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I bought a self starting Gravel Cleaner at Petsmart for $14.99. I can't seem to get the waste in the tube and into the bucket. The instructions say to move it up and down gradually through the tank and the suction should start. I did what it says, the water comes out through the tube, but I can't seem to get the waste in the tube. It comes out of the gravel and floats around the tank.

Is there a better way to clean gravel? I see one at Petco with a battery operated gravel cleaner, and another that attaches to a faucet.

What should I do? I don't know which to get.

Please help. Thanks in advance.

I clean 13 tanks every week and just use a plain old siphon. Works great.

Good luck, Mike

But my problem is I can't seem to get the waste into the siphon. The waste just comes off the gravel and floats around the tank.

[span class="edited"][Edited by 2004-08-19 22:41][/span]

If your siphon is working you just move slow. Push the siphon down into the gravel (you have to do sand different) Move it around a little then pick it up and let the gravel fall back to the bottom. Move over a little and repeat. Keep going like that until you've covered the bottom. Sometimes gravel will plug up the opening at the top of the siphon, if the flow slows check that. All you usually have to do to clear it is stop the flow for a minute by putting your finger over the end of the hose.

The bigger the siphon and the farther the drop the better it works. If you have the bucket at the same level as the tank it won't work very well. Put the bucket you are siphoning into on the floor.

If you have a good drop and it's still not picking up well look inside. Sometimes there is this little flapper valve that won't open, fiddle with it and make sure it's working.

If your siphon is full of gizmos (You mentioned it was self starting) get a different one.

Good luck, Mike

Sounds like I'm using it wrong. I'll try your suggestion next time.

Thanks Mike.

You could try the python. They are really good for refilling, emptying, and cleaning!

---

And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

When you try to start a siphon, make sure the bucket you are siphoning into is lower than the actual tank. That will make it a lot easier, my siphoning success began when I learned to do that.

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

I placed my bucket below my tank. From reading the previous posts it sounds like I am moving the tube wrong. I'll try again in 2 weeks. Thanks for all your advice. I really appreciate it.

I use a battery powered thing that sucks up the muck & collects it in a little net which I then clean out.

As I couln't get my syphon to work it seamed the best option.

this was on a 12g tank & it's too small for the new 120g so I'm getting python because it looks good.

Here are the plans for a do it yourself python ( the one that attaches to faucet). http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/diy_python.php

i made my own gravel siphon for about $6. i cut the bottom off a clear 20oz soda bottle, put a 2' section of pvc in the bottle's lip (i screwed it in place, and put a 90 degree pvc angle on the opposite end) and attached a long length of tubing to the 90 degree angle with a hose clamp.

i can adjust the power of the suction by adjusting the length of the pvc inside the soda bottle. the bottle's footprint is huge, and the pvc is rigid enough that i can poke the bottle deep into the gravel. since the bottle is clear, i can easily tell when one section of gravel is clean. also, the bottle's thickness is small enough that it does not reconfigure my gravel while cleaning.

use the python, it is stronger than any gravity gravel vac.