Gravel Vac

[aquarius]

right now i use a regular plastic tube and i think it works well for getting the dirt out of the gravel, so do i really need a vac? and how do they work anyway?

 

[MAM]

they work pretty much the same as the tube. all you need is something to suck the stuff off/out of the gravel. and it sounds like your tube is doing the trick. i use a regular gravel vac on one tank (though it takes out way too much water for my tastes), a syphon pump style one (you don't have to finagle to get the water to come out, you just squeeze a pump at the end and it starts suction for you), and a turkey baster (for tanks too small to get the vac started or to use the wide-mouthed syphon). what you have should be sufficient is it sucks stuff up off the gravel.

 

[rsz]

i agree with many-a-molly. if the tube does the job, don't worry about a 'proper' gravel vac

 

[aquarius]

thanks, so that's one less thing i have to buy