Gravel Vaccum - Won't work?

V

Vam

AC Members
Dec 21, 2003
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www.mektek.net
My tank has been cycling now for almost 16 days, I've been doing daily water changes 25% for the past two weeks. I have fish in the tank!
I've not lost a fish yet and I'm very happy.

Ammonia 0.3
pH 6.8

I can't find a nitrite/nitrate kit anywheres (LFS/Walmart) and I'm not very happy with either of those outlets at the moment. I've been given so much bad advice, I don't even like talking to either.

So, I've noticed the substrate has been getting grungy looking and I've been trying to use the gravel vaccum (typical syphon) but it won't work.

I have a bucket on the floor below the tank, I fill the large and small tube with water from the aquarium. I then put the large tube into the tank and put it on the bottom of the substrate, then I take my finger off the small tube and the big tube fills up with this grungy gunk and then it stops, it does not go into the small tube and then into the bucket.

Whats going on here?

Can someone help me out with the gravel vaccum ?
 
Well, make sure you lift the vac from the gravel once it fills with the gunk to allow it to flow through the tube, then move the vac to a new position and repeat. You want to avoid having the vac fill up with gravel...a little swirling around is fine...just keep moving the vac around and make sure there are no 'air-pockets' anywhere in the tube or vac..if there are, then shake the vac up and down to remove them. Also, it could be that your siphon hasn't fully started...again, look for air..if you see any, then shake the contraption up and down a few inches fairly rapidly until the water starts to flow(make sure your finger isn't plugging the bottom of the hose/outlet when doing this).
 
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I had this problem too once after I used my vac a few times. There's probably some build up in vac, try sucking it out but be prepared for whatever nasty tank stuff is in there.

For your test kit problem, go to BIGALSONLINE.COM. They have a wide selection of test kits (I prefer the dry tab tests since my friends and I all agree that it's by far the easiest kit to see accurate readings.)
 
you can get test kits at petsmart too they have locations almost everywhere.
 
do you have fine/medium gravel? Sometimes, you need to disconnect the hose to let some gravel, which is blocking the way, fall back down.

Try and find a petsmart or a petsco, petsmart first and formost. They have locations everywhere, even if its a few miles further than walmart, its worth the drive.
 
I used to have the same problem until I converted my vacuum into a kick-*** DIY python. and with all this nasty gunk on the bottom I can't help but ask if you feed your fish tubifex worms and if you did did you wash the little buggers THUROUGHLY and were they all eaten.
 
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