Its beginning to feel like you have an agenda. aquarium gravel cleaner pump tank fish automatic Unfortunately i live in the Netherlands and many of the products you are mentioning (recommending) are either unavailable or can only be purchased from far away meaning shipping costs are just adding too much to the price. figure out why it wont work. Im glad I could help! Unfortunately i have forgotten what i learned in the physics classes in school so turned out to be a waste of money. The mini size is perfect for your fish bowl and other tiny aquariums. siphon 350l gravel aquarium cleaner vacuum pump tank clean fish change water gravel siphon aquarium gravel cleaner pump tank fish automatic cart From your generic Top Fin or Imagitarium gravel vacs, found on the shelves of your local PetSmart or Petco, to the more specialized Python gravel vacs nothing was off limits. Our goal was to find the best gravel vacuum ever! The Fluval Aqua Vac Plus was the only electric gravel vacuum we tested that could also pump water out and into a bucket, similar to a traditional siphon. So I wish I bought the Aqueon which is 2/3 cheaper. For the price of a good electric gravel vacuum, you could afford up to five of the siphon-style gravel vacuums. It might make your maintenance routine easier? Im terribly sorry to hear about your water changing issues, this can be one of the more time consuming and difficult parts of the hobby the layout of your home can impact it dramatically. siphon I looked on Amazon and of course its there! Unfortunately, the vinyl hose is split into two and requires a pump bulb to attach in between. If so, then its going to cause you unnecessary stress each time you perform maintenance on your tank. aquarium gravel cleaner pump tank fish automatic cart Each of the above gravel vacuums features a 2-inch (5-cm) diameter opening on the tube and 6 feet (1.8 m) of hose. siphon tank fish aquarium water pump vacuum cleaner gravel syphon filter hose lc hand opens siphon gravel aquarium cleaner vacuum pump battery tank fish water ), 9 Different Aquarium Water Sources (One is dangerous!). While we could have waited for the filter to take care of it, we were able to trap even the smallest pieces of gunk by adding a fine filter media to the gravel vac. The shortest Python is 25 foot. Im just wondering tho above you dont really talk about the type of substrate being cleaned which surely has a big impact on the cleaner used. aquarium gravel cleaner pump tank fish automatic cart You will soon see that the alternative doesnt compare. The best aquarium vacuum cleaners on the market: If you dont already have a gravel vacuum, I suggest that you grab one today. A water changer is essentially a giant gravel vacuum that connects to your faucet, eliminating the need to carry buckets of water back and forth through your home. At 5 feet (1.5 m), the hose length was shorter than FishLabs top picks. I have spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to figure out what option is appropriate for our 2.5 gallon betta tank. That sounds like a tricky situation with your water source. I personally use both a standard-size and a mini-size vacuum. For example, we found that tiny pieces of waste escaped the vacuums bag and clouded up the tank. Unless your tank bottom is sparsely covered, I found this opening to be too large for precise and effective gravel cleaning. and for a laugh I particularly liked the inclusion of a flow control valve at the top of the vacuum tube. Im now stuck with a long hose and some bits and pieces, costing a minor fortune and pretty much useless so here is what i ended up with (which works). And, a gravel vacuum provides an easy way to siphon water out of your aquarium. It works better at sucking water out of aquariums than cleaning gravel. aquarium gravel cleaner pump tank fish automatic Like with every automatic gravel vacuum, I recommend adding filter floss to the vacuum chamber. For something as simple a device as these are, it was ridiculously complicated to figure out what to purchase! It tastes terrible. Cleaning around plants, decorations and tight corners is nearly impossible with a standard-sized gravel vacuum not so with a mini-gravel vacuum! It would be like Nike and Adidas selling the same product. You choose when to include or exclude at whim. Im based in the U.K. and find your site very helpful. I have well water and theres a salt residue in the tap water around the sink or if I air dry my dishes, from the well water filtering system. Not exactly what i wanted. Otherwise the basic python water change system comes in 25 ft, 50 ft, 75 ft, or 100 ft with the ability to extend either in either 10 or 20 ft increments. Over time, fish poop, uneaten food, plant debris and other waste fall to the bottom of your tank, getting stuck between the gaps in your substrate and quickly forming a thick sludge. I have a second hose which attached to a tap is used to refill the tank. