Gravel Cleaning Question - Small Tank.

[rvijay07]

How can the gravel be cleaned for a 2G tank ? Is there a special gravel cleaner for this or is it just done manually ?

Thanks.

Vijay

 

[azn dreamer]

Gravel vaccum cleans the gravel pretty good

 

[rvijay07]

Is there a web-site for this product ? Thanks.

Vijay

 

[tkos]

You can buy them at walmart. They are just a siphone tube with a grate to block gravel from being sucked up. You use them during water changes.

 

[MicroFish]

I use a small gravel vacuum in mine but there is one problem (at least for me - I haven't figured out a way around it yet). I have to "start" the siphoning myself by sucking on the end of the tube to get it started.... the first time I did this, well... let's just say that fish water isn't very tasty to humans. LOL

Anyway, the problem was that the smaller tanks (we have 3 of them) don't allow me to get the whole gravel vacuum inside and "pump" it up and down like I can in the larger tank... I don't know why I can't get it to work w/ the smaller tanks, I'm sure there is a way, I just haven't been able to figure it out. But the gravel vacuums do work.

Sheila

 

[tkos]

I haven't figured it out either. But I am very good at avoiding a mouthful of of fish water now.

 

[shawmutt]

All you are trying to get by vacuuming the gravel is all the junk that settled in the gravel. I'd just use some airline tubing, about 3 or 4 feet so I'd have plenty of time to get it out of my mouth. Here's a trick for you: just suck enough to make water go up and over the tank, put your thumb over the end of the tubing, and move it over to the bucket (or glass for 20% of a 2 gallon ). Once the tubing is over the bucket, remove your thumb and let gravity do the rest.

 

[hisc1ay]

yeah, gravity is your friend. No need to drink.

-j

 

[tkos]

Oh I long since learned all of those tricks. But eventually your mind wanders and ..... 8O

 

[Guest]

But eventually your mind wanders and .....

Yup! especially if you are like me and normally do all your water changes on the same day, you are bound to drink a bit of tank water. What the heck, it ain't killt me yet!

 

[rvijay07]

I decided to convert this to a planted tank instead. No need for gravel cleaning at all. This is the best !!

Vijay

 

[sweetsuvvyb]

from the physicist....you don't need to use your mouth at all, if you fill the airline tubing with water (tap water will do...since none of it should actually go into the tank). Stick yer finger over the tube end, and since the vac end already has a pressure valve, it'll keep the other end closed. Shove the vac in, and yer good to go.

I usually just fill up the sink and dunk the hose in to fill it. I suppose if you're used to mouthin' it, this might seem like more work....but I see how much my pleco poops....I don't mind the effort

 

[rvijay07]

This is true. Specially, when you consider giving them live/freeze dried food such as worms etc., drinking old water with all this waste isn't a very healthy option.

Vijay

 

[TankGirl]

My tiny gravel vac for my 3-gal and 10-gal has a valve inside where the large end meets the flexible hose. I move the vac end up and down in the water and that action begins the syphon. I think this was a PetsMart thing but it was cheap. Looks like a typical gravel vac, otherwise, but contains a one-way valve. No more coiling hose in the tank to get it filled with water, no mouth-applied suction!

 

[sweetsuvvyb]

mine has the same thing (the one way valve), but it never worked like it was supposed to...moving it up and down only ever made waves in the tank, never started the siphon lol...I puzzled over it for awhile, then just shrugged and did it the "old fashioned" way

 

[Sponge Bob]

I have a Hagen Siphon Start with 10 Feet tubing. I use this to clean out my 2 Gal Hex

 

[TankGirl]

The valve will only work if it is below the water level, so if you shake it up and down you have to have it submerged beyond the point where the wide part meets the narrow tubing part.

 

[sweetsuvvyb]

right...the valve on mine is just overly sticky (hence the inexpensive factor)...so by the time i've fussed with it (i finally got it to work by stickin my hand and manually opening the valve...), it's usually just as messy as dunking the whole tube...

If I weren't so durned lazy, I would returned it for one that works

 

[rvijay07]

The valve will only work if it is below the water level, so if you shake it up and down you have to have it submerged beyond the point where the wide part meets the narrow tubing part.

No wonder I was having problems with my cleaner. Need to try this out next time.

Vijay

 

[edith]

Have you considered using a little pump to get the water started. I use a small bulb, like the ones used for clearing a babies nose. They are cheap and get the job done!