How do I clean fish tank gravel?

Question

My fishtank holds ten gallons of water and i have three fish and a frog currently in the tank. I have some dirty gravel. How do i clean the gravel and what do i need to take out of the tank in order to clean the gravel?


* I would like not to use a gravel vaccum (if possible)*

Answer 1

Like everyone else has said, a gravel vacuum is the easiest way, BUT...you could alway buy an under gravel filter if you don't already have one. They don't cost much at all and if you don't put a ton of gravel on top, your gravel will stay a lot cleaner.

It works by sitting on the bottom of the bare tank and your gravel sits on top of the under gravel filter. The filter has slots in it and it allows water to flow underneath the gravel to help keep the tank clean. You can buy them at Walmart and I bet they are not more than ten bucks or so. You might have to buy a powerhead or two to run the filter if you don't already use that type of pump. They don't cost much either.

Check Walmart or Ebay for both the undergravel filter and the powerheads(pumps). Some people use only one powerhead and plug the other hole in the undergravel filter. Good luck!

Answer 2

Vaccuming the gravel is a part of fishkeeping. The only other way is to take the fish and everything out of the tank, empty it, clean the gravel through a strainer, put it all back together, aerate the new water, add the fish again, and hope you haven't messed things up. It not only risks a depletion of bacteria in the tank, but causes the fish much stress.

I don't see why you don't want to use a vacuum, it's the easiest method. While you do your regular weekly or bi-weekly water change you just poke it around and suck up what you can until you've removed enough water.

Answer 3

Just wanted to point out ..cleaning the entire tank..BAD IDEA.. You never want to do more than a 20% water change in an established tank if you can avoid it. More than that will disturb the biological filter and cause your tank to cycle again, which in turn may well kill all your fish. I don't know why you are hesitant to use a gravel cleaner but they are by far the best way to go. Just remember to only clean about half way down into the gravel to leave a bit of the bio-filter bed undisturbed.

Answer 4

You would have to use a gravel vaccum because you should never just take the rocks out. This can take away the natural bacteria in the water that the fish need to live. If you use the gravel vac- only take out 1/3 of the water. Fish are very sensitive to change.

Answer 5

I think it depends. If your gravel or decorations are porous I wouldn't use them again as soap and bleach may be trapped within them. That applies to anything made of wood as well. However, smooth surfaces I think will be fine with thorough rinsing. I bought my fish tank used and had to do a LOT of scrubbing with bleach before it was suitable for use. After rinsing it and allowing it cycle, my fish, shrimp and plants went in with no ill consequences.

Answer 6

When i used to have a huge tank, i would use those sand box toy shovels to scoop out the gravel. It's time consuming but my tanks gravel didnt get dirty so much. I normally wash it a bucket with hot water. You dont need much to wash it, if you prefer you can use warm water so you can move the gravel around. Hot water doesnt affect me much.

Answer 7

Gravel Vac, remove about 20% of the water, 2 gallons. There is no other way. What are your issues with gravel vacs?

Answer 8

why dont you get yourself an undergravel filter, thus it will suck all the muck down to the bottom of the tank out of sight, but to keep the gravel clean take the fish out and the frog and wash the stones thouroughly with hot water but dont wash it in the tank, and don't use metal when washing them

Answer 9

Well when I clean my tank I take out all the gravel and put it in one of those spagetti strainers and run water through it and work it with my hands. After doing this for a while all I do is put it back int he tanka nd put the water back in. PS While doing this make sure to put your fish in a bowl. Hope I helped!

Answer 10

Well there is one thing u could do. Buy a new gallons for the fish and for the frog as well that if one of them is clean then put the fish and frog on clean one and clean the old one and put fresh water in again. Then u could close the lid and keep it to put the fish and frog that u could clean the gallon and that way it could be good for u and keep u busy as well. Good luck.