hmm, interesting

N

nerdyrcdriver

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Sep 1, 2011
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I found this video when I looked up "diy python gravel vac". Now, he says no need for a water change. But I think that I would still do water changes even with this. But it could procrastinate the bucket brigade a few days.

[video=youtube;dyShys6Www4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyShys6Www4[/video]


I have another idea as well. I have my tetra pf10 filter that is not really doing much now that I have the aquaclear 10 in my tank. Thinking about putting aquaclear foam in there and the normal thing that goes in the pf10. But attaching the intake from the filter to the output of the gravel vac. That would probably have more filtration and power to suck stuff up. Any thoughts on that? Then I could use that for cleaning the gravel and the water a bit. Then put a different hose on the gravel vac (the one that came with it) and do a normal wc without the really dirty stuff. It may seem like wasted effort, but I need a weekend project.
 
Dangerdoll said:
pretty interesting.... I would still do the water change too. Personally, I consider the gravel cleaning secondary to the water change.
Click to expand...

you could argue that. But you havent seen what comes out of my gravel sometimes. But while my water still looks crystal clear, it could be dirty and stuff. I would still do water changes, just thinking of a way to clean the gravel better and without taking water out of the tank. Sometimes I end up doing two water changes in a day or do another water change the next day just so I can get all of the stuff I want out of the gravel. Well, I will probably try hooking it up to the secondary filter on sunday.
 
Is rubber fish safe? I would think it would be but I dont know. I guess it doesnt really matter unless I managed one brand new in a package. There is a whole drawer of rubber stoppers that would be good for my little project in the chem rooms at school. But they have probably all been around harsh chemicals and stuff anyway. I guess I will just pick up a tube of tank silicone from meijer next time I go.
 
Dangerdoll said:
pretty interesting.... I would still do the water change too. Personally, I consider the gravel cleaning secondary to the water change.
Click to expand...

+1

nerdy... why fight it, man? get a length of vinyl hose with the same I.D. as your gravel vacs hose, but long enough to make it outside or to a drain/toilet/etc..

then refill with the hose and add your dechlor.

you can make something like this for easy w/c's as well...

attachment.php


it will drain and fill hands free. all you have to do is make and break the siphon and connect/disconnect the hose.

you can use it to fill while you siphon, too. 100% plus w/c's are easy this way.

when i made mine, it only cost me $11. i had a couple things already, but it's not expensive by any means.
 
Dangerdoll said:
pretty interesting.... I would still do the water change too. Personally, I consider the gravel cleaning secondary to the water change.
Click to expand...

+1. Water change's would absolutely still be necessary. The biggest reason for doing a water change is to remove nitrates, phosphates, disssolved organics, and other metabolic pollutants in the water column, gravel cleaning is secondary. This device won't remove any of the invisible stuff in the water.

WYite
 
nerdyrcdriver said:
I found this video when I looked up "diy python gravel vac". Now, he says no need for a water change. But I think that I would still do water changes even with this. But it could procrastinate the bucket brigade a few days.

[video=youtube;dyShys6Www4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyShys6Www4[/video]


I have another idea as well. I have my tetra pf10 filter that is not really doing much now that I have the aquaclear 10 in my tank. Thinking about putting aquaclear foam in there and the normal thing that goes in the pf10. But attaching the intake from the filter to the output of the gravel vac. That would probably have more filtration and power to suck stuff up. Any thoughts on that? Then I could use that for cleaning the gravel and the water a bit. Then put a different hose on the gravel vac (the one that came with it) and do a normal wc without the really dirty stuff. It may seem like wasted effort, but I need a weekend project.
Click to expand...

I never said I wasnt going to do water changes.
 
we never said you weren't going to do them, either. we just know how it is when you get in a slump and don't want to do something because it's more difficult than it's worth. ;)
 
dundadundun said:
we never said you weren't going to do them, either. we just know how it is when you get in a slump and don't want to do something because it's more difficult than it's worth. ;)
Click to expand...

True, so very true

I bought a new filter cartridge for the pf10 today and I will get some aquaclear foam for it as well. The hose for my gravel vac was twice as long as I need anyway, so I cut it in half and glued the other half to the tube for the pf10. Oddly enough the pf10 came with two tubes so this isnt risking the fact I cut off the little grate thing on the end and if this doesnt work the way I want it to I can always put the other one on. Well, I didnt glue it, I picked up a tube of marineland silicone meant to seal tanks. It says it sticks to plastics and stuff, so hopefully it sticks. It seems to be sticking, and if it doesnt I guess I could try roughing up the inside of the tube a bit.

My plan of use is to use this to clean the gravel easily. I want to attach the tube to the end of my gravel vac, plug in the filter (probably have to fill with water) and suck the crap out of the gravel allowing the water back into the tank. Then after I got what I want out of the gravel and into the filter (hopefully caught by the foam and cartridge). And when it is time to do a water change, I just have to turn the unit around (or probably hook it to the bucket) and let the water flow into a 5g bucket. According to my calculations this 90gph filter should pump 1.5g per minute. From what I heard filters are rated without media in them most of the time so I am hoping for maybe 1 gallon per minute if I leave the foam and cartridge in. I could take them out for faster flow during the water change, but it probably wont be needed.

We will see how this works. If it fails, I can put the other tube on and let it run as a secondary filter or keep it as back up. I still have the other half of the hose for my gravel vac so I can still use that just fine and have the bucket brigade.

Really the only way this is any better than just doing a gravel vac during a wc is the fact that no water leaves the tank during the gravel vac. Good because mine is over sized for my tank and pulls the water out of the tank too fast. I normally end up doing about half the tank one week and the other half the next week.
 
Ok, I just did the first little test cleaning about 1/10th of the tank. I didnt put the foam or new cartridge in so the filtration wasnt great (old cartridge is falling apart). The water flow wasnt great either, but it was able to actually suck the stuff up where it normally spins around at the bottom leaving a lot behind. Tomorrow I will iron out the kinks (literally, there was a kink in the hose causing the water flow issue. though I wont fix that with an iron.) So far, so good. I might pick up a cheap overkill filter rated for like 150+gph from meijer for like $20 eventually. Not now, but later on. There is a reason they are cheap. They are loud from what I have found online. Actually at that price I might as well buy a python or the stuff to make one. But I really want to clean the gravel without taking water out of the tank.
 
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