# Removing waste from small unfiltered tanks



## fishboy (Feb 26, 2005)

I have a 2.5 with a apple snail that craps everywhere, so i came up with a solution for removing the waste without the need of a large hose that practicaly drains the tank. Just grab a 2 liter bottle and drill a hole in the cap just large enough for airhose to fit in tightly(cheap plastic air hose can be purchased at home depot in large amounts if you know the right size, FYI) and stick the airhose in the bottle about a 1", your done! It's mini shipon with suction and collecter that drains slowly. Just place the hose in the tank and squeze and release the bottle for suction. Now that u have suction just go around and pic up all the waste easily. When you're done screw the cap off and drain waste and water without draining half the tank like with a normal setup.


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## micstarz (Oct 22, 2005)

yes! thx fishboy youve solved all my tank probs!


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## Georgia Peach (Sep 23, 2005)

sounds neat! Ive always used a turkey baster for my unfiltered tanks.. lol


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## fishboy (Feb 26, 2005)

i now am seeing flaws, the stupid law of displacement of matter is my biggest problem. as the bottle fils with water is expands and the air pressure increases. This presure stops the siphon affect. to prevent this it might be practical to add another small hole somewhere on the bottle and place a finger over the hole when creating suction then removing your finger once the siphon has begun so the air can escape and the siphon continues. Though the second hole must be high on the bottle so it won't just become a leak....


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## micstarz (Oct 22, 2005)

yea........

....


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Hey, fishboy, that's a nifty idea. A self-starting super-sucker for small jobs. You could even tape the airhose to a thin wooden dowel to give you better control over it, that is, to be able to make the hose stiff and easily pointed directly where you want it without even having to put your hand in the water.


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## donnag (Apr 21, 2006)

thanks fishboy you have wonderful ideas on cleaning tanks the 2 liter bottle works great how ever i need your opinion on something else concerning filters what can be hooked to the main filter that hangs on the back of the 10 gal tank that can suction all the waste out of the gravel and send it straight to the carbon filter if you can figure this out your a genius if you do figure out this please post it so i dont have to do so many water changes thanks donnag.


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## samyboy (May 21, 2006)

what an idea  although i purchased a mini filter today


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## Guest (May 25, 2006)

That's *really* creative! I can't wait to try it!


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## fishboy (Feb 26, 2005)

donnag said:


> thanks fishboy you have wonderful ideas on cleaning tanks the 2 liter bottle works great how ever i need your opinion on something else concerning filters what can be hooked to the main filter that hangs on the back of the 10 gal tank that can suction all the waste out of the gravel and send it straight to the carbon filter if you can figure this out your a genius if you do figure out this please post it so i dont have to do so many water changes thanks donnag.


That's tricky, i don't know if it's possible unless u can run a reverse UGF system that keeps waste off the gravel via water being pumped out a a UGF plate and having the waste be sucked in by a powerful filter intake. A system like that would cost too much IMO, just keep using a gravel vac, easier and cheaper in the end. If u really want to you'd have to insert a UGF plate under your gravel and attach a reverse UGF powerhead to the top, though some waste might still get caught under your plate in time.


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## Guest (May 27, 2006)

Yeah the waste will get caught under the plate as I had a UGF in my 10g for a couple of years and when I decided to remove it there was at least an inch full of brown gunk under it.


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## donnag (Apr 21, 2006)

ok then i guess i must keep useing the gravel vac thanks anyway but i still say your really smart thank you donnag


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