Help Needed, DIY vacuum

[dirtyplants]

I need to build a vacuum using a small pump. I want to vacuum my substrate but have the water go through a filter bag, which catches the sediment and then returns the water back into my tank, obviously with out the stuff. I can't see past the sediment getting caught in my pump visually. Anyone have any ideas on how this might be done? (Stuff = sediment) :confused:

[202690]

Not quite sure what you mean but i just use a siphon which goes into a filter bag in my sump that way the water returns to the tank and not the uneaten food + poop. quite a lot of work cleaning those filter bags but its better than getting beef heart stuck in it

[doivuthe]

you can use air driven like this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Trixie-Aquarium-Air-Power-Vacuum-Cleaner-Air-Driven-Fish-Tank-Bowl-Gravel-Vac-/141066546787

[Nu2Discus]

I also saw some videos on utube of this kind of thing. There was one, where the guy had something like a bucket, and inside he had some filter floss I think. Then he would vacuum the substrate, the water would get filtered in the bucket, and then pumped back into the tank. Give utube a try, might find something you like.

Doesn't Eheim or somebody sell a gravel vac that's hooked up to something like an AC 110? That might be something to look into too.

[joanstone]

Cobalt Aquatics sells something like you are describing, maybe you could get more DIY ideas from looking at what they've done.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=24111

[nc0gnet0]

Well, me personally, I would just suck all the gravel up and toss it.......unless we are talking sand here. Can I ask why your intent on returning the dirty water back into the tank? Why not just replace it with clean water? At any rate, get a wayne pc2 and run the output into a good size filter sock. When you done give the sock a good rinse with tap and your good to go.


-Rick

[dirtyplants]

I use a python and it wastes 80% water with tap used for suction.