Problem with my fish aquarium. Please help?

Question

I have an aquarium from Wal-Mart. It came with everything you need. I do not remember how many gallons it holds. It's like 1 foot deep, almost 2 feet wide by, 9 inches. Most of my fish are from Wal-Mart. I have 10 now and they seem to be doing fine. They include 1 algie eater, 2 dark algie eaters that suck on the side of the tank, 1 shark, 3 of some other kind of fish, and then 3 bottom eaters or p**p eaters. Well, my main problem is the p**p. I have a hard time with the siphon thing that is suppose to suck the p**p and stuff of the rocks. I bought this thing at Wal-Mart, and somehow you are suppose to create a suction and siphon the bottom of the tank. But, I can't get it to work at all. So, when my tank finally get so bad, I take it all apart and clean it one peace at a time, fill it back up and start all over. There has to be an easier way. What's the trick to get the siphon to work, or do you know of an easier way to clean it? Thanks!!

Answer 1

To get the syphon running, you need to put the big end into the tank, and the hose end into a bucket.  

The end of the hose in the bucket needs to be below the big end in the tank.  This is key.  The syphon won't start if the hose end is higher than the big end.

Grab a hold of the big end, stick the whole thing under water.  (The whole wide end needs to be submerged).  Shake it so you're forcing water up into the hose.  Shake fast and hard.  Keep shaking until water starts running out of the hose.  If you stop too soon, you have to start all over.

There are different kinds of syphons you can get.  There's one with a starter that you squeeze.  You can also use airline tubing.  (the same stuff that goes from the air pump to the tank).  It comes in different sizes, get it at specialty fish stores.  If you use the tiny air tubes, it's going to take a long time.  

Put one end into the tank, put the other end lower than the tank, and suck on it like a straw.  When the water is almost to your mouth, quickly put it into the bucket.

Answer 2

use something long to poke into the siphon to get the water in the tube, also dont cover the end of the tube with your finger when you do this and when all the water goes in then cover it up with your finger. and also your algae eaters will get big

Answer 3

you can just suck on the end of the little tube untill the water is right at your mouth but not quite and then it will work just fine or the harder way is you have to put the big tube in and fill it with water and then hold it up so it goes to the end of the tube then stick it back in but so air can escape and the it will suction but i find that way kidna of difficult

Answer 4

You are working way to hard.  When you remove all the water the tank can not cycle.  I have the same kind of vacuum.  I put it in the water and then I hold it straight up.  Then it will start sucking the water in.  I want until I hear it sounding like it is about to run out of water and place it back into the water.  I try it several times until it starts working.  Their are several ways to do this I just finding the way that works for you.  There is a video on youtube.com where a lady plugs the end of the hose. That is what works for her.  They also sell battery operated vacuums if you can not get it to work.  I hope this helps.  Let me know if you have any questions.

Answer 5

no wheat gave you great info on how to work the vacuum (btw stop doing 100% water changes, this is VERY bad, read up on the nitrogen cycle).

however, no one mentioned how terribly stocked your tank is! it's important to understand that keeping fish is more than buying fish and putting them in some water, too many people make that mistake! you tan is a 10gallon, much to small for most of the fish you have named. while small now, fish grow.

sucker fish - get to be 18" or more, need at least a 36g tank

shark - not sure what kind, but still needs more than a 10g

and no fish eats p**p, they clean up extra food, but they still produce waste, polluting the tank.

I highly suggest you return the sucker fish and the shark, or find them a new home. then do some research on the fish you have and fish you'd like to replace the other with. while they may be "just fish" they are still living things that deserve proper care.

Answer 6

you have a cheap walmart filter and they don't work too well i would get a new filter and what is called a python (a hose and cylinder) to clean the gravel when you do a water change. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/ try here to find a good filter.

Answer 7

all you do with the gravel vacum (thats what its called) is you either suck on the little end while the big end is in the water or you plunge it up and down until the water gets over the aquarium in the tube. goodluck!!!