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. siphon Some hoses, like that of the Python Pro-Clean, were soft and flexible. Consisting of little more than a hose and hollow tube, this is the most popular type of gravel vacuum. Here is a video review of the Coodia which is the American version: The standard-sized opening on a gravel vacuum is 2 inches (5 cm) and is suitable for aquariums 20 gallons and over. Nicrew like all these other brands, simply take a generic pump from China and whack their brand on it. gravel aquarium siphon cleaner vacuum sand pump tank clean fish change water So, I was not surprised when their electric gravel vacuum, the Quick Vac Pro, surpassed the competition. This inexpensive product will make water changes and aquarium maintenance an easier task leaving you with more free time to stare at your fish. Because gravel vacuums (also called aquarium vacuum cleaner) are a fairly inexpensive product, I decided to round up and test all the most commonly used gravel vacuums on the market. Brands that offered a 1.5-inch (4-cm) opening fared much better. If you find yourself cringing at the thought, then you will be happy to know that I have a better solution for you. Similarly, you can use the faucet to fill your aquarium with fresh water. As for noise? Does the Netherlands have a local fishkeeping community? Finally it seems a big waste if you need the tap running, using hundreds of liters or gallons of water, just to remove water from your tank. You may even be able to get away with running the end of the water changer off your balcony and letting it free fall, using it as a more traditional siphon, avoiding the water waste from the faucet Im not sure whats below your balcony, so this may or may not be an option. Although, back then, we didnt have the internet. While it slowly straightened out over the following weeks, it initially made using the gravel vacuum difficult. I luckily had some thicker stiffer wall tubing which didnt kink over which made using alot easier. aquariums altogether. Read FishLabs complete review of the Python Water Changer or check out our best water changer guide to see how it compared to the competition. The Super Battery Powered Gravel Cleaner is a good reason why you should not make purchasing decisions on price alone. Thanks so much for taking the time to review and comment on all these options. I have RO water at the kitchen sink for drinking and cooking, but it only makes about 2 gallons at a time, so Im always filling gallon jugs daily for the tanks. They all look the same in the pictures, the 40 inch tubes look identical to the 10 inch tubes. The Python Water Changer is essentially a gravel vacuum that connects to your faucet with a long hose. Its finally done. With water running at full speed, the suction i get is nowhere near enough to clean the gravel. A 5-inch (13-cm) gravel vacuum is too inefficient for a large aquarium, cleaning your gravel would take all day. I rent so I have no control over the filter system. It can now be used to clean the gravel and drain water in one go, without the need for buckets. Unfortunately, this handle made the gravel vacuum difficult to grip and provided no advantage over the more conventional style of gravel vacuum caps. aquarium siphon Silicone tape (this one, to be precise). The main difference is build quality and size and lengths of tubing, which make the whole experience more personalized for your tank. When using a gravel vacuum, you control the flow of water draining from your aquarium by kinking and unkinking the hose. My Agenda is this:: You can clean your substrate and empty your tank at the same time! You see, for a large tank, a 20% water change can require at least two or three trips through your house with an overflowing bucket. However, it may not be feasible for your apartment. However, this was easily overcome. Otherwise it sounds like you have your process all sorted, despite the extra effort needed. siphon gravel aquarium cleaner vacuum pump battery tank fish water While we did like that Aqueon included a clip to help keep the hose end inside the bucket, it didnt make up for the hoses flaws. When I had everyone at my local fish club weigh in, the results feedback was unanimous the python gravel vacuums far outperformed the Aqueon, which actually has the exact problems you list (among many others.) If you strip these extras away, you are left with a perfectly sized gravel vacuum for small aquariums, one of the best on the market. siphon With that said, I sincerely hope you like the product and that it meets your expectations. to be impartial then why not have all the top players in the review? What really separated them was the build quality the hosing in particular. NICREW Power VAC Plus Automatic Gravel Cleaner, Electric Aquarium Cleaner with Sponge Filter, 3 in 1 Aquarium Vacuum Gravel Cleaner for Medium and Large Tanks, https://www.amazon.ca/NICREW-Automatic-Cleaner-Electric-Aquarium/dp/B07SH5LPMB/?tag=fishlab-20. Today, I am going to share our findings with you. Meanwhile, my local fish store was also kind enough to allow me to test gravel vacs on 