How can I vacuum a 75 gallon tank close to floor level?

[Ellie11]

It’s about 4” up and there is another big tank on a shelf above it & canister filters left & right. Water changes are slow with tubing going to a toilet, but I can’t get the vacuum to suction.

 

[Uberhoust]

4" of drop is not a lot to maintain a syphon. The python systems have a siphon systems that when you run your tap water through it generates a vacuum that powers the siphon, picture the old water bed draining systems. That is wasteful of water but works to allow you to vacuum your low tank more efficiently. The other alternative is to use a pump of some sort. If your water consumption amount is not a big issue I would suggest a python water changing system. I have used in the past a small submersible pump connected on the intake side (not all pumps have a dedicated input port) to the gravel vacuum, and the output side to a hose that drains into a sink. You can also run the siphon hose out a window or door to get more elevation if that is possible, ie you live on the top floor so the hose can have 8 or more feet of drop to maintain the siphon.

Python Products Inc.

 

[Ellie11]

Thanks for all the good suggestions!

i actually have that python thing, but never used it because it is water wasteful, but wouldn’t be a problem for vacuuming one tank. Thanks again.

 

[jaylach]

I would have to really look at one to figure the tubing but a power head should be able to be used as a pump to siphon.

 

[Archerfish]

It’s about 4” up and there is another big tank on a shelf above it & canister filters left & right. Water changes are slow with tubing going to a toilet, but I can’t get the vacuum to suction.

Could you siphon the wastewater outside say, into your garden? All you need is a long hose. It works, I've done (and do) it very successfully.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I have the perfect solution, but it is not made any longer. (I have several of these and spare parts.) Marineland makes a line of magnum canisters. The used to make one called the H.O.T. Magnum. That stood for hang On Tank. I is a 259 gph canister. It has two potential media load. on uses a basket and can hold a lot of carbon or other material. Ot it has a micron cartridge that filter out down to 10 mircones. Ad some DE and it goes lower.

It has and adapter one and plug unto the output instead of using the spraybar. The adapter has a barbed output and you can connect a vacuum hose to it. Put in the Micron cartridge and away you go. The micron catches the crap you vac. up and returns the clean water to the tank. It creates it own suction. I have two tanks which run HOTs full time and then another couple I use for spot works. I also have a box filled with parts. The problem is they changed the size of the micron carts for the rest of the Magnum line and they don't fit in the old HOTs if one uses the top and bottom gaskets for the cart. If one is willing to run without the bottom gasket, it fits and works OK.

There is a single used one on Ebay but it is $170. I think I paid about $35 new for a couple and the box of parts came with several used filters. I paid about under $100 for it years back and got 3 working filters plus what would have cost me $100+ in spare parts. Of course it was all used, but worth it.

Even though I had to press into service a 40L at almost floor level (2 inch above it) which was intended as a sump for the 125 gal above it, I do not use the Magnum vac. I use a smaller, 1 inch diameter, siphon and manage to do a decent vac. But if the tanks is super dirty, I will refill it some mid-clean in order to maintain better water pressure going into the vac. tube.

I learned years back that tanks on the floor are really hard to vac and working on them made my hips and legs very unhappy. I use a small stool to sit on to work on the rest of my under tanks. These must have at least 12 inches under the tank to the floor and close to 24 over it to the upper level tank, I only do 2 levels ever. I am too old for anything more.

 

[Ellie11]

Could you siphon the wastewater outside say, into your garden? All you need is a long hose. It works, I've done (and do) it very successfully.

Thanks, will try

 

[Ellie11]

I have the perfect solution, but it is not made any longer. (I have several of these and spare parts.) Marineland makes a line of magnum canisters. The used to make one called the H.O.T. Magnum. That stood for hang On Tank. I is a 259 gph canister. It has two potential media load. on uses a basket and can hold a lot of carbon or other material. Ot it has a micron cartridge that filter out down to 10 mircones. Ad some DE and it goes lower.

It has and adapter one and plug unto the output instead of using the spraybar. The adapter has a barbed output and you can connect a vacuum hose to it. Put in the Micron cartridge and away you go. The micron catches the crap you vac. up and returns the clean water to the tank. It creates it own suction. I have two tanks which run HOTs full time and then another couple I use for spot works. I also have a box filled with parts. The problem is they changed the size of the micron carts for the rest of the Magnum line and they don't fit in the old HOTs if one uses the top and bottom gaskets for the cart. If one is willing to run without the bottom gasket, it fits and works OK.

There is a single used one on Ebay but it is $170. I think I paid about $35 new for a couple and the box of parts came with several used filters. I paid about under $100 for it years back and got 3 working filters plus what would have cost me $100+ in spare parts. Of course it was all used, but worth it.

Even though I had to press into service a 40L at almost floor level (2 inch above it) which was intended as a sump for the 125 gal above it, I do not use the Magnum vac. I use a smaller, 1 inch diameter, siphon and manage to do a decent vac. But if the tanks is super dirty, I will refill it some mid-clean in order to maintain better water pressure going into the vac. tube.

I learned years back that tanks on the floor are really hard to vac and working on them made my hips and legs very unhappy. I use a small stool to sit on to work on the rest of my under tanks. These must have at least 12 inches under the tank to the floor and close to 24 over it to the upper level tank, I only do 2 levels ever. I am too old for anything more.

Wow! That sounds too complicated for the likes of me, but very interesting to learn about. My bright idea was to drill a hole and run a hose into the basement below but my boyfriend says I’m crazy. Lol. He read the Uberhoust post and said he will try to find a pump at amazon. Meanwhile I will see if running tubing out the window works.

 

[Uberhoust]

If you have a basement why not get a long hose and run the hose to the basement through the normal access into the basement. There will be some resistance to the flow with a longer hose but you can have a 100' or longer hose and still have enough vacuum with an 8' drop, ie from the tank to the basement. When I do my water changes I have a 75' line that runs from the basement dog door, through my laundry room, down a short hallway, up our stairs, though our living room, and into the kitchen where the tanks are. The biggest issue with this is storage of the hose.

I agree with you about the water wastage with the Python.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Have a look here https://www.amazon.com/electric-aquarium-vacuum/s?k=electric+aquarium+vacuum

 

[Ram419]

Have a look here https://www.amazon.com/electric-aquarium-vacuum/s?k=electric+aquarium+vacuum

I use the NICREW one when I want to vacuum and not empty water out or add water. I have started using the Phython for general maintenence/water changes though and love it. Sometimes it takes out too much water to complete the cleaning, espcially on smaller tanks, so I used the NICREW to complete cleaning.

The Phython has a better method of siphoning stuff in the substrate without taking the substrate with it. The NICREW you have to keep away from the substrate so you are just skimming the surface of the substrate instead. It also is good at stirring up the water and filtering it.