Whats your favorite gravel vac?

[Aski247]

Any thoughts on this ?

http://m.petsmart.com/mt/www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2754084&f=PAD%2FpsNotAvailInUS%2FNo

That's the one I used to use, mine is the 18-20" one though. I pulled the little debris blocker out at the end of the hose that meets the tube though. Works great.

Now I'm using the python. It's also a must have for me when doing 2-300g worth a water changes a month.

 

[patrickriley2010]

That's the one I used to use, mine is the 18-20" one though. I pulled the little debris blocker out at the end of the hose that meets the tube though. Works great.

Now I'm using the python. It's also a must have for me when doing 2-300g worth a water changes a month.

I'm switching to sand so and making an area in the tank with some rocks that I just won't clean with that vacuum. But I'm considering one of the sink based hoses ! Does it work good with sand ? Is that over kill on a 20 and 26 gallon tank?

 

[Cactuspixie]

But the chlorine remover takes 15 minutes to work fully and your supposed to add it to the new water not just the tank? How does it not get into the filter

I have never heard that. Even before I started refilling directly from the tap, I never sat my water for 15 minutes before adding it.

I bought this gravel cleaner:
http://bit.ly/10sCzTK
Which connects to a regular garden hose. I either run it out to my garden, or into a drain.

Then I bought this:
http://www.gardena.com/au/water-management/hose-connectors/adapter-for-indoor-taps/
and connected a hose graded for drinking water to my kitchen tap to fill the tanks.

Before I connect the hose I get the water running to the correct temp (I know you're not supposed to use water from your hot water system, but there's no way I can warm 700 litres of cold tap water every week)
Before I turn the tap on, I pre dissolve my powdered dechlorinator and dump it rather unceremoniously into the tank.
I have got it down to a fine art now, where while the 1st tank is refilling, I'm emptying water from the next tank.

The other thing about my system which is not ideal, is that the hoses are used in all the tanks without sterilizing in between, so I run the risk of spreading any illnesses. (So far so good!)

 

[KimeeBee]

Ya but won't the chlorinated water that's being added back then kill beneficial bacteria!?

No...before adding water back into the tank:

1) You unplug your filter(s) and heater (which should have been done before you removed any water)
2) You add enough Prime to dechorinate the "entire volume of the tank" (not just the amount of water you are changing out.
3) You make sure the temperature of the water you are adding matches the temperature of the water already in the tank
4) You add water back to the tank using your Aqueon water changer.
5) You plug your filter(s) and heater back up.

All beneficial bacteria is preserved. Been doing it this way for years with no problems.

 

[simplicitysarah]

No...before adding water back into the tank:

1) You unplug your filter(s) and heater (which should have been done before you removed any water)
2) You add enough Prime to dechorinate the "entire volume of the tank" (not just the amount of water you are changing out.
3) You make sure the temperature of the water you are adding matches the temperature of the water already in the tank
4) You add water back to the tank using your Aqueon water changer.
5) You plug your filter(s) and heater back up.

All beneficial bacteria is preserved. Been doing it this way for years with no problems.

+1
exactly how I do it!

 

[Bdonaldson]

No...before adding water back into the tank:

1) You unplug your filter(s) and heater (which should have been done before you removed any water)
2) You add enough Prime to dechorinate the "entire volume of the tank" (not just the amount of water you are changing out.
3) You make sure the temperature of the water you are adding matches the temperature of the water already in the tank
4) You add water back to the tank using your Aqueon water changer.
5) You plug your filter(s) and heater back up.

All beneficial bacteria is preserved. Been doing it this way for years with no problems.

+ 2
That's what I do as well. Never had a problem.
I use the Python also. Love it. I hear it is coming back on the market.

 

[adkjoe]

I have a python and find it makes it really easy to fill the tank but the suction stinks. It doesn't have enough suction to clean my tank very well. anyone else have that problem? Is the Aqueon much better?

 

[patrickriley2010]

Is the aqueon water changer gravel cleaner over kill for a 20 and 26 gallon tank?

 

[Dizzydea]

Is the aqueon water changer gravel cleaner over kill for a 20 and 26 gallon tank?

I don't think so especially if you have multiple tanks, you never know, someday you'll want an even bigger tank. At least thats what always happens to me.

 

[patrickriley2010]

I don't think so especially if you have multiple tanks, you never know, someday you'll want an even bigger tank. At least thats what always happens to me.

Biggest worry is the tanks are on opposite sides of my apartment can adjust the water flow on like how fast it flows through? And does it work okay with sand?

 

[Aski247]

I'd have to agree with the python is overkill on anything under 50g. And truthfully you still need a siphon to pull tank water into a bucket to clean filter media.

 

[patrickriley2010]

That's the one I used to use, mine is the 18-20" one though. I pulled the little debris blocker out at the end of the hose that meets the tube though. Works great.

Now I'm using the python. It's also a must have for me when doing 2-300g worth a water changes a month.

What size do you think I should get for a 20 and 26 gallon tank?

They don't have recommendations on what size to use

 

[NYgiantsRP]

No...before adding water back into the tank:

1) You unplug your filter(s) and heater (which should have been done before you removed any water)
2) You add enough Prime to dechorinate the "entire volume of the tank" (not just the amount of water you are changing out.
3) You make sure the temperature of the water you are adding matches the temperature of the water already in the tank
4) You add water back to the tank using your Aqueon water changer.
5) You plug your filter(s) and heater back up.

All beneficial bacteria is preserved. Been doing it this way for years with no problems.

+3 haha. Follow these directions step by step and you will be all set.

 

[patrickriley2010]

+3 haha. Follow these directions step by step and you will be all set.

I don't think it's practical in my tank as of now 20 and 26 gallons

 

[Cactuspixie]

And truthfully you still need a siphon to pull tank water into a bucket to clean filter media.

I clean my filter media in a bucket of fresh treated tap water

 

[Coyne]

Biggest worry is the tanks are on opposite sides of my apartment can adjust the water flow on like how fast it flows through? And does it work okay with sand?

You can control the flow rate at the faucet.

 

[Aski247]

I clean my filter media in a bucket of fresh treated tap water

That's not a good way to do it, even if its treated you will lose BB, use dirty tank water to insure as little bb is lost as possible.

Not to mention it seems like a waste of prime if all your doing us cleaning the media then tossing the bucket.

I know it sounds dirty, but it really is the best way to go about it. Even dirty water isn't really dirty until you ring out them filter pads in it haha.

 

[patrickriley2010]

You can control the flow rate at the faucet.

But you don't think it's over kill for less than 30 gallons?

 

[Cactuspixie]

That's not a good way to do it, even if its treated you will lose BB, use dirty tank water to insure as little bob is lost as possible.

Not to mention it seems like a waste of prime if all your doing us cleaning the media then tossing the bucket.

I know it sounds dirty, but it really is the best way to go about it. Even dirty water isn't really dirty until you ring out them filter pads in it haha.

I don't see what difference it makes whether its old tank water or fresh tank water. Neither has chlorine in it so both ate safe for BB.

I buy seachem safe in bulk, so its economical and more convenient for me to be able to siphon the old tank water directly onto the garden rather than go back to messing around with buckets.

If its just the small internal sponge or power filters, i just scoop some water out of the tank to rinse them in, but if its the big canisters, its easier to fill a tub in the bathroom to rinse them.

Yeah, there's nothing quite like the muck that comes off a sponge filter when you bang it against the side of a tub! lol

 

[Aski247]

Sounds like ya gotta system down. So if it ain't broke don't fix it.