Where do I get a vaccum for fish tanks?

[Philanthropist]

My pond has been gradually collecting gunk away from my pump, but I don't think it is a good idea to get a stronger pump because my pond can't really handle it. My question is does anyone here know where I can order a vaccum for fish tanks online? I would prefer the fish tank vaccum to have an outlet versus being battery powered.

 

[Otter]

Do you mean a fish tank vac or a pond vac? Many years ago, I bought an aquarium vac at a pet store. It was just a small, battery powered pump with a tube on the inlet and a filter bag on the outlet. Meant for pulling light debris out of the gravel, it could never handle pond muck. Search for "aquarium vac" and you'll find plenty of these.

For real pond vac, search for "pond vac". Prices range from about $20 for a gizmo that attaches to your garden hose to around $400 for the Oase Pondovac 3, a heavy-duty, continuous-suction, electric vac. Most of the big pond-supply sites have them.

For a small indoor pond, you could use a shop vac. They're cheaper and you wouldn't have to worry about the discharge hose getting loose and pumping water and pond sludge on your floor.

And btw, it's not very practical to vac a gravel bottom. Better to either ditch the gravel or forget the vac use a pond cleaner with enzymes and bacteria.

 

[DrDave]

Can you use a fine net to remove most of it? I have also used a siphon to pick up fine particles, but I had to go into the pond to do that.

 

[Philanthropist]

Can you use a fine net to remove most of it? I have also used a siphon to pick up fine particles, but I had to go into the pond to do that.

I tried but the waste just keeps coming back.

 

[DrDave]

I tried but the waste just keeps coming back.

Whatever you take out is gone... But you can never get it all, except by removing and scrubbing everything.

There will always be more as long as you have living things in an open environment. You can never achieve a perfectly clean clear system. I have gravel in the bottom of all my tanks and I use a gravel vacuum tube to clean it. It is hooked up to a clear 1/2" siphon tube that goes outside to water my bamboo.

 

[Otter]

I tried but the waste just keeps coming back.

That's going to happen no matter how you remove it. The only advantage to a vac is it might might make cleaning easier or faster. The downside to an electric vac is that it's noisy, hence the time you spend cleaning isn't as pleasant as if you were just dipping out the gunk with a net.

 

[Philanthropist]

Well I'm aware that the gunk will never be fully removed, but the waste and algae on the bottom is just way too thick. A net just doesn't cut it.

 

[DrDave]

If it is too thick for a net to remove, there hasn't been a pump invented yet that will remove it.

Sounds like you need to drain it, then use a shovel to remove the muck. Then never let it get that way again.

 

[bunnymp]

If your pond is old and you've never scrubbed it, sounds like it is time. Every spring you should clean it. The method depends on your willingness to get dirty, your capabilities and your pond construction. You can empty it and scrub, you can empty it and power wash, or you can vacuum. The rest of the year, use bacteria and nets to keep it clear.