Question About Tank Cleaning

[marya]

Hi all. After several years of hauling buckets I finally broke down a bought a Lee's Ultimate Gravel Vac which is the Lee's Aquarium Products version of the Python. It's exactly the same as the python except for one thing. It has a fine rake/grating on the end of the cleaning tube with very thin slits in it. They say this piece is a "fish saver" and prevents fish from being sucked up while the tank is being cleaned. The problem I have with it is that when cleaning the tanks of larger fish like my big brasiliensis and even my husband's oscar, the fish's waste is too large to fit through the screen on the vac. I tried to remove this screen thing and it just wasn't happening (without destroying the whole unit).
I emailed Lee's to ask if this was a typical problem and their reply was that there shouldn't ever be any visible biological waste from the fish in the tank unless the biological filtration system is inadequate. The waste should break down before it would have to be vacuumed.
I definitly wouldn't say there is lots of fish poo in my tanks, but when it comes to the larger cichlids there is usually at least a piece or two when I come around to do water changes. Maybe it's because I do water changes more frequently than Lee's is figuring? I'm just puzzled because most people I know with fish do sometimes end up doing a little bit of...poo clean-up.

edit:
Well here is one explanation I guess... The package for the Vac recommends doing water changes once a month. We usually average weekly or at least every week and a half around here.

 

[Cristy]

Can you cut it out? If not, you may have to buy another end piece. You can get one of the cheaper gravel vacs and put the end on your tubing. Better yet, see if you can return the Lee's vac and make a diy version for 1/2 the price or so.

 

[marya]

What I ended up doing was getting chad to power-saw the end off, now it works like a dream. The customer service rep at lee's cautioned not to remove the claw because doing so would probably make the tube crack. I figured it was of no use to me anyway the way it was. If the tube cracked I'd just buy a replacement like you suggested from a cheaper vac. In any case without the claw it works great! It was just a really poor design and I think she tried to come up with a lame defense for it.

 

[revo2001]

Originally posted by marya@Aug 10 2005, 07:02 PM
What I ended up doing was getting chad to power-saw the end off, now it works like a dream. The customer service rep at lee's cautioned not to remove the claw because doing so would probably make the tube crack. I figured it was of no use to me anyway the way it was. If the tube cracked I'd just buy a replacement like you suggested from a cheaper vac. In any case without the claw it works great! It was just a really poor design and I think she tried to come up with a lame defense for it.

I have the same one and I noticed that due to the end being like that the vacuum doesn't work as well at sucking things up.. I'll probably have to saw mine off too..

 

[longstocking]

I have the same one... I don't even use the attatchment at all... just the hose. Sucks everthing up quite well... you just have to get used to not going too close to the sand.... if you use sand... I don't use gravel any more but when I did I did keep the attachment on but sawed off the rack thing... now I have no use for it though.

 

[Steve]

Marya,

"I emailed Lee's to ask if this was a typical problem and their reply was that there shouldn't ever be any visible biological waste from the fish in the tank unless the biological filtration system is inadequate. The waste should break down before it would have to be vacuumed."

I just have to say that I think the above statement shows the speaker has been working very *very* hard at controlling his/her cataracts (i.e., smoking vast quantities of dope).

I've always used a big piece of surgical tubing to siphon water, and I've always used five-gallon pails just in case I sucked up something or someone that didn't belong in the sink or toilet (like the giant danio who made the fantastic voyage one time . . . ). I used to siphon the gravel, and found that the key was difference in size between the lower piece of the vacuum and the tubing (and I liked the control that siphon provided)--after all, you want to disrupt the gravel/sand and get it tossed all about to pull out all the detritus.

But, I've largely given up doing that . . . although I occasionally stir up the sand/gravel because some of the fish (esp. P. electras) like to forage (mimicking their natural behavior). But if you're doing water changes on a weekly or biweekly basis, do you even need to do the gravel except, say, once per year?

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Pat Kelly]

Well, did you solve your Poo problem?
Need to make sure you got it fixed prior to the new arrival.
That will be another kind of Poo concern.
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[marya]

LOL, yeah. Poo problem solved. Against the advice of Lee's, Chad took a saw to the rake ending of the gravel vac and it has worked like a charm ever since.

 

[DeeCee]

Whew........glad you got it solved Marya.......although it would be interesting to see you trying to change diapers on your fish.........

DC