I need gravel vac help!!

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lyquidphyre

Aquarium Advice Addict
Joined
Nov 19, 2003
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Okay.. so stephen's dad found his box of aquarium stuff from years ago. There is a gravel vac in it. I have NO EARTHLY CLUE how to use it. Im gunna post pictures.. will someone please tell me how to use it *feels so stupid*
 
well if it's a gravel vac like what i have (i think most are the same but i can't really tell from your pictures) you put the larger end in your tank- it should be a hard plastic and the flexible hose part into a bucket and start a siphon. then just stick it down into your gravel and it will suck up poop and old food. the gravel will get sucked up a bit too but shouldn't actually get sucked into your waste bucket.

hth
 
Um...the first pic may have nothing to do with a vacuum. It looks EXACTLY like the frame to ay Lee sponge filter.
I bought anewer one and they have changed very little even!

Those pieces may have been in the same box
..but if you think about it how is that first piece going to help you keep a contact for a siphon or help move gravel but allow mulm capture..heh
Looks like the end was removed/lost from the vacuum so it could be used for something else, like maybe a plain siphon hose for tank draining...
 
The second pic looks like a gravel vac. The hose, which is loose and flexable, is connected to the gray plastic part that has a long inflexible clear plastic tube. Put the tube with the gray top in the water--make sure it is full of water. Submerge the rest of the hose in the tank and remove all air bubbles. Put your thumb over the hose end and take it from the tank--leaving the other piece in the tank. Put the flexible hose in the bucket, release and Viola! you now have a gravel vac!
I hope that made sense :eek:
 
Hehe. Christmasfish, that's exactly what I was thinking! It does look like a sponge filter frame!
 
This is how I use my gravel vac -- First I fasten the end that the dirty water comes out of into my bucket with the bucket clip. The bucket is placed on the floor. The bucket must be lower than the tank for the suction to start. I submerge the vac end (the long, inflexible tube) into the tank and get all the air out. Lift the tube straight up and and about halfway out of the tank water (open end of vac pointing up) and let some water go down the flexible tube. When the water starts to move down the tube, submerge it quickly in the tank again, and turn the end of the tube toward the gravel. Suction will start, and you can begin vaccing (is that a word?!)

My gravel vac is a mini Top Fin brand. It's only 6 inches long in the tube end. As long as you put the bucket lower than the tank, you should be able to start suction without submerging the whole vac and tube in the tank. Maybe this method will not work with the tube vacs that are much longer. Although I have a 5 gallon tank now, I used this method when I used to have a betta in a bowl. It was easier than trying to submerge the whole tubing into a one gallon bowl!
 
I just put the siphon end in the tank and suck on the other end, then put the hose in the bucket. I have only gotten a mouth full of fish water once. Maybe twice :)
 
Blech! : P

You know I hear fish poop has a lot of protein, well actually I hear that's why dogs eat poop if you can believe that. :p :p :p
 
If you hold your hand in a circular fashion around the end of the tube and suck on your hand, rather than on the end of the hose, you can see the water coming down the hose and shove it into your container, no water in the mouth.

Anyway, I agree that the two items in question do not actually go together, but hold onto that sponge filter frame!
 
<<If you hold your hand in a circular fashion around the end of the tube and suck on your hand, rather than on the end of the hose, you can see the water coming down the hose and shove it into your container, no water in the mouth.

Anyway, I agree that the two items in question do not actually go together, but hold onto that sponge filter frame! >>

Ooh. That's a good one. You are the Jedi Master. :tie:
 
hmmmm that tank water + unmentionable nasty stuff that comes out of the gravel is never good in your mouth............been there done that & also bucket clips!!! get one ive done the hose slips out of bucket tank water on floor routine too :D :D
 
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