pumpknmom

I'm looking for a gravel vaccuum that can be used on a ten gallon tank with sand substrate. I'm finding the siphon method messy. I would like to be able to vaccuum up waste, and then do water changes by scooping the water out. The one I saw in the pet store looks really big, and the Eheim sludge cleaner looks huge too. Anyone know if such a big vaccuum would work in a 10 gallon tank?

Nutter

Just use a small gravel vaccuum & hold it just above the surface of the sand. That will stop most of the sand being sucked up by the vac. I would also just use the vac to siphon the water straiht out onto the garden. You can easily extend the hose length using ordinary garden hose. That will save you having to dip a container in & out of your tank. If your mess is created by splashing water about when trying to get the siphon running, just suck on the end of the vac quickly to get the siphon going. If your siphon doesn't have clear hose on it, get some. That way you can see the water coming & avoid getting a mouthfull,

eiginh

You can use the siphon and fan the sand about 1 to 2 inches above it that way some debris would separate from the sand. When sand is being vac'ed bring the siphon up or squeeze the tube and then left the siphon up.