# DIY gravel vac



## Chillwill007 (Aug 20, 2010)

1st off I'm doing this all on my phone. 2nd I was off today and bored. For my 40 g I will just buy 1 but for my lil 5g I only need to do a 1g wc. the other day when I checked my parameters I was really high in nitrites and had to do a water change stat. I had an old air tool air line kit I never used b4 that has a 1/4" internal dia. I cut the ends off and sucked up 1 end and just dumped it a gallon jug. I figured after talking to james0816 I would rig up a couple water bottles.
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Next just drilled some holes in the top of each bottle







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Then cut 1 16oz water bottle in half right under the section where it hour glass down.







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then insert air line end into each bottle







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And finished product. Again for smaller tanks this would work great. 







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now plan is I have a old 1g water pitcher that gets filled the night b4 with water and dechloranator. Then I can use either the line itself just to do a wc our if I need to vac I can put the cut water bottle on and it drains into 1g bottle with no spills. Very important when you have wood floors. B4 this I was just dunking and filling up lil water bottles 8 times to equal 1 gallon then having to wipe up the floor. I know its stupid and all but I was broke this week and used what I got.


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## intensejustin (Sep 8, 2010)

My only concern with that would be what about larger debris getting sucked up and clogging it? 

Other than that, awesome!

Also take into account that the gallon jug is full, but how much does the line itself hold? Only reason I ask is cause I used to work on air conditioners and everyone forgets that the line also holds fluid! or in my case it was a gas, same concept


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## Chillwill007 (Aug 20, 2010)

With it being 1/4" internal it was big enough that some gravel actually sucked up in there and went through. And the couple that got stuck still had enough space to let water and flow through.


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## intensejustin (Sep 8, 2010)

Are you still able to get around your decorations and what not with that size end? Does it seem to have a decent amount of suction?

Only asking cause ive got 2-5gallon tanks and my gravel vac for my big tanks is kinda hard to use in the lil ones.


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## Chillwill007 (Aug 20, 2010)

Its not tht bad but if I have to get in right I just use the line. Like I said with it being 1/4" it can suck up pretty good.


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

Good to see you built this. I love mine! Although I don't have it hooked up directly to the milk jug. That part is rather interesting. 

Another tip for ya while using as a vac (this would require you to unhook the milk lid and just use the end of tube). While vac'ing, if you find yourself sucking up a lot of substrate in the soda bottle part, place your finger over the end stopping flow. The gravel will fall back down. Once the gravel starts falling down, you can slowly open the flow again. When you get the hang of this, you can pull up gravel, vac and place the gravel right back down.

I'll try and get a video next time I vac the SMS.


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