Need better way to clean gravel

[Mattfinn]

Use hornwort, it's an amazing hiding place for these guys. I have 12 and they are still going strong. It's just dense enough to stop the betta from getting to them but loose enough for you to still see them. Remember that my betta really doesn't care about them, though, so he makes no effort to get to them. A determined betta might be able to push apart the hornwort and squeeze in. My RCS use the hornwort as a kind of home base, they'll explore the rest of the tank to nom on food but will always return to the hornwort.


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I just pulled up a heap of java moss and subwassertang (rom god knows where) which I attached to some rocks which are part of the scape. Now to just wait till it grows in...
I'm trying to not use bushy plants like hornwort and such, this tank started out as a crypt only tank with a river stream feel.Ive since added lace fern as well as the two mosses and sword but it still goes with the theme I'm aiming for.

Just realised how off topic we are...

 

[GoldeenTrix9898]

I just pulled up a heap of java moss and subwassertang (rom god knows where) which I attached to some rocks which are part of the scape. Now to just wait till it grows in...

I'm trying to not use bushy plants like hornwort and such, this tank started out as a crypt only tank with a river stream feel.Ive since added lace fern as well as the two mosses and sword but it still goes with the theme I'm aiming for.



Just realised how off topic we are...

Back to the topic at hand then hehe. I just dismantled the turkey baster vacuum. I decided to get a cheap gravel vacuum at the store, and directly connected the tube to the clear part of the turkey baster. Now I can control the flow with the pump thing it has at the end. The too strong flow was good for cleaning the gravel, but it caused the gravel to get stuck in the tubing and it clogged very often.

My hornwort is so bushy it literally takes up a fourth of my tank. My betta loves sleeping on it though, it's bushy enough to hold him just under the water surface. I might need to trim it soon, it's hogging the light and my sword isn't liking that.


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[GoldeenTrix9898]

I keep forgetting...


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[Mattfinn]

I guess it is easier buying it eventually, built to last and all. The hand pump is a good idea too, solves the risk of my impeller burning out if the water isn't coming through, you've got me thinking again...

I'm using fluvial stratum as a substrate in my main planted tank and had no issues with sucking any up, I did note that I had to go really close to the substrate to get any lift though. Maybe more pressure... I'll have a fiddle today and try it out on sand.

I also didn't mention but I got enough tubing to go from my bathroom to my tank, which is sweet because it took me like 5 minutes to fill the tank back up after taking 20L out

My tank is fairly open as the crypts grow flatter, the sword is growing slowly but getting there, just need the moss now to take on. Might try some vals or a crypt balansae to come up onto the surface.

 

[GoldeenTrix9898]

I guess it is easier buying it eventually, built to last and all. The hand pump is a good idea too, solves the risk of my impeller burning out if the water isn't coming through, you've got me thinking again...

I'm using fluvial stratum as a substrate in my main planted tank and had no issues with sucking any up, I did note that I had to go really close to the substrate to get any lift though. Maybe more pressure... I'll have a fiddle today and try it out on sand.

I also didn't mention but I got enough tubing to go from my bathroom to my tank, which is sweet because it took me like 5 minutes to fill the tank back up after taking 20L out

My tank is fairly open as the crypts grow flatter, the sword is growing slowly but getting there, just need the moss now to take on. Might try some vals or a crypt balansae to come up onto the surface.

I use a bucket to carry water from my bathroom to my tank. It's not that inconvenient because even if I do a 100% water change, it's only a bucket. 5 gallon tank perks LOL.

My substrate is some mystery substrate. Goldfish market sells substrate by the pound. They have it in buckets and you scoop and weigh your own. No brands as far as I know. My substrate is black and individual grains are about 2mm across. Looks kinda like shiny crushed black glass, but isn't sharp at all. It's very light though, so a little bit of suction and it comes flying up the tube.

You could try the banana plant. I forgot what it's actually called. I heard Betta's love to lounge on them. The lily pad look goes with your stream theme and it grows pretty tall.

Sometimes all we need is a few extra bubbles

 

[Mattfinn]

I use a bucket to carry water from my bathroom to my tank. It's not that inconvenient because even if I do a 100% water change, it's only a bucket. 5 gallon tank perks LOL.

My substrate is some mystery substrate. Goldfish market sells substrate by the pound. They have it in buckets and you scoop and weigh your own. No brands as far as I know. My substrate is black and individual grains are about 2mm across. Looks kinda like shiny crushed black glass, but isn't sharp at all. It's very light though, so a little bit of suction and it comes flying up the tube.

You could try the banana plant. I forgot what it's actually called. I heard Betta's love to lounge on them. The lily pad look goes with your stream theme and it grows pretty tall.

Sometimes all we need is a few extra bubbles

I use a bucket for taking the water out, shorter the hose the more pressure so it all goes in there. Don't have to carry it to the bathroom, just dump out my window haha.

Sounds like a quartz or blasting sand, that would be super convenient though just being able to grab it like that. I know what you mean about the banana plant, every one i see for sale is fairly rotten though.

 

[GoldeenTrix9898]

I use a bucket for taking the water out, shorter the hose the more pressure so it all goes in there. Don't have to carry it to the bathroom, just dump out my window haha.



Sounds like a quartz or blasting sand, that would be super convenient though just being able to grab it like that. I know what you mean about the banana plant, every one i see for sale is fairly rotten though.

