How to clean gravel ?

I have some rocks, plastic plants, and small flower pot turned
sideways in my tank. I use a gravel cleaner to suck up water and clean
the gravel. But the fact that it disturbs the gravel and therefore let
lighter bit of waste to be sucked up also means that I can't help
making a mess of all the plants and everything. It's like having to
re-anchor and re-position everything every time I do this. This is not
only very time consuming but I think also not very good for the fish.
Can anyone give me some advice?

Also, I never seem to be able to clean the entire tank area without
having to suck up too much water. How should I manage the cleaning
properly?

My gravel size is about 0.5cm, so not very fine.

Thanks,
Petre

Almost all the plastic plants I've seen come with "boat shaped"
stands/anchors. I've followed someone's suggestion (don't remember whose)
about using suction cups for airline hoses in place of the "boat shaped"
things. Basically the plastic plant will pop off its stand (it doesn't
break anything) and I can stick the bottom of it into the suction cup. The
suction cup has to stick directly onto the bottom of the tank. To move the
plant, "slide" the suction cup along the tank-bottom. Or don't move it at
all. The plant will stay firmly in place even if you bump it with a gravel
cleaner.

use aquarium silicone to clue rocks to the "boats" for the plants.
too much gravel for size of tank, too little water, too high a speed on the suction.
if this is a python, put a garden turn off on the hose to teh bell, either dont have
the water running so fast or once suction is started turn the garden hoodgies so it
cant suck too fast. smaller bell on teh end, less water at a atime.
get rid of the gravel and dont have to clean anymore. Ingrid

(Petre Huile) wrote:
re-anchor and re-position everything
Also, I never seem to be able to clean the entire tank area without
having to suck up too much water. How should I manage the cleaning
properly?

My gravel size is about 0.5cm, so not very fine.

Thanks,
Petre



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

This seems a good idea. I have those boat bottom plants too. I can
sort of imagine what the suction cups look like but where can I get
them? Will hardware stores have them? Can't remember seeing them
though.

Thanks.


"E.Otter" wrote in message rthlink.net...
Almost all the plastic plants I've seen come with "boat shaped"
stands/anchors. I've followed someone's suggestion (don't remember whose)
about using suction cups for airline hoses in place of the "boat shaped"
things. Basically the plastic plant will pop off its stand (it doesn't
break anything) and I can stick the bottom of it into the suction cup. The
suction cup has to stick directly onto the bottom of the tank. To move the
plant, "slide" the suction cup along the tank-bottom. Or don't move it at
all. The plant will stay firmly in place even if you bump it with a gravel
cleaner.

Any LFS will sell airline-holding suction cups. The brand I've seen the
most is "Lee's Aquamarine and Pets: airline holders". I've also seen them
at WalMart in the pet/fish section. I doubt the hardware store will carry
the kind of suction cups you need. These suction cups have a hole in the
top to insert a small "clip" that actually holds the airline hose. To use
it for a plastic plants discard the clip, pull the plant out of the "boat",
and insert the plant into that suction cup's hole.

Hope it helps,
E.Otter