Cleaning

[courtanee]

Has anyone had good success with those gravel vacs that have the self start pump thing? The squeezeable thing. Lol great description I know. I have a tall 4 gallon cylinder tank that's housing my betta after he decided to kill my favorite male guppy while I was at work. Le sigh. It works until it doesnt right? Anyways. Its pretty tall but very narrow. Using thw traditional gravel vac wouldnt work with this narrow tank. Any suggestions on getting to the bottom?

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[dalto]

The little pumps just help you get it started. They won't really affect the vacuuming itself.

You could try a python but that would be a different setup altogether.

 

[courtanee]

I already have a python, but sadly my new house doesnt have any threads in faucets!!!!!! Just awful. If the squeeze things start the siphon process that's all I really need. Its the start process I cant get started with the standard ones.

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[azmodan]

Has anyone had good success with those gravel vacs that have the self start pump thing? The squeezeable thing. Lol great description I know. I have a tall 4 gallon cylinder tank that's housing my betta after he decided to kill my favorite male guppy while I was at work. Le sigh. It works until it doesnt right? Anyways. Its pretty tall but very narrow. Using thw traditional gravel vac wouldnt work with this narrow tank. Any suggestions on getting to the bottom?

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Yup, they're great. Just squeeze 4-5 times in succession and let the (edit: gravel vac) sucking begin!

 

[evil Nick]

I already have a python, but sadly my new house doesnt have any threads in faucets!!!!!! Just awful. If the squeeze things start the siphon process that's all I really need. Its the start process I cant get started with the standard ones.

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battery vac?

 

[Mattyfelts]

am i the only the one that sucks the tube on mine to start it still haha...

 

[sinibotia]

am i the only the one that sucks the tube on mine to start it still haha...

Nah, I still do that too

 

[PB_Smith]

I submerge the vac end and let it fill with water, (not the entire thing, just the "business" end), the hose end should be in whatever container you are using, then just slightly lift the vac end up and out above the water surface and it should start flowing then just put the vac back under the water and viola'

The tricky part of that is if you have enough room/clearance in the tank to fit the vac end in sideways to fill it.
getting the timing right takes a little practice, but once you have it down, you will never have another mouthful of fish water again!


(wish I had some pics, it really is the fastest and easiest way to start a siphon with a gravel vac.)

 

[Masha]

I help clean the tanks at the Two Oceans aquarium, and some of those creatures are super dirty (kelp lice!) The aquarists showed me a trick to prevent yourself ending up with a mouth-full of poop, which is to put the end of the siphon against your shirt collar, and suck through that. You still get salt water, but at least a bit cleaner

 

[Delapool]

I help clean the tanks at the Two Oceans aquarium, and some of those creatures are super dirty (kelp lice!) The aquarists showed me a trick to prevent yourself ending up with a mouth-full of poop, which is to put the end of the siphon against your shirt collar, and suck through that. You still get salt water, but at least a bit cleaner

The mind boggles

 

[sinibotia]

I've always thought a bit of "nasty" aquarium water in the mouth builds character If it's so nasty you don't want to do it, or you worry about your health, then your tank is too dirty

 

[Delapool]

Lol - still think I'll stick with the PB_Smith method. The taste must be awful?!

 

[sinibotia]

I tend to change my water so often that I prettymuch never get water in my mouth anyway, from practice. And when it does happen it may as well be tap water for how often I do water changes anyway

 

[Masha]

I've always thought a bit of "nasty" aquarium water in the mouth builds character If it's so nasty you don't want to do it, or you worry about your health, then your tank is too dirty

You should see the skate and ray tank in the mornings...no ways that stuff goes near my mouth.

More seriously though, I wish the Two Oceans had some of those siphons you can pump to get going. The scoop method isn't really practical with most of the tanks they have. Most are either so tiny you just can't do it, (siphon tube is longer than the tank width) or they're really huge, so the siphon tube is almost as tall as I am, so no ways that's going to work, either!

 

[sinibotia]

You should see the skate and ray tank in the mornings...no ways that stuff goes near my mouth.

More seriously though, I wish the Two Oceans had some of those siphons you can pump to get going. The scoop method isn't really practical with most of the tanks they have. Most are either so tiny you just can't do it, (siphon tube is longer than the tank width) or they're really huge, so the siphon tube is almost as tall as I am, so no ways that's going to work, either!

Oh yeah, big carnivrous fish are another story entirely. Even after 1 day I wouldnt want that water in my mouth.

 

[RussSerio]

Bought one at the local hdwr store that is meant for gasoline. 3-4 pumps and its going fine. Has a stop flow valve on the top of the bulb. Cost me about $7. Has lasted 4 yrs so far.

 

[trennamw]

Your faucets probably do have threads, but you might have to unscrew something to find them. I have a portable washing machine that hooks to bathroom sinks and have found there are always threads. Just grab whatever is there with some pliers and twist. Plumbing supply stores can help with adapters.


Sent from my iPhone with three hands tied behind my back.

 

[courtanee]

Yeah I wish they did. But 100% they dont have threads.
To the dip and create siphon post, the issue here is that there isn't enough space to tip it up and then maneuver it down to actually clean the bottom. Pretty annoying....
Im gonna get one of those self start pumps! They sounds pretty awesome

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