Vacuum Gravel without Removing Water

[BK]

I have a friend who inherited a large tank...The Gravel is just loaded
with debris..More then can be removed with water changes.

Is there something I can use that will vacuum the gravel without
removing the water so I can get this mess cleaned up?

I fear there is so much vacuuming to do that I'd need 100 water
changes in a day or two..

Brian

[Dave S]

Brain - I use an Eheim 3531 and find it very effective.

HTH - Dave

"BK" > wrote in message
...
> I have a friend who inherited a large tank...The Gravel is just loaded
> with debris..More then can be removed with water changes.
>
> Is there something I can use that will vacuum the gravel without
> removing the water so I can get this mess cleaned up?
>
> I fear there is so much vacuuming to do that I'd need 100 water
> changes in a day or two..
>
> Brian

[BK]

Looks great...where can I find one in the US?? Seems to be all
european web sites?

Brian

"Dave S" > wrote:

>Brain - I use an Eheim 3531 and find it very effective.
>
>HTH - Dave
>
>"BK" > wrote in message
...
>> I have a friend who inherited a large tank...The Gravel is just loaded
>> with debris..More then can be removed with water changes.
>>
>> Is there something I can use that will vacuum the gravel without
>> removing the water so I can get this mess cleaned up?
>>
>> I fear there is so much vacuuming to do that I'd need 100 water
>> changes in a day or two..
>>
>> Brian
>

[BK]

I found them Dave....Thanks....I was searching under Eheim 3531 when
most sites call it a Sludge Extractor...Looks nice.

BRian

"Dave S" > wrote:

>Brain - I use an Eheim 3531 and find it very effective.
>
>HTH - Dave
>
>"BK" > wrote in message
...
>> I have a friend who inherited a large tank...The Gravel is just loaded
>> with debris..More then can be removed with water changes.
>>
>> Is there something I can use that will vacuum the gravel without
>> removing the water so I can get this mess cleaned up?
>>
>> I fear there is so much vacuuming to do that I'd need 100 water
>> changes in a day or two..
>>
>> Brian
>

[Bob Alston]

Gravel cleaners that syphon water don't really use all that much water.
Unless the tank is larger than a 55 gallon, that is what I would recommend.

They used to make gravel vacs that sucked up the gravel and passed the water
thru a bag and then back to the aquarium. Don't use them - if they are
still around. They don't filter out the ucky water well enough. Hard on
the fish.

--
Bob Alston

bobalston9 AT aol DOT com
"BK" > wrote in message
...
> I have a friend who inherited a large tank...The Gravel is just loaded
> with debris..More then can be removed with water changes.
>
> Is there something I can use that will vacuum the gravel without
> removing the water so I can get this mess cleaned up?
>
> I fear there is so much vacuuming to do that I'd need 100 water
> changes in a day or two..
>
> Brian

[TYNK 7]

>Subject: Vacuum Gravel without Removing Water
>From: BK
>Date: 1/21/2004 2:41 AM Central Standard Time
>Message-id: >
>
>I have a friend who inherited a large tank...The Gravel is just loaded
>with debris..More then can be removed with water changes.
>
>Is there something I can use that will vacuum the gravel without
>removing the water so I can get this mess cleaned up?
>
>I fear there is so much vacuuming to do that I'd need 100 water
>changes in a day or two..
>
>Brian
>
>

Does your friend have a canister filter for this tank?
My Magnum 350 will vacuum the gravel (with the attachments on it for doing so),
and doesn't remove any water.
That would be what ya need to do. Vacuum a lot without removing water.
Now, if you only had a Python (it fills/drains and vacuums) then I would do it
several cleanings. They should be doing weekly water changes anyway, so it
won't take that long to fully vacuum it.
Oh, I don't mean do one section of the tank at a time...I mean go over asmuch
surface as possible without over doing the % of water being removed.

[Dick]

On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 03:41:08 -0500, BK > wrote:

>I have a friend who inherited a large tank...The Gravel is just loaded
>with debris..More then can be removed with water changes.
>
>Is there something I can use that will vacuum the gravel without
>removing the water so I can get this mess cleaned up?
>
>I fear there is so much vacuuming to do that I'd need 100 water
>changes in a day or two..
>
>Brian


I never vacuum the gravel in my 4 tanks. The largest is 75 gallons.
It has been up over one year and is heavily populated. I have live
plants covering most of the bottom. I do have a variety of scavangers
and other bottom feeders. I run two Penguin 330 power filters.