how do you vacuum the tank??

[rsz]

i bought myself a tank vacuum thing today, because i just noticed how horrible my gravel is. i've got it all ready to use and everything...

... BUT...

i've read loads of stories from people on the forum about how they sucked up fish or how juliethegr8 had her tragic accident with her frog and now i don't dare to do it . are these accidents rare ?? if they are common, i dont think i want to risk it scary business, this vacuuming lark

 

[A.K.A Zak]

wth, that rarely happens, mabey 1/1000. you have nothing to worry about! your fish should be smart enough to move out of the way.

 

[Thomas A. Anderson]

First thing you have to learn is how to get the vacuum pump going.

One way but not perhaps the best is to place the big bit into the tank, and start sucking on the tube end until the water starts to flow and then QUICKLY transfer this end into your bucket. I've only had a mouth of fishy water once back in the early days . The other safer way is to put the big end into the tank and shake it up and down until the water starts to flow.

Once the water is flowing into your bucket, slowly move the vacuum end just above the substrate, slightly higher if you have sand) IME.

Don't try and do the whole tank at once, as you'll probably end up taking too much water out, rather start at one end at work your way along the tank, remember roughly where you finished so next time you carry on from that point.

HTH

 

[Thomas A. Anderson]

p.s. You may find some fish get a little too inquisative and may get sucked up. If this happens just place your finger over the smaller tube end thus stopping the vacuum and the fish 'should' be able to swim back down the vacuum tube. (providing its not already in your bucket )

 

[rsz]

thank you everyone
i'll give it a go


oh, and a mouth of fish water? icky!

 

[Thomas A. Anderson]

Yes icky indeed. I'm sure I'm not the only person who has had it, c'mon own up.

 

[suemack]

not for a while now .........but when I first started vacuuming the tank....... .......just don't swallow

 

[lizard]

Yes icky indeed. I'm sure I'm not the only person who has had it, c'mon own up.

Oh yes, I've had it before too. Ick! I just never tell the boyfriend, 'cause then he probably wouldn't kiss me for awhile

Pamela
aka Lizard

 

[AttackKoala]

I've done that too... Some kinds of gravel vacs are self starting you just submerge it and move it up and down really fast. No risk of at all.

 

[juliethegr8t]

Since I'm one of the ones who's had a tragic accident , I gotta put in my two cents. I'm very nervous about vacuuming now, but if you're careful you shouldn't have a problem. Just watch where you're going - make sure no unsuspecting something or other is sittin there, and usually if you keep the vacuum close the surface of the gravel you won't get anyone swimming up it. I'd vacuumed for many many times before I had this accident, so yes, I'd say their uncommon. Be on the look out and everything should go smoothly.

 

[CFC]

mmmmmm fishwater, my favourite refreshing beverage . Ive lost count on the number of times ive been left spitting after a mouthful of tank water, just take it as part of the territory now

 

[Inchworm]

NO! NO! NO! You should never start a siphon with your mouth! That's too disgusting to even think about. Icky. Ugh.

Look. The idea is that water flows downhill. If you remember that the rest is easy.

If you put the entire hose in the tank and let it fill up with water then take the small end out (while blocking the end with your finger) and put it in a bucket that is lower than the tank you will be siphoning from, when you release your finger it will start to flow.

Once you have that down pat, just fool around with the thing. Put the small end in the bucket, then scoop up water with the big end and lift it up high. Watch how it flows down and how long it takes to empty the big tube. If you put it back into the water before it the big tube is empty it will immediately fill back up. Lift it again. Once the hose is full of water to below the level of the tank, gravity will take over and continue to pull water from the tank if the big end is underwater. (I find that putting the big tube in the water with the opening pointing up works best.) At that point, the siphon is started and you can turn the big end around and start vacuming.

You may have top practice this a bit, but it is worth it. I start my siphon with just 2 dips of the big end. You should never have to suck on it!

 

[Gabe]

I start my siphon the same way Inchworm does, and it only takes me 2 dips as well. If you are really worried about your fish, put them in something (ie, extra tank) while you vacuum until you are used to it. That's what I did. I even went so far as to buy a small $10 plastic thing from wally-mart. I leave the fish in the tank now, but I found it easier to take them out when I first started. I just scooped out some of the tank water into the "holding tank" as I call it, and then put that water back into the tank when I put the fish back.

On a side note, last time I vacuumed my female guppy was trying to eat all the poop that she saw going up the siphon. It was pretty funny to watch, as she just bumped into the plastic Most of the other fish stay out of the way pretty good. I have to kind of nudge my pleco to get him to move though lol.

Gabe