60-gallon, 100-gallon and 200-gallon tanks. If you want a gravel vacuum that is going to easily and reliably clean and drain your tank for years to come, then read on to find the gravel vacuums that performed the best. Ill tell you why it fails badly. As for the pleco? its on ebay.. Thats actually an excellent tip! I use Pro Aquarium Gravel Cleaner Vacuum Pump that is The Best electric gravel vacuum which you dont have in your lists. Hi Ian. Fluvals second attempt at a gravel vacuum, the Fluval Multi Substrate Cleaner performed much better. Can Betta Fish Live With Goldfish? I have spent hundreds on nicrew products in the past, they have not once performed to the degree where I could recommend them. Required fields are marked *. Thanks Ian. You see, the mini-gravel vacuums work exceptionally well at precision vacuuming. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN0AZUK8H0E&t=303s, Identical to the Canadian version When sourcing the products, I found buying gavel vacuums online is the worst. Instead you summarily dismiss it as being generic therefore you dont In truth, for this sized tank, I didnt find the attachment to be particularly helpful. Yes. The first is a how to assemble video. After a while on Amazon, all the options began to blur together and I wasnt even sure which were credible reviews or authentic products. I dont know if a water changer would work for me because my kitchen sink is not even close to the tank. Any comments would be welcome but i guess for now im stuck with what i have. Well, lets just say that his monster poops definitely put this gravel vacuum to the test. Disclaimer: After testing every major brand of electric gravel vacuum, it is my opinion that the siphon-style is superior in every way. Sorry for the silly question but, what kind of filter floss did you use with the Eheim device? I am unsure why you cannot accept this and insist on going around in circles. siphon I wish I could find some info such as what height difference (tap to tank) do you need to create a proper vacuum are there any alternatives which comes with an electric pump instead of using water, are there any pumps available which can somehow be attached (and adjusted to get the right vacuum) and how about turning an airpump into a powerful enough waterpump. I put this gravel vacuum to the test on an Oscar tank and a pleco tank at my local fish store. The TOM Aquarium Vacuum Cleaner featured an angled neck with a pump bulb incorporated directly into the handle. While I love the quality of Python, they dont offer an appropriate product for 10 to 20-gallon aquariums. I am open to suggestions. Generic Chinese reproductions. I really like your site great for me who is a newbie. By placing the tube end of the gravel vac over your substrate, you can vacuum all this gunk away, keeping your tank neat and tidy. This is the type of gravel vacuum you want. For instance, their automatic fish feeder is poor and their Preset aquarium heaters are downright dangerous. While the ridged hose of the Tera Pump might allow it to bend without kinking, it has a serious drawback. To be honest, I was actually impressed at just how well the Eheim Quick Vac performed. Still, people in your local community have probably faced similar problems to you and may still offer great advice, Im sure some will live in apartments too and have already solved any issues you face. The next size up that Python offers features a 2-inch opening. You are overpaying for a product that can be shipped direct from China for a few dollars, through alibaba. And with a testing pool of over 40 gravel vacuums, I can confidently answer that question. Thanks so much for sharing! Once you try out this water changer, gravel vacuums feel clumsy there is no going back. So when I suck the debris, it might suck the sands too. Unfortunately, the Nicrew Rechargeable Gravel Vacuum had comparatively poor suction and offered a measly 2.5 hours of runtime although we struggled to even get close to the 2-hour mark. So if you are considering skipping a gravel vacuum, I recommend that you reconsider. at a glance: our top picks for gravel vacuums. How far the chopstick protrudes will take a little trial and error as there is some variation in suction depending on the gravel vacuum and tubing used. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Sign up with your email for our newsletter and be notified when we publish new blog posts. Alternatively, you could always grab a good pair of aquarium gloves to keep your hands and arms dry. Despite the limitations of electric gravel vacuums, they remain a popular accessory in the aquarium community. Ill need three 5G buckets filled for the 55G, but at least I wont have to empty 3 buckets of water! Once you get to medium-sized aquariums, Python once again outclasses the competition. I mean, every gravel vacuum both sucked water and removed sludge from the gravel to some degree. All told, we spent dozens of hours performing hundreds of water changes. aquarium cleaner fish All told, there are three different