Cleaning gravel?

[cinderellaA]

Cleaning gravel? Plus new addition!!!

Ok so I won't be able to go into town until after finals in 2 1/2 weeks, but I need to do a water change and clean the gravel. I can't really afford to buy a gravel vac online, and my LFS doesn't have any since its wal-mart lol
Does anyone have any tips for cleaning gravel WITHOUT a vac?

~~~EDIT~~~

I bought a female I couldn't resist, I saw her while shopping at wal-mart and she is so pretty!!! I'm thinking of calling her "suisai" (watercolors in Japanese)

They have a lot of females at my local w-m now, I was there yesterday and three were maybe 3 reds, and today there are as many females as males at least and a lot more colors.

And of course a bonus piccie of Louis XIV flaring at...nothing?...

And another bonus of their new setup (DIY divided! I hope this works!)
How long should I wait before I add them in? I just cleaned this thing in its entirety today with a complete water change since it was so nasty it smelled....

 

[fbn]

My walmart carries gravel vacs. Yours may not though. I would just get a cup and try and stir up the bottom. That way some of the junk comes up. Then just scoop it out in your cup to the bucket.

 

[Shine]

All you really need is a line of plastic tubing... and they carry those for lots of different things. Wine kit places would have the tubing for siphoning wine for instance...

 

[cm11599ps]

You could make a makeshift gravel cleaner by cutting the bottom off a soda bottle and then use a standard garden hose to screw on to the threaded top of the bottle.

 

[cajunfiberco]

I'd probably stir up and cup out

 

[cinderellaA]

Thanks lol! I just wound up doing a complete water change, taking everything out and rinsing it off...plus I bought a girl!

 

[Aquarist]

Hello CinderellaA,

For a 1.5 gallon tank I would use a Turkey Baster to clean the gravel if a siphon isn't available.

Please be careful and don't over clean your tank. The more you clean at one time the more good bacteria you are losing and the greater the chance of the tank going into a mini cycle with increased ammonia levels. The good bacteria is attached to all surface areas of your tank with the highest concentrations of it being in your filter and your substrate.

Keep an eye on your readings. Beautiful Bettas!

Best wishes,
Ken

 

[Goldwing_Don]

Welcome to fishlore if i haven't told you already and Yes she is a very pretty girl at that.

 

[cajunfiberco]

A couple things I noticed: the plastic plant may rip up your bettas fins... bettas like to rest on plants and their fins are very delicate. And the bamboo stalk, you have the leaves underwater. From what I hear, if the leaves are underwater the plant will die and rot and make your water toxic. If the leaves are above water they will be ok.

 

[cinderellaA]

aquarist48 thanks! I kept some water from before I dumped it out, maybe about a cup, and put it back in with the new. Would that be ok?

Goldwing_Don Thanks! lol that was the first pic i took of her too ;P I'm trying to figure out if she's a veiltail or a hm.

cajunfiberco Yeah, I'm a bit concerned about ripping too. But I have had that plant in with another betta without any tearing. As soon as I can go down to PetCo I'm going to upgrade to a bigger tank and more plants. I never heard about the bamboo thing before. :/ *immediately rushes to take some water out of the tank*