Indispensable Integrated Aquarium Gravel Cleaner

Gravel is among the suitable substrates for any aquarium. However, it becomes dirty frequently due to voids between consecutive stones. Therefore, cleaning gravel in aquariums is far more important. It will help to maintain the overall outlook and aquatic pet’s health.

There are several cleaning methods that you can perform without removing the gravel from the tank. However, an optimal aquarium gravel cleaner for fish tanks is far more necessary. In the following, you’ll learn about why it becomes dirty, why it is important to clean it, some general cleaning methods, a special gravel cleaner, and how to use it in your tank.

Cleaning gravel in an aquarium

Why Is My Aquarium Gravel Always Dirty?

There are several reasons why your aquarium gravel is always dirty. Here are some of them.

• If you are not regularly vacuuming your aquarium gravel, debris will accumulate. This debris build-up will give a bad look to your tank’s gravel.
• Overfeeding causes food leftovers. This leftover will accumulate at the base and make the gravel dirty.
• Inefficient or inadequate filtration also causes debris accumulation at the bottom.
• Higher population density caused the dirty gravel due to high waste production.
• Decaying plant matter also adds dirt to the tank’s gravel.
• The algae bloom in the tank is another reason.
• Irregular or less frequent water changes, i.e., less than 10% weekly, cause dirty gravel.

Impaction of Dirty Gravel

Dirty gravel in a tank not only deteriorates the tank’s look, it also harms in many other aspects. Here is the impact of dirty gravel.

• Waste trapped in gravel on breakdown releases harmful gases and raises nitrite and ammonia levels. This results in lower water quality.
• A large organic material decay trapped in gravel causes ammonia spikes in the tank. Ammonia spike leads to bad sceneries in the tank.
• Dirty gravel is a haven for harmful bacteria. These bacteria cause infection among fish and other aquatic pets.
• It increases the water cloudiness, ruins the scenery, and the tank loses its aesthetics.
• A thick dirt layer restricts the proper water flow. This reduced flow rate leads to lower oxygen levels in the tank.
• The previously discussed aspects also cause stress among fish and other aquatic pets.

Why Should I Clean Gravel in Aquariums?

Gravel cleaning is necessary for many reasons.

• Improve water quality
• Avoid ammonia spikes
• Increase oxygenation level in the tank
• Improve the aesthetics
• Avoid stress among the fish
• Avoid bacterial diseases

Aquarium gravel cleaner for fish tanks

Cleaning Gravel in the Aquarium

It is tough and time-consuming to remove the gravel from the tank and clean it thoroughly. This method also requires parameter optimization after cleaning. Therefore, some of the most popular cleaning methods without removing the gravel from the tank are here.

Siphon Cleaner

Hover the vacuum opening over the gravel to clean the tank. This method removes the debris without harming beneficial bacteria colonies.

Turkey Baster

Spot on the debris area, squeeze, and release to remove the debris from the tank. This method is suitable when dirt is accumulated in different parts. Moreover, it helps in regular cleaning.

Stirring

Before the weekly water change, stir the water with your gloves on or a tool. It will loosen the debris in the gravel, and you can easily remove it while the water changes.

Increases water Circulation

Set the flow rate so that debris does not settle at the bottom. The mechanical filter will be occupied by unsettled debris for the rest of the job.

Natural Gravel Cleaner

Introduce algae eaters and bottom dwellers that feast on leftover food and algae. They will help clean your tank’s bottom. Here is a list of such tank cleaners.

Should I clean Gravel Every Water Change?

Gravel cleanliness depends on various parameters, including population density, tank size, and water quality. However, water parameters are the main deciding factors. A lightly stocked tank usually requires vacuum cleaning once per month. A large and heavily populated tank requires gravel cleaning after every water change, i.e., once or twice a week.

Integrated aquarium cleaners

hygger 955 Aquarium Gravel Cleaner

hygger introduced a gravel cleaner to make your task easy and efficient. Here are some key features of the aquarium gravel cleaner.

• It has extended reach and efficiently cleans the tank’s corners.
• It provides high dirt suction for gravel and sand.
• The gravel cleaner has a high-performance pump with a 4.92 ft head and 360 GPH water flow. It efficiently helps in water change and low-level pumping.
• It has reusable sponges and customized filter media and offers 5 in 1 cleaning system.
• It is user-friendly and lightweight as it has UL-safety certification, is durable, and is easy to operate.
• The cleaner avoids wear and tear.
• It is easy to install due to the detailed and step-by-step user manual.
• It comes with the necessary accessories.

Use a hygger Gravel Cleaner to Keep Tanks Clear

The hygger gravel cleaner is equally suitable for sand and gravel bottom tanks. With a few changes, you can use it to clean your gravel substrate. Here are the assembly, cleaning method, and other operations with this 5-in-1 cleaner.

Assembly

• Screw the connector onto the water pump.
• Attach the extension tube to the connector.
• Connect the extension tube to the 3-way valve.
• Attach the filter housing to the 3-way valve.
• Connect one side of the 3-way valve to the tube or handle, depending on your preferred setup.

Gravel Cleaning

• Attach the washing head to the pump to clean the coarse gravel bottom. The washing head provides you with cleaning at the corners as well with a 45-degree design.
• Use the vacuum head to clean the fine gravel bottom.

Water change

• Attach the sand washing head to siphon the water efficiently.
• If the water level is level, remove the sponge from the washing head. It’ll allow you to operate up to 5 inches low water depth.

Debris Removal

• Attach the Debris vacuum at the front. It will absorb the fish waste and other debris from the gravel.
• Use the brush head to clean dirt buildup inside the filter housing for better performance.

Caution

• Don’t run dry.
• Please keep the pump completely submerged when it is on duty.
• Please keep it from the children.
• Don’t use this gravel cleaner in flammable and corrosive liquids or when the power lead is damaged.
• Don’t use it to change water that is too hot or too cold. (0 to 45℉)

Keep tanks clear

Closing Remarks

Regularly cleaning gravel in aquariums helps to boost aesthetics and avoid disease eruption. You can do it with professional cleaners, maintaining optimal flow rate, and various other discussed methods. However, a hygger aquarium cleaner will make the job easy and simple. So, bring the cleaners to make your aquarium journey easy and pleasurable.

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