gravel vaccum

[athenr3134]

what kind of gravel vaccum and where can i get one that isn't too expensive. thanks!

[Perseusmom]

Any place that sells fish should have them even Walmart maybe and no they only cost around 7 dollars or at least mine did its just a plain one nothing fancy but it gets the job done.

[MyRainbowBettaFish]

hah there is only one type of vacuum, o wait do you mean size? Yep they range from $4-$20 depending on size.

[athenr3134]

well i have a 2.5 gallon tank and i think the more i change the water at 100% is causing him to get sick. how long does it take for the nitrate and nitrite to be at the correct levels. well the important ones anyway. oh and the tank is filtered as well.

[Hallyx]

Originally Posted by athenr3134

how long does it take for the nitrate and nitrite to be at the correct levels. well the important ones anyway. oh and the tank is filtered as well.

That's a funny question. I'm afraid it indicates a misunderstanding on your part.

The correct level for ammonia and nitrite is 0.0ppm. You achieve this through partial water changes. IE: a 50% and a 100% change every week. Nitrate should stay below 20ppm (10ppm is even better).

Do you have a liquid test kit for ammonia? That's the most important parameter to watch.

[Foofykitty]

Fluval makes a siphon for their edge tank that is awesome. I just bought it for my 20 gallon tank. To start it you just stick it in the water and shake it up and down, it fills and starts to siphon w/o a big watery mess! And it was only about $13 :)

[athenr3134]

i just tested his water and it seems to have turned out right! the real question is how often should i change his water and how much of it. im trying to figure out how long it takes for the tank to circulate properly. my husaband says around 2 months it gets the right levels of everything and the tank is perfectly safe. he also read that should never vaccum or clean the inside of the tank because you need that film to protect the fish. i just noticed after changing his tank the last time that he is sort of glued to the filter. don't know what to do. (

[athenr3134]

i was just thinking maybe 2.5 gallon tank is optimal for him im wondering if i should get a 5 gallon or could i get a 3.5 gallon one? in order to use a vacuum you need a 5 gallon tank for it to work properly. or at least one that is more than 3 gallons.

[Gale]

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=107771

Check there for some valuable information on the nitrogen cycle and how to go about establishing your tank. Many, including myself, have used live bacteria additives succesfully to speed up the cycling process drastically.

A 2.5 gallon tank should be fine for your betta, but bigger is generally better for both the fish and your maintenence schedule. The smaller your tank, the more you need to clean and do water changes.

[NorthernLights]

PetsMart's Top Fin brand makes small, medium, and large gravel vacs that all have a squeezable bulb to start the flow of water. That way, you don't have to fiddle around trying to wiggle the tube into starting or risk drinking from your fish tank. The small is just under $10.