sizes. While we had no issues with reliability during testing, you should be aware that at the time of writing this, over 50% of reviews left on Amazon were 1-star. siphon The tube sits inside your aquarium and allows you to both clean your gravel and siphon water out of your tank during weekly water changes. The second one had a better fit, but it still failed to impress with its suction. I have the full Python kit and although it is somewhat effective in cleaning gravel it creates such a mess in the process with pails of water it makes one want to give up aquarium gravel cleaner pump tank fish automatic cart An aquarium vacuum cleaner can be quite a helpful tool and can serve you in the following: Regular water changes are an unavoidable part of fishkeeping. The Python gravel vacuum fails badly and not at all as good as the reviewer claims. So, we purchased four different aquariums and layered them with gravel. After spending dozens of hours performing hundreds of water changes, with over 40 different gravel vacuums, we believe that we found the best gravel vac for every size of aquarium. Running on two C-sized batteries, this device failed to offer a reasonable amount of suction. aquarium gravel cleaner pump tank fish automatic cart However, if you have a larger tank, you will likely be unimpressed at the rate at which this siphon drains your tank. Your email address will not be published. gravel siphon Best of all, its available in three different sizes. Besides, your substrate isnt going to clean itself and in my opinion, a gravel vacuum is the easiest way to remove the built-up poop, uneaten fish food, plant debris and other gunk that has fallen between the cracks. If you plan to use this as a long-term solution, buy some good rechargeable AA batteries, like these. Well, things ended up getting a little out of hand, and before I knew it, I had amassed a collection of over 40 different gravel vacuums. First, consider the depth of your aquarium. This offered greater control over the water flow when compared to a thicker, more rigid hose like that of the Aqueon Siphon Vacuum, which resulted in jerkier movement. The Oscar in question was a notoriously messy eater, with the majority of the food falling to the gravel. If you are going to do any kind of a comparison or review and you are claiming This makes me question whether you have some sort of agenda and if your Running off 4 AA batteries, we consistently got just over 4 hours of use. Turns out its almost identical to the python. Best of all, they are manufactured right here in the United States. I consider a gravel vacuum cleaner to be an essential product for all aquariums even those without gravel! I need one bigger than 2does nobody make these anymore? Updated hourly. Im sure I could find more if I looked harder. aquarium cleaner fish siphon Its not the fact that these companies manufacture in China. Your email address will not be published. I notice the Aqueon vacuum that is alot cheaper has a coil built in which stops this very kinking problem. Their Everyday Feeder took first place in FishLabs best automatic fish feeder review. The larger gravel vac is used to clean open areas of gravel, while the small one is used to clean between plants. While it can be difficult to tell the difference when shopping online, the vacuum tubes found on gravel vacuums come in a wide variety of sizes. siphon Sand substrates are trickier to test as you dont actually put the gravel vacuum tube on sand. 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If you need a Bigger Tube you could go online and research 3 inch Clear Poly Tubing and buy it to length. Python makes a wide range of exceptional water changing products. siphon When I first started out many many years ago, these were a huge help in getting me up to speed with learning the ins and outs of the hobby, including product recommendations. siphon The cause is the plastic tubing is too flexible and kinks over double just above the main wide plastic tube preventing the water siphoning. Ill agree with you here. However, if you have a larger tank, consider a good aquarium water changer instead. The other route is a water pump as you suggested. Now, we had to come up with a way to test them. Over time, sludge and other waste will accumulate here, and it is almost impossible to remove. That I dont care about. Its just that, based on testing, FishLabs top picks are better. NICREW is a trademark of SHENZHEN NICAI TECHNOLOGY CO.,LTD, COODIA is a trademark of ShenZhen JingShi Technology Co., Ltd. gravel siphon This discussion isnt going to change my mind on the bad reputation nicrew has made for itself. Water is Hard as a rock. Electric gravel vacuums are often purchased in addition to a siphon-style gravel vacuum. I know you are US based but I may find the brand here. Going further, its identical to the SunSun one: https://www.aliexpress.com/i/32967986750.html?spm=2114.12057483.0.0.4a873df4J8tR0h, https://www.aliexpress.com/i/33031483607.html?spm=2114.12057483.0.0.4a873df4cISEkJ.