I’ve purchased the marina gravel cleaner doesnt seem to me picking the water up i don’t expect u to know what one but i cant find any videos of it being demonstrated
I am shocked at the sheer amount of filth in your gravel,,,,,, that cant be optimal water for your fish to live in,,, the total amount of filth I would collect over 20 full vacuum cleanings of my 40 gallon tank with a dozen fish in it would not add up to one suction with your vacuum in your tank, gross.
I feel the exact same way!! I’ve watched hundreds of hours of aquarium videos over the years and I have two tanks (10, 75). This is even making me rethink my approach to substrates! Good stuff
I've been keeping fish & turtles for close to 40 years on and off, and never realized that I was vacuuming wrong until just now! What a GREATLY INFORMATIVE VIDEO!!! You are a genius Sir! Subscribed in the hopes that you give me some more gems like this in the future!
Finally someone explaining in detail how to use this thing, I’ve spent more than 1 hour looking for someone explaining how to use this, I did a mess in my aquarium trying different useless tutorials, but now I know how to use it, thank you so much you’re the best
15 years, 15 bloody years vacuuming my aquarium and NOW you show me how to do it properly?!! Really the most educational aquarium video I've seen in ages, thank you Cory! 👍👍
Aww, don't beat yourself up Jody. An idiot is someone who sees a better way yet refuses to learn how to do it. I don't have a tank anymore but when I did it was all about shake Shake SHAKE🤦 If I tank again it will be all about *PINCH* 👌 just like you 😀
Almost 2 years into the hobby and I just now learned the proper way to vacuum my gravel. I tried this today with my water change and it worked so well! Thanks!!
So simple & so helpful 🙂 Pinching the hose and allowing the gravel to settle is such a great tip! I have tiny nano tanks (1.5g & 3.5g). It can be very tricky to gravel vac thoroughly without pulling off too much water, especially when working on such small tanks. I'm sure this advice is going to help me tremendously. Awesome THANKS!
Cory, I’m an educator and this was a really great video. Great pacing and clear demonstration of process. I also appreciate showing multiple scenarios and how it can be different. The balance of reaching the hardcore audience and the newbies is very hard, I teach Freshman through Seniors in a single class, I get it. This content is invaluable as you continue to try to make the hobby better, more friendly, and educated. Well done!
Cory is that rare combination of a fanatical hobbyist, a fantastic teacher, and a savvy businessman, which is what has led to his well deserved success. Add "excellent work ethic" to that list too, he works extremely hard as well!
Everybody else is just showing off how they know how to use a gravel vacuum. You actually taught me how from scratch, and every tip in these 10 minutes was valuable.
Hello. I wanted to ask a question 🙋♂️ and I really really need help. I have a 75 gallon tank and to be honest I don’t know what else to do with this tank. I personally think it’s curse or something. This the problem I have been having with this tank, ammonia spike like big time. All of my fish died like literally all of them. I than thought ok well I’ll do an 80 percent water change and than try again. Same result a second time. I put one fish dead 💀 as well. I than said ok maybe the gravel is holding the ammonia and I literally threw out the gravel and put a new one in and put in two new sponge filters and a 350 marine filter as well. The same result again happen. I have literally put everything in the tank water conditioner, stress coat, fluvial that battle s ammonia and brings it down. Just yeasterday I did a 100 percent change I literally rinsed the whole tank wipe it down and basically started it like a new tank. I have two heaters in there and the water temperature is at 78 . I don’t know what else to do . I really need help it’s the only tank I have problems with. I have a 125 and it’s fine and I have a 40 gallon Also fine and a 20 long also fine but this 75 one is no go.
@@anthonym6202 I would assume that the nitrogen cycle hasn’t settled properly. My understanding is that you shouldn’t try to change more than 40%, in extreme cases no higher than 60% at once. Also changing the gravel completely and cleaning your tank entirely clean with new sponge means you’ll have got start the cycle process, which takes weeks at least. Sound like not enough bacteria for the tank. I would recommend buying nitrifying bacteria bottles and check you water parameters of your WATER SOURCE. Whether using tap water with conditioner, or RO water, they still might contain ammonia level too high. And lastly to make sure you buy a good conditioner for your water, one that neutralizes ammonia and everything bad (cuz not all bottles eliminate ammonia). I hope it helps. Good luck. 👍
@@anthonym6202 you’re not letting the microorganisms that eat ammonia and nitrite grow. You’re making huge changes to the tank. I would never do an 80% water change, nor would I just throw out old gravel, nor would I completely switch around the filtration. Set the tank up, do weekly 20% water changes. Stop dumping chemicals into the water if you don’t know what they do.
@@jencycarranza4957 you’re making horrible recommendations to someone who doesn’t have the skill level to keep one tank alive. That bottled bacteria? It’s just food for the bacteria, largely those bacteria are dead and aren’t useful to anyone. It’s just snake oil. RO water? Do you even know what his water parameters are? If he has soft acidic water what good will that do? There’s too many ifs ands or butts. Keep it simple, you don’t have to be a chemist to enjoy fish.
