Reef Vacuum

So I was cleaning my tanks today when I thought...."wouldn't it be cool if I could just keep siphoning out the garbage in the sand and on the rocks without running out of water?" and then it finally occurred to me... Use a siphon tube that drains water into a micron sock that is suspended over the sump with a pvc bar. Brilliant, works like a charm, you can vacuum up a bunch, stir the tanks and then vacuum that too. Since the water just goes right back, now mostly particulate free, you can do it as long as you like. Does it get everything? No, but it gets quite a bit. Run Carbon with it. Have you already thought of this? Well keep it to yourself and let me have my day. lol...

 

pretty cool..
ill give it a try someday thanks for sharing

 

I like that better than the ones that recycle the water immediately back into the tanks be cause you can get into tighter spaces.

 

Adding to this, for those without sumps:

Put a pump on the back end instead of putting it in the sump.

 

there are others? i might have to check it out. I don't like having to do a water change to siphon, I end up wanting to clean less b/c of the cost of water. A strainer on the tube is a good improvement i have found. slip strainers can fit into these tubes. After that I am thinking clamps that slide on the pvc to keep it in place

 

how would the pump work? I have tanks without sumps too...

 

You can also throw a chopstick or two on the front, to stir up the detritus out of the sand while not getting the sand in the sock.

 

In through the sock and PVC, out to the tank? lol

View attachment vacuum.bmp

 

you could actually put some floss in a gavel vac then attach a power head to the top of the vac.

 

This is cool! I was just blowing junk up and stirring the top layer in my fuge and was thinking I wanted to vaccum but didn't want to do a water change. Now tomorrow I won't have too!