Another Newb Question

[randalthor]

How do you vacum clean? ( I mean do you use an actuall under water vacuum?)

 

[Pidgecbr600rr]

How do you vacum clean? ( I mean do you use an actuall under water vacuum?)

I am also new to all this, i purchased a Interpet Prime Gravel Cleaner, what a palarver, took ages to get it started and ended up filling 2x buckets of water due to the fast flow, which i didnt expect

This works on a similar way to syphoning, cept there is a one way valve and a wide head to clean a larger area, so just a few ups and downs starts it off syphoning (or its supposed to)

Seemed ok, only wished i'd gone for something smaller (which i may still do) as it didnt get into all the nooks very well, not sure what else is available but this is good way to clean and water change at same time, large areas of gravel, as long as u are quite quick

Hope this helps

Paul

 

[randalthor]

Thanks, could I not just stir the gravel up lots and have the filter suck up the stuff?

edit: or couldent you just attatch somthing to the end of your syphon?

 

[SkiFletch]

Thanks, could I not just stir the gravel up lots and have the filter suck up the stuff?

edit: or couldent you just attatch somthing to the end of your syphon?

Thats essentially what a gravel vaccum is, just a wider tube attached to your siphon tube. The wide tube helps suck up the debris. Stirring the gravel up to stir up debris to get in your filter just doesnt work well. Best way is with a gravel vaccum that works via a siphon

 

[dwarfgourami]

This isn't a complicated piece of machinery at all, just a syphon with a plastic thing stuck at the end. Mine cost about 2.45 pounds at the lfs; I find it best to use the smallest size for my 60 and 70 ltrs.

 

[randalthor]

I just thought of somthing, would the gravel not get sucked up the they syphon?

 

[Yesac]

I haven't had a problem sucking up gravel yet. If your using sand, don't put the vack rite up to it.

 

[SkiFletch]

yeah, gravel is way heavier than the waste so it falls back to the base of the tank while the waste goes up the wide tube