Gravel pump and water change options?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
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Catfishguy721

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 12, 2013
104
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Houston, TX
Hey guys I have been trying to do water changes often and gravel pump. I have a aqueon water change hose that hooks up to the sink or hose but it takes a long time to hook up and is slow as crap. Does anyone have a better way they do water changes and gravel pump? I've seen battery powered gravel pump/ water changers... Anyone ever have any luck with them?


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gravel pump? or gravel vacuum? I don't know of anyway to move the gravel other than scooping...
for vacuuming the best I've found is something like this. the last one I bought had a flapper valve that was supposed to improve it but actually made it harder to work. ripped it out and it was great.
vacuum into a bucket and dump the bucket somewhere. for bigger jobs I stick a pump in the bucket and run a pump in the bucket attached to a hose to the toilet. my pump is a bit faster than the siphon so I let the bucket fill up, turn on the pump and vacuum until the water level in the bucket lowers.
for regular water changes, I just use a drinking safe garden hose.
 
I have a siphone like the one you linked to but mine attaches to the sink and sucks water. I can't use a standard siphon hose because my tank is on the floor and the siphon doesn't work. I was thinking of like a shopvac attached to the gravel siphon.


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as far as I know, no-one has come up with a good solution. although I gave up on floor level tanks a long time ago, if I were to do it now, I'd go with sand instead of gravel. that way you siphon off the waste sitting on top of the sand so the reduced flow isn't really an issue, plus with the slower siphon you're less likely to suck up the sand.
 
I syphon into a bucket, and got a pump that I put in the sink. I fill as I drain, syphon just a wee bit faster so I can empty a bucket and come back in more than enough time. For a few tanks I placed them close to windows, so I just syphon on the window. For that one I can do massive water changes (goldfish) I usually let it run for a few minutes filling and emptying at the same time so I get pretty decent turn over.
 
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