Young man at pet store

scarecrow

Member
Well I have been having all kinds of problems with my new tank and when I went to my local pet store I was telling this young man that worked there he suggested I bring my water in and he checked it saying it was good , anyway he asked if I would like for him to come take a look at my tank long story short said my tank had too much salt in it and did a water change for me !!!! The problem is that I have buying the RO at his store and he said that "the girls may gave been giving me salt water instead of RO ... Well isn't that nice well so anyways I asked him how much I owed him and he says ten dollars seeing as he cleans my tank , vaccines my tank and did water change I gave him thirty. My question is how do you use this vacuum every time I put it in the tank it doesn't vacuum?
 

pezenfuego

Active Member
Put your mouth on it and suck out most of the air. Don't swallow the water. Make sure you put the end of the hose below the waterline when you do this to create a gravity siphon. Good luck.
 

bang guy

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by scarecrow http:///t/393937/young-man-at-pet-store#post_3505877
How do u do that?
Put the entire vacuum hose into the water. Thread it in leaving the small end last so that all of the air in the hose escapes. Put your thumb over the small end opening to prevent the water from going back into the tank and place the small end into a bucket. Release your thumb and it will start siphoning.
 

foodshape

Member
Even easier, just put the large end completely underwater in the tank and put the hose end into whatever pale you're going to drain into; then holding the large part underwater with one hand, turn the large part so that the open end points upwards, out of the water. Raise that end just high enough out of the water so that water starts to flow 'downwards', then quickly submerge it again (with the open end still pointing up) so that any air in the open end escapes. Your syphon is started and you can turn it so that the open end now points down and start vaccuming. Sounds complicated to explain, but it is really a quick and easy one-handed motion.
 

scarecrow

Member
I will try all but the one where I am required to put it in my mouth, I understand the concept but my luck I would swallow the crap I'm trying to get rid of ...lol
 

pezenfuego

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by scarecrow http:///t/393937/young-man-at-pet-store#post_3505960
I will try all but the one where I am required to put it in my mouth, I understand the concept but my luck I would swallow the crap I'm trying to get rid of ...lol
I understand and I have had bad experiences with being careless and swallowing saltwater (and even skimmate). It is still easily avoidable. I will continue to do it this way for one simple reason, it keeps my hands driest of all methods. To each his own I suppose.
 

bang guy

Moderator
You can easily modify my method by putting less hose in the water but it takes some practice. The advantage is not having to put anything in your mouth.
 

foodshape

Member
Ok folks, whatever you like, but trust me - simple one-hand scoop & dip gets it going, no mouth contact, almost all of the hose stays out of the water, only one hand gets wet... takes a second or two, been doing it that way for 20+ years, every week on several tanks. If you haven't yet, try it that way :) Knowing how well that works I just can't help thinking this is how the designers of these things intended them to be used...
 

foodshape

Member
Bang Guy's method works well - no argument there. It's what I do when I'm using a length of hose with no gravel vac attached. The gravel vac just makes an even easier and quicker method an option. Try it. You won't go back.
 

scarecrow

Member
Thank-you all for the advice . Bang Guy's way was the way I went took a bit but I got it , I bought 10 turbo snails today I am hopping that they will stay alive ......
 

bang guy

Moderator
You'll find that in this hobby there are almost always several ways to do something and they are all right, just different.
 

scarecrow

Member
I am glad that people are so willing to help one another both on this site and at the pet store. I hopping that if I don't add anything and just wait the guy that came over said that that was one of the reasons everything keeps dying he said that it will take a good Dix months before I can start adding cretin things!!! Not good at waiting but will do!!!!
 
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