There's a playground directly next to my building so lot's of neighbors and random kids down there. If I dumped water out the window, it would fall 18 floors down and possibly knock somebody out cold. Not exactly a very good way to say hi.

I don't think it's blasting sand, could be quartz though, I scooped a cup from my bucket and took a pic.

That's too bad about the banana plant, I always thought they were cool as heck but I found out about them after I had already finished planting my tank, so no more space. The specimens here are small, but all very healthy looking. Have you tried ordering online?



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[Mattfinn]

There's a playground directly next to my building so lot's of neighbors and random kids down there. If I dumped water out the window, it would fall 18 floors down and possibly knock somebody out cold. Not exactly a very good way to say hi.

I don't think it's blasting sand, could be quartz though, I scooped a cup from my bucket and took a pic.

That's too bad about the banana plant, I always thought they were cool as heck but I found out about them after I had already finished planting my tank, so no more space. The specimens here are small, but all very healthy looking. Have you tried ordering online?
View attachment 270084


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Thats a good point I guess I'm lucky haha

Looks like caribsea tahitan moon sand or something similar

 

[GoldeenTrix9898]

Thats a good point I guess I'm lucky haha



Looks like caribsea tahitan moon sand or something similar

This counts as sand? I always thought this was still rather coarse. But one bag of fertilized sand here is like ten times more expensive than this shiny stuff I have, and will set you back 50 USD or more. That's why I just chose to use root tabs.

Is it normal that my shrimp sometimes nibble the root tabs? When I'm vacuuming I sometimes accidentally stir up the gravel and expose one. Couple minutes later shrimp are nibbling it.


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[cntrygirl]

I got a sterile syringe out of my med box. I have a lot of livestock so it's not uncommon to have these everywhere. You can get them at any farm/ feed store. I pulled the plunger out. I then stuck some extra tubing where the needle would go. There is a cheap,easy, small gravel vaccum. The syringe was no more than a dollar. Tubing was not being used but I'm sure it's no more than 10 bucks for a bunch of it... Can post pics of mine tommorrow.

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[GoldeenTrix9898]

I got a sterile syringe out of my med box. I have a lot of livestock so it's not uncommon to have these everywhere. You can get them at any farm/ feed store. I pulled the plunger out. I then stuck some extra tubing where the needle would go. There is a cheap,easy, small gravel vaccum. The syringe was no more than a dollar. Tubing was not being used but I'm sure it's no more than 10 bucks for a bunch of it... Can post pics of mine tommorrow.

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That's....actually a pretty genius idea. I wonder if my teacher will let me have a syringe from the lab. They have like this giant cupboard filled with syringes.


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[jac_france]

What about this?

Hi there

Dennerle do a nano tank sucker-upper thing. Because most gravel cleaners are so big, by the time you've cleaned one small section of gravel in a nano, you've already emptied 50% of the water! And that's if you can get it between the plants in the first place the base is so big.

Not sure if you can get it where you are, but you never know - here's a youtube review of it. I bought one and it does a good job. Can get easily clogged up with larger bits of dirt or moss at the top of the tube, but it works well for one change and is easily dismantled to get the dirt out for next time... not particularly cheap, but wouldn't be without mine
Jackie

 

[cntrygirl]

Here's my gravel cleaner for my betta tanks. Ignore the red lipstick. I was using that hose to blow air into my tanks during a power outage. Be cautious using used syringes because who knows what they were used for.

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[Mattfinn]

Hi there

Dennerle do a nano tank sucker-upper thing. Because most gravel cleaners are so big, by the time you've cleaned one small section of gravel in a nano, you've already emptied 50% of the water! And that's if you can get it between the plants in the first place the base is so big.

Not sure if you can get it where you are, but you never know - here's a youtube review of it. I bought one and it does a good job. Can get easily clogged up with larger bits of dirt or moss at the top of the tube, but it works well for one change and is easily dismantled to get the dirt out for next time... not particularly cheap, but wouldn't be without mine
Jackie

thats a great idea, for my smaller tanks I've setup so i have a bit of pipe (about 5") attached to the powerhead previously mentioned in posts and then i have an old sock tied to the powerhead outlet. Basically a vacuum and the water goes back into the tank. Its time consuming but on small tanks like 5 and 10 gallons its easier, then losing all your water.

country girl i have tried the syringe in the past but i found i didn't get enough flow or pressure out of it as the holes are quite small...Does it work good for you?

 

[azmodan]

Alternatively you could remove your betta for a short while and then add an extra filter or powerhead and run it at full blast. As long as there aren't any dead spots the extra flow should stir up and move any detritus that has collected. Filter floss in your filter should do the rest.

 

[GoldeenTrix9898]

Alternatively you could remove your betta for a short while and then add an extra filter or powerhead and run it at full blast. As long as there aren't any dead spots the extra flow should stir up and move any detritus that has collected. Filter floss in your filter should do the rest.

My betta is very sensitive to change and I'm already dealing with his fin biting problem, while not a bad idea, I think it's best that I don't move him around too much for now.


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[trennamw]

I use the tubing off the gravel vac for my big tank. It'd work with any store bought vac. For instance get the one with the 1/2" tubing and the blue bulb and just disconnect the big sucker tube.

Mine is basically just a length of 1/2" or 3/8" tube, nothing more, and I've gotten good at starting the siphon without drinking tank water.


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