Vacumming Gravel Tank

[platyfish1]

Hi, every time we use the vacuum to clean the gravel in our tank the gravel gets swallowed up so we always just do a full tank clean...
Can anybody advise us the best method as I'm sure it needn't be this difficult?
Thank you

 

[micko]

I've never heard of a gravel vac doing this before. Are you using just a tube or an actual vac?

 

[KkAaNnEe]

Ive never heard of it being sucked up, your suppose to sort of wiggle it down into the substrate and then shake it about on the way up to get rid of the gravel, dont just push it in the gravel and leave it there lol

 

[platyfish1]

Ive never heard of it being sucked up, your suppose to sort of wiggle it down into the substrate and then shake it about on the way up to get rid of the gravel, dont just push it in the gravel and leave it there lol

Shows how much I know - I AM new to all this but I love my fish and their tank's not looking too good at the mo
It's like a syphon tube with a hand pump on it.... ??

 

[comocrayfish5]

do you mean that the gravel is being taken out of the tank by the vaccum?
heres how you vacuum:
start the syphon,
put it in the gravel and then lift, letting the gravel fall
do it multiple time until all of the gravel is clean

hope i helped!

 

[Athena]

If you do a search on youtube you will find quite a few demonstrations on how to use one properly, like this one (no it's not me - just a random pick from the list):

gravel vac

 

[KkAaNnEe]

Ive never heard of it being sucked up, your suppose to sort of wiggle it down into the substrate and then shake it about on the way up to get rid of the gravel, dont just push it in the gravel and leave it there lol

Shows how much I know - I AM new to all this but I love my fish and their tank's not looking too good at the mo
It's like a syphon tube with a hand pump on it.... ??

Is yours like this> http/www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=gravel+vacuum&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1440&bih=695&tbm=isch&tbnid=XaqToJJl_-aiiM:&imgrefurl=http/www.gadgettown.com/Aquarium-Siphon-Gravel-Vacuum-Cleaner-Pump-P48568.html&docid=q50Ga2Aae8e3KM&w=320&h=320&ei=n1YoTsKOG9Oq8QOEieWsAw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=515&page=3&tbnh=166&tbnw=161&start=52&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:52&tx=126&ty=116

Your better off getting one like this > http/www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=gravel+vacuum&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1440&bih=695&tbm=isch&tbnid=i8Tah2LGagtYjM:&imgrefurl=http/www.petmeister.com/cat32_1.htm&docid=gYQa_liM9WU3kM&w=190&h=121&ei=n1YoTsKOG9Oq8QOEieWsAw&zoom=1

 

[platyfish1]

do you mean that the gravel is being taken out of the tank by the vaccum?
heres how you vacuum:
start the syphon,
put it in the gravel and then lift, letting the gravel fall
do it multiple time until all of the gravel is clean

hope i helped!

Hi, I'm going to give it a try later but all other times I've been that slow that almost all of the water has left the tank too...... any more ideas?

 

[adamgreen240]

Sounds like there is too much water coming out. Maybe try to reduce the water flow coming out of the pipe slightly?

 

[Proxo]

If you do a search on youtube you will find quite a few demonstrations on how to use one properly, like this one (no it's not me - just a random pick from the list):

gravel vac

The music from this video reminded me of the godfather, don corleone fish tank cleaners!