Gravel Vacs

[markandhisfish]

pretty much as it says reaaly . mine is USELESS . my tank is 2 foot deep so i needed 1 with long tube. the 1 i got you basicly put it in the water and shake up and down to start thew syphon. this just stirs everything up into the water. then when it does get going because the tube is preety large diametr the suction is crap, it stirs up more than it picks up. any reccomendations?

 

[minxfishy]

A python

 

[MermaidMel]

If you get your suction going by holding the vac horizontally at the surface of the water rather than plunging up and down vertically, you avoid all that mushing about of said crud

 

[raptorrex]

pretty much as it says reaaly . mine is USELESS . my tank is 2 foot deep so i needed 1 with long tube. the 1 i got you basicly put it in the water and shake up and down to start thew syphon. this just stirs everything up into the water. then when it does get going because the tube is preety large diametr the suction is crap, it stirs up more than it picks up. any reccomendations?

i just put all the syphon into the tank. when it is full i block the "out" end with my thumb, and put it into the bucket, this starts the syphon. you could suck, to start the syphon, but i prefer the above. then i push the wide end of the syphon into the gravel, as i withdraw it, the gunk gets lifted. it has a wide tube on the "tank end" so it does not suck all your gravel up, during cleaning.

Though i have never used one, i hear the Eheim sludge extractor/gravel cleaner( battery operated) is worth a look. it is not used as part of the water change system, rather it is used on its own. there are some "air" powered cleaners around, i tried one and had no luck. but despite its cost(£29-49), people say the Eheim works well.

 

[markandhisfish]

pythons are expensive i want something cheap. will try that next time mel but easier said than done with a 2 foot tube toying with the idea of sand with loads of corys and malaysian trumpet snails let them clean it for me lol

may well take a look at the eheim 1

 

[raptorrex]

pythons are expensive i want something cheap. will try that next time mel but easier said than done with a 2 foot tube toying with the idea of sand with loads of corys and malaysian trumpet snails let them clean it for me lol

may well take a look at the eheim 1

not sure the Eheim will like sand, it may be too strong for it! people with them have noted that sand gets in the impeller. it seems to work with it. lets just say, its not the medium it cleans best!

 

[markandhisfish]

to be honest i doubt very much i will change to sand its just something id quite like . but the practicality of changing a 2 foot deep 100g fully stocked tank that stands around 4 to 5 foot tall on the cabinet removing all decor and existing substrate etc etc . #### that!!! not bothered too much if gravel vac acts in the water change or not can easily syphon witgh a hose . just does my head in that when i gravel vac the tank looks like ####e for an hour or 2 afterwards. my vac does get a fair bit of it up but leaves a lot behind too.

 

[flash22]

basic marina one does the trick i have one for each tank you can get a syphon bulb to save ya sucking on the pipe

 

[Inchworm]

Hi markandhisfish

For a tank that large, a python is a good investment and it will last for years. I don't know how I managed all those years before I got mine.

 

[markandhisfish]

not really worth spending money on the python as i wouldnt use it to return new water to the tank. i like to know my water is dechlorinated before it goes into the tank

 

[tibby25731]

I have the battery operated eheim, it is a good investment. Can usually find em on ebay for about £30. The whole thing can go underwater which makes it real easy to get to anywhere needed, whereas most battery operated ones have a level you cannot go past.

 

[markandhisfish]

yeah i have looked at those online just now and i rekon thats the 1 for me. so its fully submersible? that would be very handy indeed for getting in and around the mangrove roots

 

[tibby25731]

yup, fully submersible. only downside to this is emptying the thing, I always get my hands covered in fish poo! lol. but it is a good investment, I bought mine as I have a large pleco who does nothing but eat, sleep and poo so i use this on the gravel before i use my siphon, it takes a lot of the mess out for me.

 

[Inchworm]

not really worth spending money on the python as i wouldnt use it to return new water to the tank. i like to know my water is dechlorinated before it goes into the tank

That's something you never have to worry about if you add the dechlorinator to the tank just before you refill it. It mixes with the water very quickly and the movement of the filter or of the incoming water is enough to do the trick. It's just like adding a little milk to a cup of coffee.

 

[pippoodle]

to be honest i doubt very much i will change to sand its just something id quite like . but the practicality of changing a 2 foot deep 100g fully stocked tank that stands around 4 to 5 foot tall on the cabinet removing all decor and existing substrate etc etc . #### that!!! not bothered too much if gravel vac acts in the water change or not can easily syphon witgh a hose . just does my head in that when i gravel vac the tank looks like ####e for an hour or 2 afterwards. my vac does get a fair bit of it up but leaves a lot behind too.

all you'd have to do is really well clean the gravel in the tank
then remove the end of your syphone/vac
rinse the new sand well

then to add it to the tank spoon it into the top pf the tube from the gravel vac and point it where you want it to ge in your tank
you dont get any sand floating around the tank so no cloudy water and it goes where you want it to go

i know people say dont put sand over gravel but mine has worked perfectly with just a little top up needed where the sand has settled
i did it to my rio like this and at the weekend added the sand this way to my 2ft deep aquaone ar620t

i got the idea from driving past a building site and watching the rubble shoot

cheers sarah x