@@anthonym6202 Pinch some media from your established tanks, and use that in your 'new' tank. Almost an instant cycle. I say almost, because you still have to grow the bacterial colonies to handle the bioload of the tank. Don't add any more fish yet. Make sure you have a good water testing kit - the liquid ones are the most accurate, dip strips are pretty useless, especially when establishing a cycle for the first time and accuracy is important. Don't touch or clean the filters for eight weeks - give the bacterial colonies time to grow and establish. If you already have fish in the tank, test daily. If ammonia or nitrites go above zero, water change until they're at zero. If nitrates go above 20ppm, do a smaller water change. Water changes aren't the problem here (so long as you use water conditioner and temperature match the new water to the tank temp), the beneficial bacteria don't live in the water, they live in the filter and on hard surfaces. The substrate, decor, plants, tank glass etc. You added too many fish, too soon, by the sounds of it. Or before your tank was cycled. Then ammonia spike, and you're playing catch up. Resist the temptation to add new fish. Once it's cycled - meaning ammonia and nitrites are always at zero, and you are getting nitrate readings, then you can begin adding fish - but do it slowly. Add a few fish, feed lightly, since more food in means more ammonia waste coming out - give the tank bacterial colonies time to adjust to this increased bioload, before making sure ammonia and nitrite stay at zero again, then adding a few more. Spaced weeks apart. Read up more on the nitrogen cycle, Big Al's has a fanastic video here called The Nitrogen Cycle - watch that one. Plus a video Cory did on this channel about optimising filters, one about the nitrogen cycle, and ones about water changes. Don't panic, the tank is not cursed, you just rushed things too quickly and that led to disaster. Learn from this, you're not the first nor the last to make these mistakes!
I connect the siphon to a garden hose, and run it outside, or to the bathtub. When I'm done siphoning, I connect the other end to an adapter on the faucet, adjust the temperature, and refill the tank. No buckets, no spills. (Some siphons have a one-way valve that needs to be drilled-out before you can use it as a filler.)
42. Same. I now realize I've been dumping poop water back into the column and making my filter dirty faster. Haven't done much sand either, so that was nice to learn.
I've been in the hobby about ten years and I never realised I was gravel vaccing improperly. Seriously, thanks for this video! I am a dedicated betta keeper so they're a bit hardier than a lot of other fish, but I still want to do right by my guys!
Thanks so much for a great beginner's guide to cleaning my tank! I have all of those tools but had no idea how to use them (I inherited them from my father who recently passed away). I'm totally going to dive into this hobby and wish now I had paid more attention to my dad when he was doing of of this. Now I can learn from you!! Thanks so much!!!
Such an awesome video!!! As a first time brand new tank owner you just saved me what I'm sure would have been Years of learning curve. My fish are going to live happier and healthier because of this video. THANK YOU!!!
There are VERY few RU-vid channels I actually enjoy watching. This is one of them. You are an excellent teacher, Cory! Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge and experience. I definitely have wasted A LOT of water while gravel vacuuming. Oops!
I’m new to aquarium keeping, this guy and a channel called fish for thought have helped me more ways than literally anybody else including stores. These two are amazing
Love fish for thought! You should also check out girl talks fish! Shes run into A LOT of the same problems i have with my first tank and has taught me a TON of tricks for dealing with it.
I find it endearing from him because I know how much effort they put into coming up with these great products! I’m going to put one in my cart now, so effective too 😆
Thank you so much for doing these basic “how to” videos! I always find I’ve forgotten an easy tip one way or another (like just vacuuming the sponge filter if I’m in a rush). Always useful and informative!
You are the best at explaining the oh so necessary basics. Minor caveat- When a tree seed sprouts the initial root that goes straight down is the tap root. Plants from cuttings have a fibrous root system. The hairlike roots absorbing nutrients are feeder roots. Makes sense, no?
Thanks for this clarification!! I was a little distracted by that 😆. I was thinking to myself, I don’t think that is quite right.... but the explanation worked either way.
Thank you so much! I'm 15 and have a 30 gallon tank in my room, and didn't quite have the ropes on vacuuming the substrate. You guys have helped me to learn a lot. Thanks!
Thank for this. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve demonstrated this over my very long career in the hobby. Pinching the hose is a MUST and so glad you showed this. Thanks Cory.
Thank you! Have liked siphon tubes since whenever they came out but your teaching how to start flow and how to clean, especially in different substrates, or in planted tanks, was so clear and to the point that I will never forget this video. Bravo!
I think I'm going to buy one of these. Its been intimidating to me how to use one but I think after this I can do it. Plus I have dry house plants who love fish poo water lol
Yeah. And for us small bucket folks, it's nice to clamp off while keeping enough water in the hose to restart the siphon with zero effort. I use a brick to pinch off between buckets, but it's a tad risky. I'd buy an Aquarium Co-op branded hose clamp any day!
