# Fishie Poop in my Mouth........



## cjayBetta (Jan 18, 2011)

Haha,


Hey guys.... I need a very detailed explination on how to use a gravel vaccume thingy.... I bought one today and the fish lady told my I should suck the tube to make the suction start and I really dont want to get fish poo in my mouth..... Is there another way?


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Takes some practice!  it still gets me sometimes, lol.
You basically have to watch where the water is and as soon as it's FALLING you can let go and put it in the bucket, gravity will finish the job.
Also, everytime you use it, be sure there's no water left in the tube because you'll swallow it when starting the pump, that's got me the most. I usually just pour or blow leftover water out!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ZergyMonster (Feb 20, 2012)

Gravel vacuums work by gravity. Once you get the water past the bottom of your fish tank it will continue to flow on its own... so if you're afraid of getting water in your mouth just get it to that point and stop sucking on it. Putting your finger over the end of the tube will also stop it if you get a close call.


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## Bounce (May 26, 2012)

I was going to try to explain how I do it, but was having a hard time typing it all out. lol

I found this video that shows how to start the gravel vacuum without sucking on the hose a while back and decided to just share the link instead of trying to describe it. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rny12X9KaI

I use the second method she describes -- the "jerking motion" :lol:
Sooo much better than sucking on the hose!


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## ZergyMonster (Feb 20, 2012)

A mouth full of poo water a day keeps the fish doctor away!


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## lelei (Apr 30, 2012)

Well I have tried with "Clean Water" first to see what I need to do to make sure it doesnt get too close..and then usually I am ok.. but when it comes to the real thing..I get nervous..and when It starts flowing..drop it fast:shock:..lol..(ewww)..and def check for left over water..and gravel..(omg) be careful with that one..wow..:blueshake:


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I got one that is a clear tube. I watch the water, then plug the end fast, tilt the end over a bucket and release  Trust me, unlike one goofy Y.A post I came across you won't get diseases or die from fish poo :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## cjayBetta (Jan 18, 2011)

Haha! I don't think I was so much concerned about dying lmao!!!! I just think it would taste awful  Im gunna try it out tomorrow afternoon.... WISH ME LUCK!!!!


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## cjayBetta (Jan 18, 2011)

Bounce said:


> I was going to try to explain how I do it, but was having a hard time typing it all out. lol
> 
> I found this video that shows how to start the gravel vacuum without sucking on the hose a while back and decided to just share the link instead of trying to describe it.
> 
> ...


Thanks so much for this video  I am going to try this way tomorrow - although the comments people made to the video are not very nice but good video non the less


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## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

If you pour water in to one end while the other is in the tank that should start the suction too but I have never tryed it.


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## Bounce (May 26, 2012)

I had never read the comments so I just now went back to read them. 

Once you get the hang of it, and it's real easy after you figure it out the first time, you'll be so glad not to have to start the siphon the way you had before. I know I was! Blech!!


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## cjayBetta (Jan 18, 2011)

I know arnt there terrible hahahaah - People on the internet, whatcha gunna do


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

lol it just tastes like water to me :|

personally i put a wash cloth over the end of the tube suck, and drop the tube in the bucket as quickly as possible. sometimes (usually) i'm not paying attention and i get water in my mouth but i haven't died, or had poop taste in my mouth xD if i get a mouth full of water though, i will brush and mouth wash right away


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

I swear I once got fish poop in my mouth. Tasted like the one time I ate lobster poop (did not know you have to pull poop out of lobsters first!)
I'm really paranoid so my mind may have made it up though!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Anitax3x (Aug 26, 2011)

some of the bigger syphons work with a little hand pump to get the suction going (It's what I use)

mmmm fishy poooo! LOL


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## Bethydan (Mar 22, 2012)

Whoa.... I've never put that thing in my mouth. Or had to. :shock:

Huh. I didn't realize people were doing this. I've always done it manually since day one. 

1) I make sure that the smaller end is in the bucket and the larger end is in the water up to the rim. It should fill with water, so it put it in with the open end of the vacuum facing straight down. 

2) While making sure the smaller end stays in the bucket with my left hand, I use my right hand to move the larger vacuum end straight up and down very quickly. Like super-plunging a toilet. Make sure that you're "sloshing" water into the top of the vacuum canister so that it gets sucked up. Gravity and the pressure inside the vacuum equalizing will do the rest. 

3) As long as the bucket is at a lower elevation than the tank, the vacuum will begin to suck water up out of the tank and into the bucket. Once you have a good steady stream of water going, you can stop moving the vacuum end up and down. It will continue to suck water out all by itself. Just swoosh the gravel around let the vacuum suck up the poo and leftover food. 

4) Once you've removed enough water (or filled the bucket in my case) just pull the vacuum end straight out of the water. Slowly pull up the smaller end and give all the water inside time to pour out into the bucket. Don't just pull the smaller end out or water will go everywhere. I should know. :lol: I always hold the larger end above my head to let all the water fall out that I can. 

5) Refill the tank with treated water and you're done. Sit back and admire your pretty fishes and pat yourself on the back for being such a fabulous fish parent. ;-)


Note: If the larger end isn't filled enough with water to begin with, it won't start sucking water up. Put it in the water as far as you can up to the top. Also, if the smaller end is already submerged in water, the vacuum will not work properly. I keep the dry bucket on the floor so that I know it is at a low enough elevation.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I did the "move the siphon up and down to start" and IT NEVER WORKED D: so I cup the end with my hand, and suck against my hand, and it works :lol:


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## Bethydan (Mar 22, 2012)

Yeah, that's the tricky part. It's a practice-makes-perfect thing. The key is making sure that enough water is in there to begin with and pumping vigorously enough. It can become a little irritating until you get the hang of it.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

:lol: Mine didn't have a pump thing. it was just a "vigorous motion to get it started" which ended up disturbing the heck out of my fish! xD I'd love to get one with a pump however.


