Substrate vacuum

CrayolaViolence · 06/27/2016, 10:43 AM

I've looked at several vacuums for substrate but they all seem to rely on pulling out the water into a bucket. I was wondering is there one out there that you can siphon the water through and collected the debris into a sock or filter like a vacuum, leaving behind gravel and spitting the water back into the tank?

Thanks

GimpyFin · 06/27/2016, 11:02 AM

The Eheim quick vac pro doesn't require a bucket. It's battery powered with a mesh cartridge to catch all the junk that is vacuumed out.

Dogshowgrl · 06/27/2016, 11:07 AM

Yes, there is, but that's a freshwater thing to do. Tgey don't have the same ecosystem setup saltwater tanks do. If you have detritus build up then change your flow. I syphon out things during my water change if I have to, once I learn my tank and adjust my flow by week three I prevent dead spots. Good bacteria and micro fauna live in the sand bed, we try not to disturb it. It will often cause more harm than good.

We use a the quick vac pro made by eheim in out freshwater tanks, if you think you really need something.

GimpyFin · 06/27/2016, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dogshowgrl

Yes, there is, but that's a freshwater thing to do. Tgey don't have the same ecosystem setup saltwater tanks do. If you have detritus build up then change your flow. I syphon out things during my water change if I have to, once I learn my tank and adjust my flow by week three I prevent dead spots. Good bacteria and micro fauna live in the sand bed, we try not to disturb it. It will often cause more harm than good.

We use a the quick vac pro made by eheim in out freshwater tanks, if you think you really need something.

Fine sand beds aren't typically vacuumed, but people with coarser substrates can still have stuff settle in over time and need to be vacuumed out, both fresh and saltwater.

CrayolaViolence · 06/27/2016, 11:55 AM

Yes, I have a courser sand bed. And it is very dusty, especially after cleaning out the old tank for the big move.

rt67ghy · 06/27/2016, 12:10 PM

I would be worried about dissolved gases such as hydrogen sulfide going into the water column and harming fish/corals by putting the water back. Sps corals may STN/RTN from irritation from fine sand/dust particles.

ReefsandGeeks · 06/27/2016, 12:44 PM

I use a piece of 3/8" clean hose from home depot, and siphon through a fine filter in a bucket, then return the water to tank. I can do this in batches of a few gallons, and saves the tank water. I don't vaccumm down into the sandbed, just the loose stuff that may have collected on top in places I can't seem to eliminate the deadspot. has worked well for me.

I currently use a custom 10micon filter for this, but once that's used up I'll probly have to find a fine filter sock to use. I don't know how fine it needs to be for the water to be super clear.

CStrickland · 06/27/2016, 04:55 PM

Why not just run it into a bucket and replace with new salt water? This removes the dirtiest water from your tank and also refreshes minerals that the salt provides.

mcgyvr · 06/27/2016, 05:00 PM

I used to just use tubing and throw a filter sock over the end in the sump..
Letting it go right from the display through the sock right in the sump.. You can clean all day doing that..

I also just used a hot magnum or similar canister filter with tubing on the inlet to let you move it around/suck stuff up.. Works "ok" but finer "dust" can blow right through unless you have a very fine filter/polishing pad in there.. cleanup is a biatch..

mcgyvr · 06/27/2016, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GimpyFin

The Eheim quick vac pro doesn't require a bucket. It's battery powered with a mesh cartridge to catch all the junk that is vacuumed out.

It does NOT work with any sand.. Freshwater gravel.. yes..but any sand and it will clog/seize the motor quickly.. It really is for freshwater only..
And the filter basket mesh isn't fine enough.... most stuff will just flow right through it..

CrayolaViolence · 06/28/2016, 03:50 AM

Well, what I did for now, was hook up a hand siphon to an over the back filter and let it create a vacuum to suck the dust into the box then run out of the filter back into the tank. I'm not worried about hurting any of the corals and fish because right now, the tank is empty. I emptied the tank so that I can clean it and re-do it and turn it into a frag type tank for new corals. Also, I kept the sand bed stirred up on a regular basis any how, to keep gasses from building up. So hopefully if there were any, it wasn't much.

