Maintenance
Gravel vacuum
The tool that makes a water change do two jobs at once. Use it in the open areas rather than in the planted ones, and work through the tank in sections across successive weeks rather than disturbing all of it at once.
Short answer
A wide tube on a siphon hose that lifts substrate into the flow, releases the detritus and lets the substrate fall back.
What it does
- Removes water
- Extracts detritus from the substrate
Strengths and where it fits
Strengths
- Removes waste before it decomposes into nitrate
- Combines with the water change so it costs no extra time
Good fit for
- Gravel and sand open areas
- Every water change
Limitations and where it is the wrong choice
Limitations
- Disturbs plant roots if used over planted areas
- Deep cleaning of a long-neglected substrate can release a large pulse of accumulated waste
Poor fit for
- Densely planted carpets
- Deep aquasoil