Need better way to clean gravel

[GoldeenTrix9898]

I have a planted betta tank. Because there are so many plants in there, and the fact that it's a 5 gallon, I cannot find a gravel vacuum that's small enough to reach between the nooks and crannies of my plants. So I took a turkey baster, cut a hole in the top, and glued in a small tube. I now use this as a manual gravel cleaner. I suck up the water, hold it, and then remove it from the tank and let it flow into a bucket. It works, however, because I need to constantly suck and release, suck and release, I get mouthfuls of dirty gravel poop water very often. I'm all for keeping my betta tank as clean as possible, but I just don't want to constantly have to taste poop water. Do any of you have a better way?


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[GoldeenTrix9898]

Forgot about this.



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[Mattfinn]

Do a similar thing but make the hose a larger diameter, it allows for more pressure. If theres enough pressure then the water should just keep flowing.

 

[GoldeenTrix9898]

Do a similar thing but make the hose a larger diameter, it allows for more pressure. If theres enough pressure then the water should just keep flowing.

Hmmmm, so if I bought a gravel vacuum, detached the large thingy at the end, and glued it to the turkey baster, that would work?


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[Mattfinn]

Hmmmm, so if I bought a gravel vacuum, detached the large thingy at the end, and glued it to the turkey baster, that would work?


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Save the money and go to a hardware store get the tubing for cheap. Don't glue it just make the hole slightly slightly smaller.

 

[GoldeenTrix9898]

Save the money and go to a hardware store get the tubing for cheap. Don't glue it just make the hole slightly slightly smaller.

Good point, totally forgot that tubing isn't exactly rare Lol. I think I'll hunt around my house first though, if I remember correctly, my grandpa has some plumbing equipment lying around, maybe he'll have some tubes I can borrow.


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[GoldeenTrix9898]

I just tried it, the flow was so strong it sucked all my gravel up up and away. Haha, well I suppose that's one way to clean the tank. I'll be rinsing the gravel with old tank water and sprinkling it back in.


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[PerfectDepth]

I just tried it, the flow was so strong it sucked all my gravel up up and away. Haha, well I suppose that's one way to clean the tank. I'll be rinsing the gravel with old tank water and sprinkling it back in.


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This generally happens with the smaller diameter gravel vacs, too. To keep it from sucking the gravel into the bucket, I just kink the tubing to control the flow with my other hand while vacuuming. Another option would be to add a ball valve to slow down the flow.

Also, if your tank is heavily planted, you shouldn't have to worry about cleaning the gravel too thoroughly. It's good practice to disturb the roots as little as possible, plus the stuff that settles into the gravel fertilizes the plants. Usually I just wave the siphon around near the substrate to kick up any visible detritus that has settled to the bottom. Adding more circulation with a powerhead or a stronger filter will prevent stuff from settling so the filter can take care of it instead.

 

[GoldeenTrix9898]

This generally happens with the smaller diameter gravel vacs, too. To keep it from sucking the gravel into the bucket, I just kink the tubing to control the flow with my other hand while vacuuming. Another option would be to add a ball valve to slow down the flow.

Also, if your tank is heavily planted, you shouldn't have to worry about cleaning the gravel too thoroughly. It's good practice to disturb the roots as little as possible, plus the stuff that settles into the gravel fertilizes the plants. Usually I just wave the siphon around near the substrate to kick up any visible detritus that has settled to the bottom. Adding more circulation with a powerhead or a stronger filter will prevent stuff from settling so the filter can take care of it instead.

I originally didn't clean the gravel very often, but I noticed detritus worms in my gravel, and snail poop was accumulating so I decided to bump up gravel cleaning frequencies.

I don't dare do anything drastic to my tank right now, my betta seems very change sensitive, I turned off the bubbler for a day and he started biting his tail and his tail was shredded. I turned it back on and he stopped. I don't want to tempt fate by increasing the current. He's still healing.


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[PerfectDepth]

I originally didn't clean the gravel very often, but I noticed detritus worms in my gravel, and snail poop was accumulating so I decided to bump up gravel cleaning frequencies.

I don't dare do anything drastic to my tank right now, my betta seems very change sensitive, I turned off the bubbler for a day and he started biting his tail and his tail was shredded. I turned it back on and he stopped. I don't want to tempt fate by increasing the current. He's still healing.


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Ah, right. Somehow I missed that it's a betta tank. He definitely wouldn't appreciate a stronger current.

 

[Mattfinn]

Powered gravel vacuum for aquariums

I stumbled upon this, this morning. Thinking of doing something like it for my tank seeing as I don't need the powerhead for my killi tank anymore.

 

[GoldeenTrix9898]

I don't think I'll need one of those, the new and improved turkey baster works pretty well now. No more poop water in mouth


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[Mattfinn]

I had a fiddle around today, ended up using am old salt grinder container thats about 4-5cm in diameter. Attached it no worries and then i messed around with the powerhead, just have to make sure i get all air out of the tubing.

its all easy to modify and change around so that i can also fill the tank with 4 meters of tubing i got today.

 

[GoldeenTrix9898]

I'm not good with building stuff. It amazes me how people like you can just make stuff out of nothing. If it can't be done with scissors, knives, or glue, I can't do it without step by step instructions.


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[Mattfinn]

i only use a knife, scissors, pliers, lighter and tape all easy to use for a 17 yr old. Ive been fiddling with knives and things for a years, i make my own fishing lures.... the metal clamp things you can see around the powerhead i found in the shed out back. most things my dad has and I use.

 

[GoldeenTrix9898]

My dad has a "girls can't work with tools" thing going on, so he doesn't usually let me mess with his toolbox or his supply of stuff in the closet. So instead I mess with computers and games. Not anything really specific, I just like to see just how much I can do with a computer and Google. I'm now the go to person for electronics in my house.

How do you work with fish tanks on a carpet though. I make a hell of a mess every time I do maintenance, It'd be soggy carpet everywhere if my room had carpet.


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[Mattfinn]

My dad has a "girls can't work with tools" thing going on, so he doesn't usually let me mess with his toolbox or his supply of stuff in the closet. So instead I mess with computers and games. Not anything really specific, I just like to see just how much I can do with a computer and Google. I'm now the go to person for electronics in my house.

How do you work with fish tanks on a carpet though. I make a hell of a mess every time I do maintenance, It'd be soggy carpet everywhere if my room had carpet.


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simple i have to lay a towel down

i have had one accident were i siphoned 50Litres out of my tank on to the floor...bed and everything was soggy

 

[GoldeenTrix9898]

I watched my betta do something hilarious today. My shrimp seem to have learned that if they see the fish eating, they can come and grab some leftovers too. So my betta was gulping down bloodworms and one RCS decided to take the plunge and came shooting out of the hornwort towards a bloodworm that my betta missed. The betta found the bloodworm at the last second and did a 180 to eat it. His tail whipped around and slapped the shrimp right back onto the hornwort, it was so random and sudden I burst out laughing.


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[Mattfinn]

I watched my betta do something hilarious today. My shrimp seem to have learned that if they see the fish eating, they can come and grab some leftovers too. So my betta was gulping down bloodworms and one RCS decided to take the plunge and came shooting out of the hornwort towards a bloodworm that my betta missed. The betta found the bloodworm at the last second and did a 180 to eat it. His tail whipped around and slapped the shrimp right back onto the hornwort, it was so random and sudden I burst out laughing.


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Thats awesome! I have only been able to find two rcs today... thinking one has been eaten going to try and con a few out of my neighbour i need more cover for them to hide in though... just a bit to exposed i think at the moment...more moss and subwassertang...

 

[GoldeenTrix9898]

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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