# cleaning gravel



## karatechic007 (Jan 28, 2005)

how can i clean my gravel out? i have a 15 gallon tank and 2 albino cories in it ( along with 6 other fish) but the cories dont clean up much of the bottom...how can i get all the crap and extra food out of the gravel?


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## gate113 (Jan 31, 2005)

Well I haven't used it yet, but I bought a syphon tube. It sucks out dirt and old food that is at the bottom of the tank. It syas its strong enough to suck up the dirt, but wont suck up the gravel. Hope this helps!


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

ya the most common thing is a syphon. which you can get at a walmart or pet store.


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## aquariumfishguy (Jan 18, 2005)

A gravel vacuum is essentially a siphon tool. Don't let fancy terms confuse you, it's all the same thing.


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## karatechic007 (Jan 28, 2005)

i have been using a tube to siphon out some water when i do water changes, but it seems like that would suck up the gravel too....i guess just put it close to the gravel and it will suck up the stuff?


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## joe kool (Jan 24, 2005)

a "gravel vac" is a darger diameter rigid tube connected to a smaller diameter flexable tube which "tumbles" the gravel removing all the debries while letting the gravel fall back to the aquarium floor when the rigid tube is lifted

I replied to your PM ... hope it helped!


[fade:8f25e2c240] :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: [/fade:8f25e2c240]


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

I really need one now. mAybe my friend will purchase me soon, The ground bed is so filthy >_<


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## aquariumfishguy (Jan 18, 2005)

They're pretty cheap too. You can get them starting at just a few dollars (U.S. $). Or you could get the more expensive brand name ones, called the Python. It depends on what you’re willing to pay, and what you really need it for (aquarium size, fish, plants, etc.)


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## brandonschnupp (Jan 19, 2005)

has anyone ever used a "vaccum" thta cleans the gravel without taking out the water? i was looking for one but i cant find anything.


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## icp (Jan 18, 2005)

i have used to different type of gravel cleaning vac's that dont take out the water and neither worked very well :roll: :roll: 
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/NavResults.cfm?N=2004+113165


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## brandonschnupp (Jan 19, 2005)

hey thanks a lot ICP..


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

The price for shopping may cost more than the vac cleaner itself!


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## aquariumfishguy (Jan 18, 2005)

brandonschnupp @ Wed Feb 02 said:


> has anyone ever used a "vaccum" thta cleans the gravel without taking out the water? i was looking for one but i cant find anything.


I’ve never used these, and cannot see their practicality either. You still have to do water changes, preferably once a week, so why not kill two birds with one stone?


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## icp (Jan 18, 2005)

i was guna use it for my discus so i could clean it every day + 2 times weekly water change.... :mrgreen:


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

aquariumfishguy @ Fri Feb 04 said:


> brandonschnupp @ Wed Feb 02 said:
> 
> 
> > has anyone ever used a "vaccum" thta cleans the gravel without taking out the water? i was looking for one but i cant find anything.
> ...


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## Moonlight Fairy (Jan 31, 2005)

I move around my gravel to break up everything that is stuck.. I gave up on gravel vacs because by the time it got everything good I had like 25% of my water left.. now I just move my gravel around and catch it in a cup for my water changes.. I feel the labor is more with it for clean gravel.


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

i think the gravel vac workd quite well


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## Moonlight Fairy (Jan 31, 2005)

some works wonders for others. =)


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## joe kool (Jan 24, 2005)

Moonlight Fairy @ Thu 03 Feb said:


> I move around my gravel to break up everything that is stuck.. I gave up on gravel vacs because by the time it got everything good I had like 25% of my water left.. now I just move my gravel around and catch it in a cup for my water changes.. I feel the labor is more with it for clean gravel.



Try doing half of the gravel (one side of the tank) the first water change then the other half/side the next water change. That allows you to "deep clean" the gravel and still not hurt your good bacteria colony too badly. I find this method very effective espicially in a tank with alot of rock structure like my african cichlid tanks. Move rocks to one side ... do the vac thing then stack them back up ... next change move the other sides rocks ... and vac away :wink: 


:mrgreen: :mrgreen:


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## Moonlight Fairy (Jan 31, 2005)

i have tried all of that.. it still didnt work. Its hard to use them anyway because I live in a apt and i cut the hose because it would be to long and the water wouldnt come out and its stressful to me and I find my tank is cleaner than it ever has with me doing it the way I do.


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## brandonschnupp (Jan 19, 2005)

ok the reason i want he vaccum is because i cant suck all the crap out of my gravel by the time the water is 30% out.


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

Howabout thongs got stuck under the rock or bogwood? That's gonna be nasty! Should I remove them for the cleaning session and place them back?
Thankjs!


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## madmatrixz3000 (Feb 3, 2005)

Ok my experence with gravel cleaners is that they work better in larger tanks. Especially the pythons which are much better priced on Drs. Foster & Smith than anywhere else, even Ebay! So if you are looking for a good cheap Python look no farther than this link.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=3910&N=2004+113165


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## aquariumfishguy (Jan 18, 2005)

I use pythons on all aquariums over 20 gallons. I have continued to be amazed at just how efficient they are.


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