Ok I need help

[demfish]

I just stuff the big marble in the end of the hose, so it stops the water from going out. Gives me more time to clean the tank, move things around. Then I don't have to start the siphon again.

[cashay]

oh ok thanks,

[murdock6701]

by whisper filter, do you mean an hob?

[Carl]

Yes, the Whisper is a HOB Filter
Aquarium Filtration; including HOB Filters

Even though I have found the Almond Leaf formulas VERY helpful in Amazon River Aquariums, I do have to admit that I would agree with John/8 in NOT using it in your case since you are struggling with KH/pH. Bio Lif and other Almond Leaf products will lower KH and pH and are great for this purpose in many aquariums, especially in areas of hard water, as a side benefit the less refined Almond Leaf products lower Aeromonas and other anaerobic bacteria activity.

Back to the gravel vacuum problem, you have already received good tips and I will add just one more and that is many Gravel Vacuums (such as the Lees Gravel Vac) have valves that allow you to "shake" a few times to start.

The advantage of a gravel vacuum is removal of the maximum amount of organic mulm and DOC per water change, although as I noted earlier, using a micron or poly filter can help after cleaning. A poly pad can be cut to fit inside your Whisper Filter.
In larger tanks or aquarists with multiple aquarium, the Aquarium Cleaning Machine is extremely practical and useful for removal of organic mulm as after you use a device such as this to change water you can then switch the valve to recirculate and continue to vacuum through a fine micron filter, HOWEVER, this machine is really over kill for your size aquarium (my colleagues that use this for professional aquarium maintenance love it for this purpose, but the cost is better justified for large or multiple aquariums).

Carl

[cashay]

I actually did get the poly pad for my whisper. about a week ago, and that looks like the vacuume I have , so I will just continue with that one, I'm going to give it another day without the gravel before checking the water parameters again, to see if there is any difference, Will get a sample of my water in the morning and on the way home from work take it by a LFS to see if their's is different then my test. so i will keep ya posted, may need more advice after that..

[cashay]

Ok took a sample of my water to the LSF and found out it is not my test kit, the stores test read the exact same thing... I added more marine buffer and it did raise it up KH was at 80 ph went to 7.0 which I know right now it's good, will have to check it out again tomorrow, I added two 1/2 cap fuls of buffer to get it there... not good huh?

[murdock6701]

here is the reason I asked about the hob - if organic mulm is a problem in your tank, this is a likely origin imo - I have hobs in all my tanks - I have several brushes to scrub all the tubing and the impellor and the inside of the filter, but have yet to find a way to get deep down inside the motor to get the mulm out other than scalding hot boiling water and baby bottle nipple brush - hope this helps - as long as that gunk is there, it will continue to thrive - just a thought and hope it might help solve the mytery - have thought about running it thru the dishwasher but then you have the soap issue.....

[cashay]

I was thinking the same thing as it being in my filter, I read that you have to keep it cleaned and when I was looking at it, thought" how do you clean it with out taking it apart and taking a chance not putting it back together right or breaking it all together, so I was just rinsing it.. and running water through the little slit's on the motor??? But I agree that is probably where it's at because I have taken all gravel out, there is nothing sitting on the bottom of my tank except the hydro filter which I pick up and clean underneath it, and a few live plants that are just sitting on the bottom, and move around( which a push of the vacuume) So there is really no other explaination!!!!