cleaning gravel

karatechic007 · 02-02-2005, 02:16 PM

how can i clean my gravel out? i have a 15 gallon tank and 2 albino cories in it ( along with 6 other fish) but the cories dont clean up much of the bottom...how can i get all the crap and extra food out of the gravel?

gate113 · 02-02-2005, 02:23 PM

Well I haven't used it yet, but I bought a syphon tube. It sucks out dirt and old food that is at the bottom of the tank. It syas its strong enough to suck up the dirt, but wont suck up the gravel. Hope this helps!

Lexus · 02-02-2005, 02:32 PM

ya the most common thing is a syphon. which you can get at a walmart or pet store.

aquariumfishguy · 02-02-2005, 02:39 PM

A gravel vacuum is essentially a siphon tool. Don't let fancy terms confuse you, it's all the same thing.

karatechic007 · 02-02-2005, 03:57 PM

i have been using a tube to siphon out some water when i do water changes, but it seems like that would suck up the gravel too....i guess just put it close to the gravel and it will suck up the stuff?

joe kool · 02-02-2005, 05:42 PM

a "gravel vac" is a darger diameter rigid tube connected to a smaller diameter flexable tube which "tumbles" the gravel removing all the debries while letting the gravel fall back to the aquarium floor when the rigid tube is lifted

I replied to your PM ... hope it helped!

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maxpayne_lhp · 02-02-2005, 05:44 PM

I really need one now. mAybe my friend will purchase me soon, The ground bed is so filthy >_<

aquariumfishguy · 02-02-2005, 07:04 PM

They're pretty cheap too. You can get them starting at just a few dollars (U.S. $). Or you could get the more expensive brand name ones, called the Python. It depends on what you’re willing to pay, and what you really need it for (aquarium size, fish, plants, etc.)

brandonschnupp · 02-02-2005, 08:08 PM

has anyone ever used a "vaccum" thta cleans the gravel without taking out the water? i was looking for one but i cant find anything.

icp · 02-02-2005, 08:18 PM

i have used to different type of gravel cleaning vac's that dont take out the water and neither worked very well

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...?N=2004+113165

brandonschnupp · 02-02-2005, 08:42 PM

hey thanks a lot ICP..

maxpayne_lhp · 02-02-2005, 09:19 PM

The price for shopping may cost more than the vac cleaner itself!

aquariumfishguy · 02-03-2005, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brandonschnupp @ Wed Feb 02, 2005 10:08 pm

has anyone ever used a "vaccum" thta cleans the gravel without taking out the water? i was looking for one but i cant find anything.

I’ve never used these, and cannot see their practicality either. You still have to do water changes, preferably once a week, so why not kill two birds with one stone?

icp · 02-03-2005, 06:50 PM

i was guna use it for my discus so i could clean it every day + 2 times weekly water change....

maxpayne_lhp · 02-03-2005, 08:48 PM

[quote="aquariumfishguy @ Fri Feb 04, 2005 3:52 am"]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brandonschnupp @ Wed Feb 02, 2005 10:08 pm

has anyone ever used a "vaccum" thta cleans the gravel without taking out the water? i was looking for one but i cant find anything.

I’ve never used these, and cannot see their practicality either. You still have to do water changes, preferably once a week, so why not kill two birds with one stone?[/quote

Hmm... there'll be nasty stuff traped deep down there.

Moonlight Fairy · 02-03-2005, 08:53 PM

I move around my gravel to break up everything that is stuck.. I gave up on gravel vacs because by the time it got everything good I had like 25% of my water left.. now I just move my gravel around and catch it in a cup for my water changes.. I feel the labor is more with it for clean gravel.

fishfreaks · 02-03-2005, 08:59 PM

i think the gravel vac workd quite well :P

Moonlight Fairy · 02-03-2005, 09:00 PM

some works wonders for others. =)

joe kool · 02-03-2005, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moonlight Fairy @ Thu 03 Feb, 9:53 pm

I move around my gravel to break up everything that is stuck.. I gave up on gravel vacs because by the time it got everything good I had like 25% of my water left.. now I just move my gravel around and catch it in a cup for my water changes.. I feel the labor is more with it for clean gravel.

Try doing half of the gravel (one side of the tank) the first water change then the other half/side the next water change. That allows you to "deep clean" the gravel and still not hurt your good bacteria colony too badly. I find this method very effective espicially in a tank with alot of rock structure like my african cichlid tanks. Move rocks to one side ... do the vac thing then stack them back up ... next change move the other sides rocks ... and vac away

Moonlight Fairy · 02-04-2005, 08:59 AM

i have tried all of that.. it still didnt work. Its hard to use them anyway because I live in a apt and i cut the hose because it would be to long and the water wouldnt come out and its stressful to me and I find my tank is cleaner than it ever has with me doing it the way I do.

02-02-2005, 02:16 PM	#1
karatechic007 Fishy Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 24	cleaning gravel how can i clean my gravel out? i have a 15 gallon tank and 2 albino cories in it ( along with 6 other fish) but the cories dont clean up much of the bottom...how can i get all the crap and extra food out of the gravel?