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## Bethydan (Mar 22, 2012)

My fish think it's hilarious. They see me drag out the gravel vac and start dancing around and waiting for it to descend. Mags thinks that it's fun to try and get sucked up. Which gives me a heart attack. :-?


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## Karebear13 (Jan 23, 2012)

haha oh gosh this thread is funny. My vacuum filter has a pump thank goodness... I would be too spastic to do it with my mouth you guys are brave!


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Ehh I've gotten fishy water in my mouth. Tastes like...water. But the thought makes you go "EEEWWW!!!" xD


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## Karebear13 (Jan 23, 2012)

haha Yeah that once happened to me I had two water bottle side by side and one of them had fish water in it and the other was my water bottle and well I drank the wrong one... as soon as it was in my mouth I knew something was wrong lol never doing that again


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

:lol: :lol: OMG!


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## Irishdancer (Apr 5, 2011)

Mine has instructions on it that say NEVER to suck the end of it, and that just holding it in the water and shaking it a little bit should be enough to start the suction.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

I use a small airline pipe. To start the suction, I use my turkey baster >.>


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

Oh, that's brilliant, aokashi. 

I think tank-water should be tasted occasionally to see, err...taste what's in it. Are you willing to let your fish live in water you wont even taste?


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

I refuse to taste water that my snails have been in oO and I do occasionally see the rare planaria or copepod. I ain't tasting that! ewwwwwwww


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## Cinderwolf (Dec 22, 2011)

I jsut submerge the whoel tube in t hetank so that the entire tube is full of ewater, then put your finger over the small end , ptu that end in the bucket, the thick end in tank, and let go of your finger. Voila  works a thousand times better than suckign anyways.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

Cinderwolf said:


> I jsut submerge the whoel tube in t hetank so that the entire tube is full of ewater, then put your finger over the small end , ptu that end in the bucket, the thick end in tank, and let go of your finger. Voila  works a thousand times better than suckign anyways.


I like this idea! gotta try it the day I get a big enough tank to stick the entire pipe into =D


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## Cinderwolf (Dec 22, 2011)

aokashi said:


> I like this idea! gotta try it the day I get a big enough tank to stick the entire pipe into =D


 another way you can do it is to jsut fill the tube up with water from the tap adn then hold the ends, but you run the risk of getting the untreated water in the tank. I use a short tube in my 6 gal so its not too bad filling the tube haha. I have issues doing the suck method , always just goes back in.


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## megaredize (May 21, 2012)

you can also get a siphon start, i used to do the "jerking method" lol but when i switched to sand it messed with my sand so my husband about me the marina siphon starter bulb. 

http://ca-en.hagen.com/Aquatic/Maintenance/Cleaning/10998

it should fit any trypical hose. it came with to different sized nozzles.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

this thread is funny. :lol:


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## lelei (Apr 30, 2012)

Oh wow..I am hearing there is an attachment to get the flow moving, rather than the sucking method..or the Jerking method, (umm yea..lol.) so I need to find this fast..lol.. and stop worring about choking on gravel..or icky water. Thanks for adding [email protected]


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## lelei (Apr 30, 2012)

Btw with that said, is there a way you guys could tell me which kind of Siphon is the best, or which ones u use..I have the "Aqueon" and it sucks, and not the way it should..lol..(here we go again) I want it to suck better..but it won't ..so which ones do you guys use..??? lolol..help!!!


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I use a cheapy walmart one o_o I did have a more expensive thicker tubed one but I can't get the stupid thing to work properly!! Plus when it does work it drains the entire tank within seconds -.-;


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## cjayBetta (Jan 18, 2011)

So cleaned my tanks about 15 mins ago and it worked PERFECT.. SOOOOOO Glad I bought this... something that used to take me 1h now takes me about 30 minutes... WOWOWOWWWW


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## Cargo (May 25, 2012)

I don't know why everyone has trouble with this, I can do it very easily. Its not like you have to suck hard. I put my mouth on it for probably ½ second and barely suck at all and I have at least 1½ seconds to get my mouth away.


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## cjayBetta (Jan 18, 2011)

Its not like I would have trouble with it I just do not wish to risk getting poop in my mouth.


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## Karebear13 (Jan 23, 2012)

I have the topfin one from Petsmart. the only problem is its huge so for smaller tanks its probably too much ahah


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

OK OK I promise..In two days I will take pics and write instuctions for building a small siphon for 5gal and under (because nobody makes one).

Total cost, fifty cents. Time to make: 15 minutes. Coming soon to a thread near you. Watch for it.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

I got a tiny little vacuum from pet smart for $2. I need a bigger one now. Dx
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## cjayBetta (Jan 18, 2011)

I saw some pretty small ones at my lps - was going to get it but my husband was like - If you use that it will take forever get the big one lol. It also came with a bucket clip which is pretty sweet.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

http://ca-en.hagen.com/Aquatic/Maintenance/Cleaning/10998
^^
This.


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## Atena (Apr 29, 2012)

I got a small siphon at pet supermarket. It is perfect for my 2.5 gallon tank and it only cost $5.


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## cjayBetta (Jan 18, 2011)

Yea I saw those - didnt want the extra expensive if there was another way to do it that was nit with my mouth lol the jerking method proved very effective.


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## Ilikebutterflies (May 19, 2012)

Lol, you guys...I use my big 50CC syringe to "suck start" my siphon.


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

butterflies, that's genius


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

also: found these gifs on tumblr. felt they were relevant x3


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## cjayBetta (Jan 18, 2011)

ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww


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## ZergyMonster (Feb 20, 2012)

Num Yummy!


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