How do you clean the bottom of your tank when you have very small gravel?

Question

I have a gravel vaccum tube but the small gravel keeps on getting stuck in it.

Answer 1

Kinda squeeze the soft part of the tube to slow down the water flow a little bit. With a little practice you'll know exactly how much to squeeze for it to get clean but not be sucked up in the tube too far.

MM

Answer 2

Perhaps the waterflow is too fast for the fine gravel. Have you tried controlling the flow of water through the siphon by making a kink in the hose? Kinking the hose and stopping the flow of water for a moment will make gravel that is stuck or about to clogg it fall out without you having to remove the siphon and start it over again.

Smaller siphons suck water slower than larger ones.

Answer 3

Go to Walmart and purchase a pair of Lady's Nylon knee socks. The kind that is the same as regular pantyhose. Rinse one sock out and stick it over the intake from your gravel cleaner. Hopefully the brownish dirt will pass thru the nylon mesh but not the gravel.

Good luck

Answer 4

To use your vacuum tube on fine gravel,you need to find a way to slow down the water flow,maybe a valve, or something to clamp on the hose to restrict the flow. Some people put a piece of sponge filter foam in the top of the siphon tube,but it seems to me that it would require frequent removal for cleaning, but it's something to try. Let me know if any of this works.----Good luck,PeeTee

Answer 5

Your tank is to small for any extra backside feeding species shrimp are no longer likely to help something the two. Im particularly at a loss for words via your question too. Their are not any animals you could upload which will freshen up each and all of the mess for you. you would be utilising a Gravel vacuum to alter 20-25% of the water as quickly as in line with week. If there nonetheless seems to be an excess of nutrition or different waste interior the tank if the tank, Or in case your ammonia, nitrate, or nitrate levals are excessive,you're able to do some extra small water modifications in a one or 2 week era of 10-15%. Ottos are herbivours, they are good for ingesting algae, yet no longer for ingesting lots of uneaten nutrition. at the same time as you do would desire to be carefull to no longer overfeed your fish,I dont think of the nutrition is you considerable reason for the an infection. Fish that are in stressful circumstances would be extra services to an infection and ailment, and additionally you fish had/have lots of reason to be under pressure. Cory cat fish, oto, all tetras, all danios, and all rasboras are education fish. the lowest feeders would desire to be in communities of four on the least and the different could be in colleges of 6 or extra in line with species or they'll under pressure. Danios are somewhat lively fish that would desire to under no circumstances be in a tank smaller than 30 gallons or they litterally leap off the partitions. you could try your water, and wait until the time-honored is sweet and untill you would be absolutly particular the an infection is long gone, then start to construct up the numbers of the species you have already got. wish they are ok! Shrimp do no longer devour fish waste. they might help ruin issues down via including action and getting that stuff to pass for the filter out, yet thats it. Feed you fish what the can thoroughly end in 3 minutes as quickly as an afternoon. Or in one million.5 minutes two times an afternoon, or in one million minute thrice an afternoon. Then get rid of the rest. feed the cory cats 0.5 an omnivour wafer or some shrimp pellets 2-thrice in line with week., they gets the remainder of their nutrition from the flakes that give way. Feed the ottos 0.5 a sinking alga wafer 2-thrice in line with week or extra or much less looking on how lots algae is on your tank. Sinking nutrition could be thoroughly eaten in one million-2 hours, you may get rid of the rest with a turkey baster.

Answer 6

Get a cheap fish net and cut out the netting, stretch the netting over the end of your gravel vacuum and affix it with a rubber band, that way the gravel can't get in the vac, but the muck gets sucked up.

Answer 7

Just use a gravel cleaner to clean the gravel in your aquarium. You don't need to clean the bottom of your tank. Algae and good bacteria is growing there for your tank to have a good cycle. That is the reason why it is advice to change only half of your aquarium water every time you clean it.

Answer 8

Use a smaller vac. They come in about 4-5 sizes. Some have a "fish guard" which could also hold back gravel.

Answer 9

Put a control valve in the tube near the end where it comes out. ajust the knob so the flow is slower. Mine is plastic and i went to home depot with the tube to match up the tube size. oh its in the plumbing section.

Answer 10

take the gravel out of the tank...use a spaghetti strainer (buy a cheap one at the dollar store, don't use the one you use for food, lol) get a bucket to dump the gravel in, and wash the gravel, then wash the bottom of the tank and put the clean gravel back in the tank!