02-02-2005, 02:23 PM	#2
gate113 Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Queens - NYC Age: 26 Posts: 46	Re: cleaning gravel Well I haven't used it yet, but I bought a syphon tube. It sucks out dirt and old food that is at the bottom of the tank. It syas its strong enough to suck up the dirt, but wont suck up the gravel. Hope this helps!

02-02-2005, 02:32 PM	#3
Lexus Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Wisconsin Age: 22 Posts: 2,406	Re: cleaning gravel ya the most common thing is a syphon. which you can get at a walmart or pet store. __________________ 55 Gallon 2 Blood Parrots 2 Angelfish 1 Fantail Goldfish 46 Gallon 1 Albino Bristlenose 2 Angelfish 4 African Dwarf Frogs 4 Black Skirt Tetras 5 Zebra Danios 8 Tiger Barbs 9 Neon Tetras 13 Assorted Corys 29 Gallon 8 Daffodil Cichlids & fry 1 Electric Blue Crayfish 10 Gallon 2 Snails

02-02-2005, 02:39 PM	#4
aquariumfishguy Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Southern, Michigan Posts: 372	A gravel vacuum is essentially a siphon tool. Don't let fancy terms confuse you, it's all the same thing. __________________ Cory M.H. Care4fish.com - Closed See my forums for further details... Fish Forums: www.s4.invisionfree.com/Care4FishForums

02-02-2005, 03:57 PM	#5
karatechic007 Fishy Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 24	Re: cleaning gravel i have been using a tube to siphon out some water when i do water changes, but it seems like that would suck up the gravel too....i guess just put it close to the gravel and it will suck up the stuff?

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02-02-2005, 05:42 PM	#6
joe kool Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Age: 36 Posts: 572	Re: cleaning gravel a "gravel vac" is a darger diameter rigid tube connected to a smaller diameter flexable tube which "tumbles" the gravel removing all the debries while letting the gravel fall back to the aquarium floor when the rigid tube is lifted I replied to your PM ... hope it helped! [fade:8f25e2c240] [/fade:8f25e2c240] __________________ A conglomeration of cichlids from all over living happily in my "melting pot" of tanks. Breeding: currently nothing ... I'm sequestered in South Korea, "Osan" to be exact 2 days till I'm back in the states!!!! Florida to be exact, those Floridians have no idea what they're in for!! current Fry: see above tanks: 100, 55, 46 BF, 26 BF, 20L, 5 fry tank 20L planted with CRS is the only thing up (easy for the wife to care for in my stead)

02-02-2005, 05:44 PM	#7
maxpayne_lhp Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: West Michigan Age: 20 Posts: 2,174	I really need one now. mAybe my friend will purchase me soon, The ground bed is so filthy >_< __________________ ~Nam Nguyen~

02-02-2005, 07:04 PM	#8
aquariumfishguy Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Southern, Michigan Posts: 372	They're pretty cheap too. You can get them starting at just a few dollars (U.S. $). Or you could get the more expensive brand name ones, called the Python. It depends on what you’re willing to pay, and what you really need it for (aquarium size, fish, plants, etc.) __________________ Cory M.H. Care4fish.com - Closed See my forums for further details... Fish Forums: www.s4.invisionfree.com/Care4FishForums

02-02-2005, 08:08 PM	#9
brandonschnupp Fishy Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Subs. Of Chicago Posts: 22	has anyone ever used a "vaccum" thta cleans the gravel without taking out the water? i was looking for one but i cant find anything.

02-02-2005, 08:18 PM	#10
icp Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Las Vegas , Nv Posts: 160	Re: cleaning gravel i have used to different type of gravel cleaning vac's that dont take out the water and neither worked very well http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...?N=2004+113165

02-02-2005, 08:42 PM	#11
brandonschnupp Fishy Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Subs. Of Chicago Posts: 22	hey thanks a lot ICP..

02-02-2005, 09:19 PM	#12
maxpayne_lhp Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: West Michigan Age: 20 Posts: 2,174	The price for shopping may cost more than the vac cleaner itself! __________________ ~Nam Nguyen~

02-03-2005, 06:50 PM	#14
icp Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Las Vegas , Nv Posts: 160	Re: cleaning gravel i was guna use it for my discus so i could clean it every day + 2 times weekly water change.... __________________

02-03-2005, 08:53 PM	#16
Moonlight Fairy Fishy Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 12	I move around my gravel to break up everything that is stuck.. I gave up on gravel vacs because by the time it got everything good I had like 25% of my water left.. now I just move my gravel around and catch it in a cup for my water changes.. I feel the labor is more with it for clean gravel.

02-03-2005, 08:59 PM	#17
fishfreaks M&F Couple Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: PA Age: 21 Posts: 4,303	Re: cleaning gravel i think the gravel vac workd quite well :P __________________ VOTE FOR FISH FORUMS

02-03-2005, 09:00 PM	#18
Moonlight Fairy Fishy Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 12	some works wonders for others. =)

02-04-2005, 08:59 AM	#20
Moonlight Fairy Fishy Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 12	i have tried all of that.. it still didnt work. Its hard to use them anyway because I live in a apt and i cut the hose because it would be to long and the water wouldnt come out and its stressful to me and I find my tank is cleaner than it ever has with me doing it the way I do.

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