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Post by insayne on Jul 9, 2018 23:23:17 GMT -5
Anyone ever use a power head to make a gravel vac? you could add filtration so the power heads output could dump clean water back to the tank right away. This could potentially make keeping high bio load tanks cleaner easier. High suction yanks all the nasty out of the gravel and you could do your water change independent of the gravel cleaning. Just curious what some of you thought. I did see a DIY youtube video but there were a couple commenters stating that a stronger vac could release things that a normally left dormant below the gravel with a standard vac.
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Post by devonjohnsgard on Jul 10, 2018 12:17:36 GMT -5
hmm... I remember someone here in the forum did this with a pump, but I cannot find the thread. I think it was just a pump, with a tube to a filter sock. I've not personally done this as I don't know how you would pick up just the debris, without picking up the rock too. When you use a normal vacuum, you pull water up, but also then kink the hose to drop the gravel, I don't know how this would be done with a pump vacuum. I have used this: www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquariumvacuum.html#eheim_vacWorks well, but not with sand.
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Post by insayne on Jul 10, 2018 12:51:21 GMT -5
The diy video I saw uses a ball valve in line. This would allow you to fine tune suction. The biggest issue I have is with my quarantine tank. My faucet run gravel vac doesn’t pick up debris off the bottom of the bare tank. Granted it’s under my tank cabinet so it could just be a matter of physics. I’m not sure if posting a link to someone else’s YouTube comment is allowed. I could provide a link to the video I saw for reference if anyone is interested. It isn’t my video and I’m obviously not the author.
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Post by mmfed01 on Jul 10, 2018 14:31:54 GMT -5
I had performance issues with my Python water changer....but I am running 100 ft of hose to the kitchen faucet. I attached a small inline pump and that solved the problem....
Mike
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Post by insayne on Jul 10, 2018 18:25:14 GMT -5
Mike,
do you have an example of the pump? im only using 25ft but the suction isn't enough for the quarantine tank.
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Post by mmfed01 on Jul 10, 2018 18:37:19 GMT -5
Certainly, on Amazon.com do a search for Cobalt Aquatics EXT In-Line Pump....
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Post by insayne on Jul 10, 2018 22:03:40 GMT -5
interesting. This is nice and simple. www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkfYFVTOHgk here's the setup i was going to build. i was going to modify it a bit. Put the valve on the output side of the pump to use for adjusting pump output as this would be less stressful on the pump itself. maybe use an old standard gravel vac pickup tube have laying around as opposed to a water bottle. things like that. Your pump would honestly reduce all that. What sort of suction are you getting with that pump mike?
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Post by mmfed01 on Jul 10, 2018 22:32:14 GMT -5
That's a very interesting concept video. AAP had a pretty cool aquarium water changer years ago but I was not fast enough to buy it as it was discontinued. It was a really neat idea though.
I place the inline pump at the end of the line nearest to the drain. Placed up front near the tank it was actually sucking up gravel and making it too difficult to control....
Mike
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Post by insayne on Jul 10, 2018 23:15:20 GMT -5
thanks mike. ill post back when I've decided how i want to install it.
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Post by mmfed01 on Jul 10, 2018 23:18:17 GMT -5
No problem. See what works for you...
Mike
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Post by devonjohnsgard on Jul 11, 2018 12:12:37 GMT -5
Interesting. Ya, this is like a modified aquarium cleaning machine that used to be on the market.
I would think that the filter floss would have to be used multiple times during a cleaning. I wonder how labor intensive it would still be. Need to adapt to a canister filter with larger sponges. That's what the cleaning machine did.
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Post by Carl on Jul 11, 2018 12:23:40 GMT -5
I had performance issues with my Python water changer....but I am running 100 ft of hose to the kitchen faucet. I attached a small inline pump and that solved the problem.... Mike Here is a similar AAP version as well as tips for a DIY version: www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquariumvacuum.htmlCarl
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Post by Carl on Jul 11, 2018 12:30:47 GMT -5
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