What is the easiest way to clean this?

I

iluvglowfishys

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Dec 7, 2011
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So I have had my tank up and running about 3 months! All is well, but as i was doing a water change I was moving some things around and noticed as I moved gravel there were particles coming up.. what is the best way to get this stuff out of the tank? I tired using airline and syponing it. Can any one give me any tips?
I have one powder blue gourami, and 3 white skirt tetra ... 10 gal ..
Thank you

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I have two fake, and one floating top plant that is real. I would like to get one more real plant... but my lighting is nothing special so not sure what one to go with. The particles are just... I dont know? . . . fish stuff? left over food? ... a gravel vac... I have seen them. I know this is going to sound dumb but how do you work it?
 
You have to get something called a gravel vacuum, you attach it to your siphon hose and stick it far into the gravel, it gets all the debris in there. They are only $5-$10 (depending where you go and where you are) until then, when you do water changes stir the gravel before and during the water change when you are siphoning, this will kick the particles into the water where the hose can get it, it won't get all of it, but at least some.
 
If you get some live plants that will be In the substrate. You won't want to use a gravel vac on it.

There are some nice low light plants, that you could probably have do well. Just by changing out the stock bulb.

I'm still new to plants myself, so I'll let others give opinions on which ones will be best for you.
 
Thank you Aviva90. I will look at Petsmart or something like that. I see what your saying... its like a suction pump ..
 
Well the floating plant is good because it provides cover for the fish and helps keep the water clean.

I wasn't trying to knock the fact that it's fake plants it's just the difference is all the poop and food gets turned into plant food by the roots of the live plants. So you are actually supposed to leave it for the plants. If you don't have rooted plants then you want to suck up all the stuff to keep the tank clean. Which is what I would suggest you do unless you decide to put some crypts in the tank or something else that feeds with roots.

Gravel vacs get activated many different ways. The ones that are just a big tube with a hose on the end needs to get siphoned. Just suck on the hose until the water enters the other end of the hose, just make sure you stop before it hits the mouth or your in for a fish poop treat for your mouth. You usually have like 5 seconds to figure it out so it's pretty easy to do.

Another one I actually have has a ball on the hose this actually does the pumping, you just pump the ball a few times until water is running out the hose. This is the easiest one and I have seen it at petsmart so I know it's easy to find.

Once you have water running into your bucket it will remain draining and you just stick the pipe into the gravel a little bit to suck up the gunk, go around the tank doing that until you have taken up enough water to complete your water change. Then take the pipe out of the tank and your done.
 
SMinNC said:
If you get some live plants that will be In the substrate. You won't want to use a gravel vac on it.

There are some nice low light plants, that you could probably have do well. Just by changing out the stock bulb.

I'm still new to plants myself, so I'll let others give opinions on which ones will be best for you.
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Thank you... i will look for more words of wisdom!
 
" Gravel vacs get activated many different ways. The ones that are just a big tube with a hose on the end needs to get siphoned. Just suck on the hose until the water enters the other end of the hose, just make sure you stop before it hits the mouth or your in for a fish poop treat for your mouth. You usually have like 5 seconds to figure it out so it's pretty easy to do."
brad... I did not take your post as you kocking my fake plants lol all is good. I would like to get some more real plants and yet I had one that just died .. the needles contrbuited to my "Particles" .. I get the vac now and now I am sure I know why I didnt want to suck on the tube. GROSS!!!!! Im looking for the "ball pump"
 
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