We screamed at the TV watching the "pinch the tube to not suck up sand" trick. Absolutely amazing, thank you Cory for bestowing this knowledge upon us.
Wow. After watching countless videos on how to clean gravel, I stumbled into this video. THE BEST EVER. Thank you for explaining everything so so well!!!!!!! This like literally asnwered all questions I had!
Been doing planted tanks for over 15 years now. Thought I had a good way of cleaning out tank…not! Thank you for showing the little tricks of the trade. Some stuff I knew about, but others, never knew about it. Love the pinch method on that larger python hose. I went to a smaller size hose to avoid filling bucket up faster, never thought about pinching the hose 🤦♂️. Thanks again 👍😎
I like to use a chip clip to hold the hose to my bucket so it doesn't bounce out and the low tension of the chip clip doesn't pinch the hose closed. Valuable tips in this video im saving for future reference!
I'm so happy I found this video! I just got my first aquarium and became frustrated trying to clean my gravel, because yes... I drained half my water and barely cleaned my gravel! Also, the way I was told to get the siphon started was ridiculous. I'm looking forward to trying it this way, this weekend! Thank you!!!
Hands down the best video I've seen on aquarium keeping that I've seen in the last 3 years. And I've watched like a million videos. Love Cory overall but this was the best one!!
I like the practical tutorials that you produce for beginners, accessible and light-hearted. Subscribed. This video was very helpful for me as I was struggling to figure it out the first time (despite having used a siphon filter many times while camping).
Such a great explanation, thanks! This style works really well, sometimes it’s hard to follow instruction videos with just words or people who are really familiar with what they’re explaining, because they miss smaller details newbies don’t know
I have a 25' hose on my vac that I can run out the window into barrels, then empty the barrels into the garden or flower beds, but have never thought of pinching the hose.
@@rosemarydudley9954 50 foot throw out window plenty of drop for suction they sell clear flexable at lowes home depot mine is 50 foot long run under toilet seat drop in tub works great just rinse and clean tub after
@@carlosyanezaragon9725 pull your substrate back look under you will be suprised im sure i have mine on custom edge and center support only stand mine is planted i have the advantage i can look underneath to check under the gravel and still have to vaccum perioticly
This is like the third time Aquarium Co-Op has dropped a video on gravel vacuuming, but I’ll watch again every time just to refresh and maybe learn something new.
Man Cory you saved the day again! I’ve been teaching these techniques to all of our staff here at multiple Petco’s!! It’s improved the quality by so much thank you!!
So glad I found your channel. Just stood up my very first planted tank not too long ago and have the exact same vacuum coming this weekend. My little 5-gallon project needs a good cleaning already and I'm so glad I know how to do it right!
Thank You for the step by step instructions. I was getting frustrated with trying to work this simple piece of plastic to clean the nasty tank. Very educational and I thank you for your time in teaching.
Only change about 25% of the water at a time. Be aware of any heaters. They should always be under the water level. Safest to turn off the heaters but remember to turn them back on when you have finished the water change. You will always need to use a gravel vac, but the bigger the tank, the mass of the fish, mass of living plants, how thick the gravel layer is, the quality of your filter all plays a role in how often you need to vac the gravel. void using buckets or tubs. Cut off 4cm from the end on the vac's hose. Then take that offcut to your local hardware store. Use it to match up the inside diameter with the hoses that they sell. Get at least 10m to allow you to run the long hose outside though a door/window. DON'T just join the new hose to the existing vac hose. It is safer to totally replace the short vac hose with the newer longer hose. Buy a roll of kitchen paper toweling to use only of fish tank work. Tear off a length of two or three squares and fold them over a few times to make a pad to dry your arms and hands on. HOW TO FILL THE TANK? I brought a fitting that water filters use to attach to the tap spout. Then a thin hose runs to the fish tank. A small spring paper clamp is attached near the far end of the long tube that clamps to the side of the fish tank to hold the tube INSIDE the tank. Gently turn on the cold water to slowly refill the tank. Good luck.
@@awoodward37 wow.... thanks for all that info. Much appreciated. I have a 57 ltr tank with a betta and 5 guppies and did a 10% water change 2 days ago. Gave the gravel a hoover as well just to get the feel of how it worked. Not too much crap came out. I will keep all your info handy for the next change. Thanks again 😊
That was literally the best aquarium video I have ever watched in my life. You are a Master Jedi. I feel so slow. I have tanks all my life and never knew that pinch method. So much better cleaning now!!!! Sharing is caring, thx for that great info!!!!!!!
This was the best video I’ve ever watched showing how to actually do this I’ve been struggling for months trying to learn this and I can do it with ease of pausing the video for 2 min and trying it out and just that simple it works I’m new to the channel and I can’t wait to start learning way more 😁🙏🏼
I can't lie this is the best video to learn how to syphon ! I have been looking for a simple way to do it and you made me so confident...btw it worked a glam! Thank you for your video I have a 70 gallon tank❤