06/27/2016, 10:43 AM	#1
CrayolaViolence Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,867	Substrate vacuum I've looked at several vacuums for substrate but they all seem to rely on pulling out the water into a bucket. I was wondering is there one out there that you can siphon the water through and collected the debris into a sock or filter like a vacuum, leaving behind gravel and spitting the water back into the tank? Thanks

06/27/2016, 11:02 AM	#2
GimpyFin Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 2,032	The Eheim quick vac pro doesn't require a bucket. It's battery powered with a mesh cartridge to catch all the junk that is vacuumed out. __________________ Brian Current Tank Info: 110 gallon

06/27/2016, 12:10 PM	#6
rt67ghy Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh Posts: 984	I would be worried about dissolved gases such as hydrogen sulfide going into the water column and harming fish/corals by putting the water back. Sps corals may STN/RTN from irritation from fine sand/dust particles. __________________ 180g mixed reef. 53g sump including 20g fuge. 320lbs LR, 140lbs LS. 1/2 hp chiller. Temp 75-79. Current Tank Info: Fish: 1 yellow tang, 1 mandarin, 1 pair of tomato clowns, 1 maroon clown, 1 skunk clown, 1 banggai cardinal. Anemones: 1 green haddoni carpet, 2 heteractis auroras, 1 LTA.

06/27/2016, 04:55 PM	#8
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	Why not just run it into a bucket and replace with new salt water? This removes the dirtiest water from your tank and also refreshes minerals that the salt provides. __________________ If you're havin tank problems I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a fish ain't one Current Tank Info: 3/2016 upgrade to 120g. Chalk bass, melanurus, firefish, starry blenny, canary blenny, lyretail anthias, engineer gobys, kole tang. Softies / LPS / NPS. <3 noob4life <3

06/27/2016, 05:00 PM	#9
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	I used to just use tubing and throw a filter sock over the end in the sump.. Letting it go right from the display through the sock right in the sump.. You can clean all day doing that.. I also just used a hot magnum or similar canister filter with tubing on the inlet to let you move it around/suck stuff up.. Works "ok" but finer "dust" can blow right through unless you have a very fine filter/polishing pad in there.. cleanup is a biatch.. __________________ Who me?

06/27/2016, 11:07 AM	#3
Dogshowgrl Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: North Central Florida Posts: 298	Yes, there is, but that's a freshwater thing to do. Tgey don't have the same ecosystem setup saltwater tanks do. If you have detritus build up then change your flow. I syphon out things during my water change if I have to, once I learn my tank and adjust my flow by week three I prevent dead spots. Good bacteria and micro fauna live in the sand bed, we try not to disturb it. It will often cause more harm than good. We use a the quick vac pro made by eheim in out freshwater tanks, if you think you really need something.

06/27/2016, 11:55 AM	#5
CrayolaViolence Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,867	Yes, I have a courser sand bed. And it is very dusty, especially after cleaning out the old tank for the big move.

06/27/2016, 12:44 PM	#7
ReefsandGeeks Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 1,708	I use a piece of 3/8" clean hose from home depot, and siphon through a fine filter in a bucket, then return the water to tank. I can do this in batches of a few gallons, and saves the tank water. I don't vaccumm down into the sandbed, just the loose stuff that may have collected on top in places I can't seem to eliminate the deadspot. has worked well for me. I currently use a custom 10micon filter for this, but once that's used up I'll probly have to find a fine filter sock to use. I don't know how fine it needs to be for the water to be super clear.

06/28/2016, 03:50 AM	#11
CrayolaViolence Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,867	Well, what I did for now, was hook up a hand siphon to an over the back filter and let it create a vacuum to suck the dust into the box then run out of the filter back into the tank. I'm not worried about hurting any of the corals and fish because right now, the tank is empty. I emptied the tank so that I can clean it and re-do it and turn it into a frag type tank for new corals. Also, I kept the sand bed stirred up on a regular basis any how, to keep gasses from building up. So hopefully if there were any, it wasn't much.