What kind of gravel vac do you use?

I got my gravel vac at Walmart and it doesn't do a good job cleaning at all. I want to get a new one that works better. So what kind do you use?

 

We have a aqueon waterchanger/ gravel vac and a small Top Fin gravel vac (from Petsmart).

 

I just got the basic top fin gravel vac at Petsmart. It works absolutely fine for my 5 and 29 gal tanks.

 

I also have a top fin gravel vac from PetSmart and it does fine.

 

TopFin as well. I have the small Aqueon one from PetCo for tanks up to 5 gallons and I hate it. It's too strong and it sucks the gravel up and clogs. Useless waste of $8... But I also have the Aqueon Water Changer, and I do like that, minus the cheap, soft plastic parts. When I have a sink I can use it with, I'm ging to buy metal plumbing parts for it.

 

Is the top fin vac just a plastic cylinder and a tube that goes in a bucket?

 

Yes, and you squeeze the plastic bulb (no idea what it's actually called) in the middle to start the siphon.

 

I have an Lee's gravel vac and it works great. Have to keep it hooked up to the sink all the time though or else a $20 part will strip out within a couple uses. :/ Though as far as cleaning substrate and refilling the tanks it does a great job. Switching over to a sump pump soon though so I can have my sink back and speed up my WCs.

Edit: Oops, thought I had an Aqueon siphon but it's actually a Lee's brand one

 

The one I have doesn't have a plastic bulb. The direction say to move the cylinder up and down in the water until the siphoning starts, but all that does is make the debris float around in the tank.

 

The TopFin one I have is the shake-to-start kind. You get used to shaking it In a way that doesn't get the tank all gross

 

The one I have doesn't have a plastic bulb. The direction say to move the cylinder up and down in the water until the siphoning starts, but all that does is make the debris float around in the tank.

I have that one to (two of them actually), you have to shake pretty fast to get it started. Or you could suck on the end and possibly end up with a mouthful of fish water (yuck!) But I've been thinking about getting the ones with squeeze bulb, but I've noticed they don't have as much suction as the original design had.

 

You don't have to shake it hard at all. Just tip the cylinder over in the water to fill it, then tip it back up, keeping the cap under water, and shake it a few times. If I can start it in a 11 inch tall tank with out disturbing the sand, anyone can can do it LOL

 

The one I have doesn't have a plastic bulb. The direction say to move the cylinder up and down in the water until the siphoning starts, but all that does is make the debris float around in the tank.

I just use my mouth to start the siphon. I've taken a mouthful of water a couple of times when I was first using it, which got a good laugh out of my fiance sitting idly by. It wasn't too bad since I had Melafix in the water at the time, but I still wasn't pleased. I had the hose pop out of the bucket once so I mounted two pvc wall mounts to the bucket about 3" apart, near the top of the bucket. I just start the siphon and push the hose through both and I don't have to worry about it flying out while I vacuum the substrate.

I use part of my Aqueon water changer. I bought the 25 footer, but my water pressure is too low on the cold side. I cut the last 8 feet off of it and just use it as a glorified gravel vacuum. Don't waste your money on those systems if your water pressure isn't up to the job.

 

The one I have doesn't have a plastic bulb. The direction say to move the cylinder up and down in the water until the siphoning starts, but all that does is make the debris float around in the tank.

Yeah, I found those instructions to be pretty useless too. I now use this method:

I don't do the thumb over the end of the hose thing though, just put the end in the bucket. Not even sure what the point of the thumb over the end of the hose thing is.

I use a smallish Aqueon one and a bucket for water changes under 5 gallons, but if I have to do more than that I have a python that attaches to the sink. Love that thing.

 

All the Top fin ones at our store now has the bulb too start the suction, we broke the shake start one, the bulb one is much easier.

 

Made one out of a soda bottle and an cut up garden hose. Also one out of a bic pen and air tube for 5 gallon.

The thumb thing is to start the siphon. Think of it like a straw in a drink. Put the gravel vac in the tank with about 8 inches of the hose in the water. Let the hose fill till it's at the water line. Put your thumb over the open end of the hose then lift the hose over the edge of the tank it should start the siphon.

 

I just suck the other end of the hose and let that puppy flow with fish poo. I've not yet had water in my mouth, knock on wood...

 

I would reccomend getting a larger gravel vac tube size a out 2 inches for a tank between 30 to 75 gallons.

Anything smaller and you can use 1 inch tubing.
Anglything bigger than 75 gallons I would reccomend a python

 

Thanks for all the replies! I figured it out and it actually works pretty well.

 

I have the aqueon pump for water changes. I pump and fill--it is my lifesaver.

For messy substrate I swear by my Eheim battery operated vac. It doesn't siphon water but that baby gets up any and every foreign particle in the gravel.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

 

I have an Aqueon water changer for my 36 gallon and top fin ( blue bulb kind ) for my 5 gallon.
The Aqueon is great - makes doing pwc a breeze! There's no way you could get me to change the water in the 36 gallon any other way!!! It's worth the $$$

 

Good morning,

I use the gravel vacuum in the link above. It comes in various sizes and does a great job.

Ken

 

I also use my mouth to start the siphon. It doesn't take much suction so you don't need to worry about a mouthful of fishwater, especially if the tank is a lot higher than the bucket - then you just need a little bit to get the water going, and gravity does the rest. Once upon a time gas was dispensed by mouth suction...and fish water is a lot less dangerous than consuming gasoline!

Mine is just 1/4" airline tubing and a cylinder with a 1/4" nozzle on the end. It was my mom's and it's pretty old, but it was free!

 

I just bought a Python...can't wait to try it!! No more buckets!!
Just have to remember to add water conditioner to tank before adding water from tap! yeesh...!

 

I just bought a Python...can't wait to try it!! No more buckets!!
Just have to remember to add water conditioner to tank before adding water from tap! yeesh...!

I usually pour the prime right into the outflow when I'm filling, that way it gets mixed in well.

 

do you add the amount needed for the entire tank or just the amount that you are changing? it would be a tiny amount regardless so you just add a measured slurp when you first start adding?

 

do you add the amount needed for the entire tank or just the amount that you are changing? it would be a tiny amount regardless so you just add a measured slurp when you first start adding?

When you're adding the conditioner directly to the tank treat the entire volume and yeah, I just dump in the right amount when the water starts pouring in. Right in the stream to make sure it gets mixed in well.