskize]

Python ..best thing ever...bloody expensive though , changed the suction tube to a long 1inch tube and it picks up everything and makes refilling the tank easy.

 

[draxis]

Tcamos has the right idea but not the entire idea.  I made a post on this where I explained the process.
 
Attach a new hose on your gravel siphon (once you purchased a large enough siphon) and run the hose out the window - 20ft or 50ft however long you need.  This will get the water OUTSIDE and without a bucket or labor.  Next, get the attachment at Home Depot or Lowes that attaches to your sink to allow for a garden hose; then put conditior in tank as it fills up.  If it is saltwater, same process but skip the tap water.
 
For salt water get a 30 or larger gallon trash can and liners.  Place a liner in the trashcan, now you can either buy a  WATER TRANSFER PUMP or submersible pump.  The submersible pumps are 1/3 of the price but require being in water where the transfer pump stays dry.  The transfer pump requires a hose on each end, one in tank one in water and it transfers back and forth.  If you go this route, you can use this to clean your tank as well as it will not suck up gravel (it has a stopper) and the other end of the hose out the window.  If you use submersible you place it in your bucket at the bottom and fill your saltwater mix in it and then turn on pump to re-fill tank. 
 
30-70$ depending on sizes and type of pump.  Not too expensive.

 

[IonaMcCluskey]

love the idea of just getting a hose long enough to stick out the window LOL
ive been using a sack barra to humph it to the back door.

 

[Chad]

For water changes I have two brute trash cans. I use one to mix the new salt and the other, which is on wheels, to drain into. With the siphon in the video it drains out 35 gallons in a flash.
 
I then a small Maxi-Jet pump to return the water to the tank and the same pump to pump the old water into the bath tube.
 
The tub works great for me since I have permanent screens over the windows (keeps the desert heat and sun out).

 

[JonesyJ666]

Thanks for the info, just I gotta get a long syphon