Best Cheapish Gravel Cleaner For 18" & 24" Deep Tanks

[clivealive]

hi,
gravel cleaner i have has lasted 10 years abd is on last legs.  not sure what make it is and cant see them (its 10 x 2 inches and green rims etc any idea's)
 
 
also what do u think is a suitable gravel cleaner for me to buy for my 2 tanks   18"  220 L  & lido 120 23" deep  tank
my current one u have to push up and down a lot like a mad man to get it going and distubes the fish a lot.
 
i want to empty 25 % of both tanks but only at an average speed of flow to give me time to clean plenty of tank.
needs to stop gravel coming out of the tank as well.
a lot of the gravel cleaners sound good but dont always work as well as they are supposed to
 
suggestions welcome
 
thanks

 

[Ch4rlie]

I use this type of gravel cleaner, does the job for me.
 
Comes in different sizes.
 
http/www.amazon.co.uk/Marina-Clean-Aquarium-Gravel-Cleaner/dp/B0002AQI8G

 

[NickAu]

Something like this?
https/youtu.be/qkfYFVTOHgk

 

[Akasha72]

I use the biorb syphon - I don't use it to clean gravel as I have a sand base and if I used that I'd have sand in buckets and not in the tank! It can be used for that purpose though. It has an end with a grill inside so you can't suck up fish - you can unscrew that end though if you want to. It's got a bulb on it to get it started, two pumps and it's off. I love it. I used to have the old type like Ch4rlie suggested but I got sick of pumping it up and down til my arm ached trying to get it started

 

[clivealive]

yes will defo have a look at that too ,   i pump so hard i worry iam gonna knock a fish out.
oh what depth tanks u used it on do u diff sized ones ?
looks like its for tiny tank ?

http/www.amazon.co.uk/Biorb-822728000250-biOrb-Cleaner-Pump/dp/B000KHZ0X0
 
this the one ?

 

[Ch4rlie]

 I used to have the old type like Ch4rlie suggested but I got sick of pumping it up and down til my arm ached trying to get it started

 
lol, never tried starting the syphon that way, I use a little squeezy hand pump that you pump a few times to get the water syphon started, easy when you know how

 

[clivealive]

its 10 years old lol

 

[Akasha72]

yes will defo have a look at that too ,   i pump so hard i worry iam gonna knock a fish out.
oh what depth tanks u used it on do u diff sized ones ?
looks like its for tiny tank ?

http/www.amazon.co.uk/Biorb-822728000250-biOrb-Cleaner-Pump/dp/B000KHZ0X0
 
this the one ?

Yes that's it

 
The blue bulb in the middle is really good. I only have to squeeze it 2 or 3 times and it's off. It's really quick aswell. I can water change my tank in under 30 mins

 

 I used to have the old type like Ch4rlie suggested but I got sick of pumping it up and down til my arm ached trying to get it started

 
lol, never tried starting the syphon that way, I use a little squeezy hand pump that you pump a few times to get the water syphon started, easy when you know how

 

I bought a bulb that was supposed to push on and do that exact job. It was made by Marina ... with that brand I thought it would be good .... ha! What a joke... it now lives at the bottom of a box full of c**p I rarely use 

 

[Ch4rlie]

I bought a bulb that was supposed to push on and do that exact job. It was made by Marina ... with that brand I thought it would be good .... ha! What a joke... it now lives at the bottom of a box full of c**p I rarely use 

 

 
Like this one?
 
http/www.amazon.co.uk/Marina-10998-Siphon-Starter-Bulb/dp/B004S6N8X8
 
Thats actually the one I use, not had any problems with it to be honest actually. Pump the squeezy bit a few times, hey presto. Maybe theres a knack to it but personally its been ok.
 
Though with the other syphon for the 10 gal tank, I suck at end of hose until i see water going through hose just as water goes over rim of tank, then gravity takes over, never had a mouth full of water

 

[Akasha72]

yeah, that's the one ch4rlie ... I just couldn't get it to work and it kept dropping off the pipe too! As you say probably a knack ... a knack I didn't have lol

 

[RobRocksFishTank]

If you are syphoning into buckets, it is very easy to start the flow without any aids.
 
1.   Submerse the entire gravel cleaner and hose in the tank. Start from the suction end and feed the rest of it into the tank being careful not to create any air gaps in the hose.
2.   Once the output ent is in the water, put your thumb over the end and bring the hose out and down to your bucket. Take your thumb off the end and the water will start flowing. Be sure to have the end of the hose below the water surface and gravity does the job for you.
 
Longer hoses are harder to get going because you can't put the entire length in the tank, but there are tricks to getting the syphon going without any sucking or pumping accoutrements. I've been cleaning my 120 gal using a 25' hose with a shut off valve and can get the syphon going by putting just a few feet of hose in the tank, turning off the valve, pulling a a foot or so back out and opening the valve. It really doesn't get much easier than that, even it you are using a pump.

For a no bucket option, I highly recommend the Python No Spill, http/www.pythonproducts.com/products.html. 

 

[NickAu]

Al you need is a cheap powerhead 2 bits of hose and a ball valve and you can make a cheap gravel vac see the link in post 3