How to Use an Aquarium Gravel Cleaner


Aquarium Siphon



How a Siphon Works


A siphon (aquarium gravel cleaner) works because of gravity and hydrostatic pressure. To get water to move up hill or up and out of a goldfish aquarium, gravity must be used; its downward force that pushes the aquarium water down and outward against the glass. Hydrostatic pressure is all about the equilibrium of a fluid based on its pressure. It’s actually much more complex than that but for our purposes think of hydrostatic pressure as the reason for the movement.


A siphon will only work if the tube in the goldfish aquarium that is being cleaned is higher than the other end of the tube in the drainage bucket. When a siphon tube is placed into the higher goldfish aquarium water and is hanging up and over the side into your aquarium cleaning bucket on the floor, nothing will happen. In order to make it work, the tube must be entirely full of water. Any sections with air in the up portion of the process, will break the siphon water flow. When there is no air in the tube, gravity will not only push the aquarium water downward but also up through the tube. When the water makes it over the top, gravity pulls it down and out through the other end of the tube. This process will also create a pull on the water still moving up the up section.




Why use an Aquarium Gravel Cleaner


Beneficial bacteria grows and lives in the goldfish aquarium gravel substrate making it a bad idea to remove it from the tank to clean. When aquarium gravel is thrown into a kitchen sink and cleaned with soap or bleach, all that beneficial bacteria is killed. This will throw off the nitrogen cycle in the goldfish tank. Using an aquarium gravel cleaner will remove waste particles but leave the beneficial bacteria.




Getting an Aquarium Gravel Cleaner Started


After setting up an aquarium gravel cleaner as explained above, there a few options on how to fill the tube with water and start the siphon.





How to Clean Goldfish Aquarium Gravel


For convenience purposes, before beginning consider purchasing a siphon tube with a safety on/off valve and a tube clip to secure the end of the siphon hose to the cleaning bucket. Unplug all heaters, pumps or filters and always let the heater cool before removing it. Decide if any fish will be removed to minimize the stress caused be the siphon. Some people recommend removing water to make cleaning easier but it’s important to have some water left in the the goldfish aquarium after the gravel cleaning is complete. How much water is removed prior to depends on how much of a water change is desired.


Start the siphon process and plunge the aquarium gravel cleaner into the gravel. Don’t siphon the top of the water, the majority of the waste is on the bottom. By pulling up and down on the tube, waste particles are freed and will get sucked up by the aquarium gravel cleaner. While continuing this motion, move the tube every few seconds in a grid pattern back and forth until the all the gravel is cleaned.


Remember to stop siphoning before the cleaning bucket overflows. Use this dirty aquarium water to clean any filters and then dispose of the dirty water by water house plants as it is rich in nitrogen.