Tank Cleaner / Pebble Vac Etc

[Timmy_Bee]

Hi,

I just upgraded from a 60l to 180l tank, and the idea of doing big water changes sounds quite tedious! I was wondering if anyone has got any good products they could advice. I really want a battery powered sucker if such thing exists

I have been looking at the DIY python pages, and that sounds tempting but it seems a lot of people cant get great suction from this.

Any suggestions would be great

 

[anwhyte]

use a 5litre bucket, it wont take long.

 

[Gvilleguy]

Would it help if you divided the gravel cleaning into segments? I have a 98 liter with a small siphon and 12 liter bucket. Each week I siphon off two buckets of water and that gives me time to vacuum about half the tank bottom. So half of my tank gravel gets cleaned each week. This seems to be enough to keep it very clean and keep nitrates managed.

 

[Timmy_Bee]

Fair enough. So your all in favour of using good old fashioned gravity and not messing about.

Im gunna need a bigger bucket...

 

[Gvilleguy]

There might be good power options out there - I'm just a beginner and was keeping cost down while I get into this aquarium keeping stuff!

 

[Theplayboy]

Have a look at this

http/www.charterhouse-aquatics.co.uk/catalog/eheim-vacuum-cleaner-battery-powered-p-971.html?osCsid=660bcbb76e776550b6555096794a47b1

or this

http/www.charterhouse-aquatics.co.uk/catalog/underworld-power-hangon-gravel-cleaner-p-1689.html

Is this what your looking for?

 

[Timmy_Bee]

Yeah they look good. Do you have one? or used one?

How often wiould you need to do a proper water change if you used these?

Also - off topic - but when you use de-chlorine [sp] stuff, do you have to mix it with the water your adding back in? or can you just put it straight into the tank? like in front of the water outlet from the filter so it mixes about?

 

[OldMan47]

You can add dechlorinator either way Timmy. If you add it to the bucket, you add enough for the bucket. If you add it to the tank you add enough for the whole tank. I prefer mine in the bucket while I am filling. By the time the bucket is full the dechlorinator is well mixed.