Cleaning Substrate Help

[NigelK8485]

Currently in my 150 I have a sand bottom and when I go to vacuum it I have the worst time being able to actually siphon out any solid waste. I have the Python system, both the 25 and 50 feet ones, and even with both my hot and cold water turned on at full blast there is not enough suction. I'll swirl the tube over the sand and the debris will go into the tube then just kind of float in there. Right now I'm having to collect as much as I can, flip the tube upside down and coax the material to get towards the hose in order to be removed. It's a common occurrence for the debris to just swirl right back out of the tube and spread all over my tank and in the water column. Does anybody have any ideas or suggestions on a better siphon just to vacuum the sand or to increase the suction? The tank is on the bottom level of the house and five feet out of the window is my pool which I really don't feel like draining into, so throwing the hose out the window to increase force isn't an option.


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[Mebbid]

The only thing I can think of to suggest is either increasing the flow rate in the aquarium so detritus doesn't settle down on the substrate or using one of the battery powered gravel vacs.

 

[enrgizerbunny]

You could always just a regular gravel vac/bucket to siphon the waste and finish with the python for the actual volume of the change.

When I siphon out the window in the summer time I have a noticeable loss in suction. My guess is due to the extra distance it has to travel before dropping, unlike the bucket where it goes up and then straight down about 5 feet.

 

[NigelK8485]

Yeah, I want to increase the flow rate. My spray bar gives me a great flow from the back to the front, kind of just a circular motion until debris hits a dead spot, but my intake of my filter is at one end of my tank. I'd like to add a powerhead to direct flow that way instead of just a circular path but my fish don't really like current and it's been quite the adjustment just getting them used to this.

I'm currently talking to someone who made a gravel vac using a powerhead though so hopefully he can tell me how he manages to do it without sucking up all his sand. I'm trying to just convince him to build one for me and let me buy it from him.


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[NigelK8485]

You could always just a regular gravel vac/bucket to siphon the waste and finish with the python for the actual volume of the change.

When I siphon out the window in the summer time I have a noticeable loss in suction. My guess is due to the extra distance it has to travel before dropping, unlike the bucket where it goes up and then straight down about 5 feet.

That's been my backup plan. Manually siphon, throw my pump in and drain the tank, then the python to finish it up with the refill.


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[Mebbid]

Cobalt Power Gravel Cleaner Hang On Aquarium Gravel Cleaner

Should be fairly easy to make one.

 

[NigelK8485]

Cobalt Power Gravel Cleaner Hang On Aquarium Gravel Cleaner



Should be fairly easy to make one.

I was about to say "f*** making it I'll just buy one" until I looked at the price. Looks like I'll be trying to figure out how to attach a siphon hose to a filter's intake. Awesome product though, thanks for that link.

The larger size mentions up to 125 gallons, you think it'd be an issue with my tank being larger than that?

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