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Okay so I know this is kind of a silly question, but my tank is getting all sorts of gunked up with algae that my pleco and golden roller aren't able to get at, like the inside of my filter and underneith the gravel. First of all, what is a cheap gravel vacuum that I could get because it's getting really icky down there, and secondly, how do I clean the inside of my filters? I have an undergravel filter in a 10 gallon tank, and it uses little black pellet things to filter (yeah, I don't know what they are...).

Originally posted by mole
Okay so I know this is kind of a silly question, but my tank is getting all sorts of gunked up with algae that my pleco and golden roller aren't able to get at, like the inside of my filter and underneith the gravel. First of all, what is a cheap gravel vacuum that I could get because it's getting really icky down there, and secondly, how do I clean the inside of my filters? I have an undergravel filter in a 10 gallon tank, and it uses little black pellet things to filter (yeah, I don't know what they are...).

You can get a siphon gravel cleaner that includes clear directions at any pet shop for a couple of bucks. When you use it you will be shocked at how dirty the gravel gets! When you say there's algae in your filter, I assume you mean the uplift tube(s). It's easy to pull back the gravel from around the base of the tube (so none will fall in the hole), then give the tube a half-twist to remove it. Then you just scrub the inside of it with an old toothbrush, the algae should come off easily. The "little black pellet things" are activated carbon. You will need to replace the carbon periodically (most of us do it monthly) if you want to continue to use it. However, in your established tank you can probably remove it completely -- in an UGF filter, the actual filtration is done by the gravel itself and the beneficial bacteria living in the gravel. The purpose of the uplift tube is simply to draw water through the gravel for filtration.:thumbsup:

--Mark:cool:

UGF

Man, I'm too broke to afford anything else right now... gimmie a break

When I move out of my parents house I am going to buy a nicer setup. As for now my room is too small for anything but a 10gal...

For the price of an air pump and the ugf you good have gotten a decent size AC from bigals