simple way to clean gravel

[Torrean]

I was rinsing the gravel for my 29 gal in a kitchen sink. The sink kept filling up and little bits of gravel kept slipping through the siv (probably misspelled). Anyway I was getting frustrated when my girl's 10 year old brother suggested we use a big cooler and a water hose. The cooler had a hole with a plug in the side near the bottom so it didn't fill up like the sink did. So I held the siv with one hand and the hose with the other. I found this to be a much simpler process so I thought I would pass this bit of advise on to you. Any corrections would be appreciated.

 

[boom-sage]

i would just do what the kid said and if its colored gravel it does not require much rinsing

 

[paulthegreat]

Leave the gravel in the tank and get a gravel vac. A gravel vac is a hose with a filter on one end and a hand pump on the other end. By having the pump end lower then the tank level it will start a siphon action which will allow you to use the filter end the suck out the food remains and poo by moving it around carefully in the gravel. If you are cleaning new gravel to put in a tank then put a couple pounds of gravel in a bucket and fill the bucket 70% with tap water stir it up and then pour out the cloudy water, repeat this process untill the rinse water looks clear.

 

[foty89]

If this is new gravel, that idea is fine. It is similar to what you would do for cleaning sand too.

However, if this is gravel that has been in the tank, you don't want to do this. You will mess up the biological filter portion of the tank and could possibly kill off your fish.

As posted above, get a gravel vac.

 

[Torrean]

Yeah I probly should have stated that this is a good way to clean NEW gravel. Thanks for pointing that out. BTW I have gravel vac don't worry

 

[loafybones]

I know this is a little off topic because you were talking about new gravel, but you might want to invest in one of these things that I've got. It's a little vac that you connect up to an air filter and it sucks all of the crap off of the gravel / sand without taking out any water. we got one a couple of weeks ago and it's the best thing we've bought in ages, the tanks have never looked so clean!!

 

[Torrean]

I can't imagine how that works but you've sparked my interest what is it called?

edit: and about how much does it cost?

 

[loafybones]

You know those air pumps you get to go with airstones? it hooks up to that and sucks all the dirt into a little bag and then puts the water back in to the tank.

I can't remember what it's called I'll try and find the box. I wasn't expensive tho, about a tenner

 

[foty89]

I'd rather stay with the standard python type vacuum. It makes it easy to do a water change at the same time.

 

[Torrean]

The only problem with doing a water change at the same time as a gravel cleaning is that your window of gravel cleaning time is limited by the amount of water you do in a water change. If you can find out what that vaccuum is called i would like to know. Thanks everybody

 

[ccg]

loafybones, I am also interested in this vac that you have. I think it would be great for cleaning out my fry tanks without having to do water changes everyday/every other day. Please post what it is called/who makes it etc. The more info the better!

Thanks!

 

[ccg]

I think I found what you are talking about. Can you take a look at this link and let me know if this is it, or if it is similar?

http/www.bigalsonline.ca/catalog/product...id1=3347;pcid2=

Thanks!

 

[loafybones]

That's it! Sorry to leave you all in suspense, I haven't been on the forum since tat last post.

Hey, look I'm on 100 posts now!!!

 

[loafybones]

Cool, now I'm fish crazy!!!!

 

[Torrean]

If I start doing larger water changes or whenever pleco gets bigger I will probably get that vaccum but at the last water change I had enough time to clean the gravel before the correct amount of water was pumped out so I'll probably wtick with the siphon pump. thanks again btw