# gravel vaccumming



## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

well we have a 70 gallon tank here 48Lx18Wx19H and the vaccum we have is a tiny one like the tube is like 1.5" diametre and doesnt seem to yank up much dirt really and sometime the gravel gets stuck in it ......

*** thought about using the top half of a 2ltr pop bottle, and drilling a hole in the cap to fit the suction hose in, would that be to big and not effective enough or hould i use one of the medium bottole like the 700ml pop bottles ....

how often should ya do your gravel ?? once a month ??


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## lucid_eye (Apr 12, 2009)

I use my gravel vac every week when I do my water change. The suction pressure would be even lower in a 2 liter (given that you are using the same size hose) so you are not going to see an improvement. To increase the suction you need a larger id hose with no restriction between it and the vac. If you were to put a 2" hose on your current vac you could suck rocks right out of your tank. Conversely if you put a 1/2" hose on a two liter bottle you wouldn't be able to suck up a grain of sand. 
Are you draining the vac into a bucket or into a garden hose?


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## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

Ya just drianing it into a bucket beside the tank.....what if I cut the bottom off a 1litre pop bottle and drilled a hole through the cap, and stuffed some 3/8 air line in it... Would that work better or good ???

Just seems with the little tube we have now will take 4ever to clean it...


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Visit your local LFS they will have a gravel vac that will do the trick for less than $20..

Probably a larger diameter than you have now. You want it to pick up the gravel but not have the power to pull the gravel all the way up the tube, just sort of tumble the gravel.

I use one on my 46g corner unit and it works well even with the fine gravel I have the poo isn't heavy at all and the tumbling effect of the gravel works lovely. My only real issue is there are so many rocks and places I can't get to I may have to do more extensive cleaning occasionally (removing rocks etc)


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

I had to gravel vac last night. It sucks. Problem I have is the power needed to get all the junk out of the gravel requires more water pressure which drains the tank quicker. I usually do 70% water changes every 4 days or so and ended up doing a 85% water change last night vacuuming the gravel. Took me a good two hours to do both my tank.

Thought seriously about making a solid bottom out of Styrofoam and make it look like a DIY background....except on the floor and going with no substrate.


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## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

oh, hmmmm.....that might be kinda cool ideal or to even see it... only thing is there might be some area's that will hold dirt for sure.... that or even there might be no dirt or anything on the bottom with fish moving around the filter might grab it all and just filter it all out for you anyway.... less maintence, i wouldnt mind seen that myself, all though i dont think im artistic enough to make a DIY background like that ....


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Is the bucket much lower than the tank? You need more suction, that's all. Weekly gravel vacuuming is good.

If I have a lot of debris in my tank (like snails for example, or plant debris) I get the biggest pieces with a siphon and bucket because it clogs less than my Python. Then the Python for the major water change and fine debris.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

DJRansome said:


> Is the bucket much lower than the tank? You need more suction, that's all. Weekly gravel vacuuming is good.
> 
> If I have a lot of debris in my tank (like snails for example, or plant debris) I get the biggest pieces with a siphon and bucket because it clogs less than my Python. Then the Python for the major water change and fine debris.


Yep....also the size/diameter of the hose helps also.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Rob1984 said:


> oh, hmmmm.....that might be kinda cool ideal or to even see it... only thing is there might be some area's that will hold dirt for sure.... that or even there might be no dirt or anything on the bottom with fish moving around the filter might grab it all and just filter it all out for you anyway.... less maintence, i wouldnt mind seen that myself, all though i dont think im artistic enough to make a DIY background like that ....


My only problem is I would have to pre-make it into 4 sections to get it to seat right. I am thinking about doing it. Making it look just like a natural rock bottom to match my current rocks. There would be no gaps. I would silicone the edges so it would not allow water underneath. Might be quite a project though.


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## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

Tank sits almost 2 ft off ground on a stand and I have a 5gallon pail on the floor when doing it....so there about a 6oot fron top of 5gallon pail to bottom of tank on the stand.....

Ya a man made boTtom like that would look awesome but how would ya anchor plants and such tho ? Something I would want to do when first setting up the tank and such


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Your stand is 6 feet high? Or the bottom of the tank is 2 feet off the floor?


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## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

Ya sorry stupid phone hahaha the tank is on a stand that's roughly 2ft from the ground yes....


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Rob1984 said:


> Tank sits almost 2 ft off ground on a stand and I have a 5gallon pail on the floor when doing it....so there about a 6oot fron top of 5gallon pail to bottom of tank on the stand.....
> 
> Ya a man made boTtom like that would look awesome but how would ya anchor plants and such tho ? Something I would want to do when first setting up the tank and such


Maybe use a small plastic pin to anchor them? Not sure. Since it would be made of styrofoam I would think it would be easy to stick a small pin in it for anchoring plants. Just not sure yet.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

That's why you have no suction...your tank is not high enough above the bucket. Use a Python with the extra suction created by the pump.


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## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

ya a set of pins might hold them down.... Would hate for bigger fish to tear the plants out too..... Could always tie em to it and have it all tied up or attached on the bottom maybe ?

Python pump vaccum what's that mean ??


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Python is a brand of gravel vacc system.


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## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

Oh hmmmm, there aren't expensive are they ??? They just a normal one are they or are they powered ??


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Rob1984 said:


> Oh hmmmm, there aren't expensive are they ??? They just a normal one are they or are they powered ??


$40-60 depending on where you go. They are only powered by the water pressure from the faucet.


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## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

We'd have to put that on a garden hose outside ya can't screw anything onto the style of tap we have ....


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Rob1984 said:


> We'd have to put that on a garden hose outside ya can't screw anything onto the style of tap we have ....


I have a rubber gasket and clamp that mine fits onto because my faucet is really small.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Rob1984 said:


> We'd have to put that on a garden hose outside ya can't screw anything onto the style of tap we have ....


It's got a bunch of adapters...most can make it work. I use mine on a laundry room sink (different floor from the tanks) because the faucet fits best.


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## KingKuba (Feb 4, 2012)

Just use a Python, so much easier.

Can get one used if it's too pricey for you


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## Rob1984 (Jan 4, 2012)

Ya have a used one ya wanna part with ? Lol


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