# Gravel cleaners



## baza (Apr 7, 2008)

hi

I was wondering if there is a certain type of gravel cleaner brand etc that would work best to clean the gravel of my 6ft fish tank. Are they basically all the same or do some do a better/faster job of it?

thanks


----------



## swamptrout (Jul 2, 2007)

my 6footer, i have gravel cleaner say 50cm long, 2" in diameter with a 15 metre hose. I run the hose from where the tank is out the door to the garden. Gravel cleaning is a piece of piss.

the model I have has a valve in it to create and maintain suction with out sucking the end. Only have to jiggle the cleaner up and down a couple times then when the water level in the cleaner rose above the side of the tank the water will automatically start the syphon.

the skinnier model i had in the past kept clogging when there was a bit of gravel in it.

aussie aussie aussie oi oi oi


----------



## aussieafricans (Dec 19, 2007)

i have almost the same gravel cleaner exept for the valve though

go Aussie


----------



## baza (Apr 7, 2008)

hi

Is there any brand model you guys recommend. I have no idea at all I will prolly get one off ebay so basically you want it 50cm long and the largest diameter possible. Is it very labour intensive how long does it take for a 6ft tank? Do you have to lift all your rockwork up to clean the gravel underneath that?

*** yer good to see some aussie lads ere

thanks


----------



## aussieafricans (Dec 19, 2007)

nay it took me 5 mins to gravel vac tonight i got an extension thingy from an pet store second hand and some 1 inch diameter clear tubing about 4 mtrs. i use that once i finish my gravel vac to speed things up a little and when i say a little mean a 15 litre bucket in about 5 seconds and i take a total of 12 15 litre buckets out of my tank which is about 25%. im just setting up an all male peacock/hap setup and low on stock and thats why i only remove 25% at the moment. :thumb: also my tank thats under construction is in the my tanks under the recent ones.

my gravel cleaner is about 40-50cm also. Pythons over here are like 90 bucks so i pretty much built something similar.  
Darn right, rock on aussies I've never seen 3 Aussies on the same post. it rocks


----------



## aussieafricans (Dec 19, 2007)

oh and i also have a 6' 180 gallon. :thumb:


----------



## aaxxeell (Jul 28, 2007)

Make that 4 aussie's mate! :lol: 
yeah i made my own python style set up too but its easier and less wastefull if you just run a long hose outside int a pond or garden etc...
just remember not to step down the diameter of hose from the gravel vac to your 15M hose otherwise your waterchange will be Very slow!
in an emergency i used a 10mm lil' garden hose and it took like F'n 45mins to do a 30% water change 

+ the lower the hose is outside tha harder it sucks, i used to put mine in the lowers part of the garden and my waterchanges were like 10mins faster per tank :thumb:


----------

