vacuuming?

[goin_all_out]

do u still vacuum if u have plants in the bottm (dont worry i dont even have water in the tank yet, im just collecting info) and if so how?

 

[Clairepriest]

I bought a vacuum for my tank (see below for details) but I dont even use it now. I was overfeeding my fish so they crapped a lot but now I've reduced their feed to once a day in the evening and the filter clears any debris and every morning I give the gravel a stir and let the filter do the work for me. Don't know what size tank you have. You may need to use a vacuum on bigger tanks.

 

[Clairepriest]

I've since looked further down the forum and found this http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=106057 topic. Apparently it's bad to stir your gravel! ) . Guess I'd better dig the old vacuum out again!

 

[IMCL85]

I always vacum you be supprise that how much poo u can find in the gravel even when u just put ur sucking unit on top of the plants/gravel .

 

[specks]

Always vacuum my tanks with a battery operated vac. It has a little cloth bag to collect the debris & the water is returned to the tank. Not much point telling you where I got it from as I'm in the uk but I suggest you look in your fish store. (try in the area where the cleaning tools are) Good luck.

 

[stivhixon]

I got one of those battery operated vacuums from petsmart, best damn thing invented! those hoses that you use to vacuum at the same time your doing water changes empty the water to fast before your done vacuuming. Of course you still need to do water changes but the battery operated one will let you vacuum as long as you want. It was like 15 dollars and it has a little cloth bag you put on the side, put it in, turn it on and your on the way

 

[goin_all_out]

hmmm alright thank u for the information, i just wasnt sure if the vacuuming would disturb the plants or not.

 

[jolaf]

Thanks for sharing that tidbit. I bought one of the siphon ones and that is exactly the problem I have with it. If i vaccumed as I wanted I wouldnt have any qwater left haha
Petsmart here I come
Thanks

I got one of those battery operated vacuums from petsmart, best damn thing invented! those hoses that you use to vacuum at the same time your doing water changes empty the water to fast before your done vacuuming. Of course you still need to do water changes but the battery operated one will let you vacuum as long as you want. It was like 15 dollars and it has a little cloth bag you put on the side, put it in, turn it on and your on the way

[snapback]895251[/snapback]​

 

[kat and james]

i've never heard of these battery operated vacuums, it sounds like a much better idea than the syphon ones, as like you said, they just empty the tank. which is the best brand to buy of these battery ones.. just seen one on ebay for 2.99 pounds and 2.50 p&p, is that a good price??
thanks guys!

 

[Griz]

Is your substrate sand or gravel? Gravel will require vacuuming because the waste will easily work it's way down into it. I have sand in a planted tank and have found that just using a vacuum hose w/o the attachment does a good job if you hover it just above the sand and move it slightly back and forth to stir up the waste a bit. With the sand I find that the waste doesn't work it's way down nearly as much and tends to collect in the corners, along the back of the tank and have. I do this every water change and have no trouble maintaining a clean tank.