Archivarium 2004

[Suzy]

I have short arms and a large aquarium, and can't reach the filter intake to remove debris that's gathered on it daily. I decided there must be a better way! Maybe there is a product available that I've never seen, but why spend money if you don't have to? (Besides, I frequent three LFSs and I've never seen a solution.)

I purchased a yard of black nylon tulle (net) from a fabric store (very cheap!) and made little 'tube socks' to go over the intake tube. After a few days, when the sock is covered with 'stuff' which is 'sucked to it,' I simply pinch the top edge with my planting tool and peel it down, off the tube, inside out, and the 'stuff' stays inside while I pull the sock out and dispose of it.

This seems toooooo simple to me, and works toooooo well; I can't possibly be the only one who has done this. Am I being naive; is this something everyone knows about, and somehow I just missed the memo?

[anonapersona]

Clever idea to cope with the problem!

What is it that is sticking to the sock? Too much food? Or is that live plant debris?

It is a bit out of the ordinary that debris is there daily in need of removeal.

[Suzy]

Really?? I assumed that everyone has this problem!

No, it's NEVER food. It's always live plant debris. My tank is VERY heavily (and naturally) planted, and you know how java fern is - constantly putting out little 'babies.' Then of course, there are the bits of leaves from the fish nibbling, etc. Nothing horrible, nothing bad, I assure you.

Oh. Well. Unless you consider snails bad. I do seem to have a lot of the little tiny ones, and they gather there quite often. The fish do a pretty good job of keeping the numbers down, but they're still there.

Thanks for responding, I'm glad to know my post was read.

[Irons]

Sounds like great and simple solution. I never cleaned mine everyday. Just once a week with a water change. I wouldn't mind seeing some pictures if you get the chance.
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"... instead of considering what to say when they write, people now just let thoughts drool out onto the screen," - about e-mail
Irons.

[Suzy]

Umm. I'd be happy to share photos, but I don't know where ....?
The reason I have to remove debris from mine so often is because of the heavy planting, and constant 'babies' from the java fern. The filter starts making funny noises because there isn't enough 'flow.' [/img]

[KrissyW]

Hi Suzy,

Another great DIY idea! If you can't show us a picture...can you tell us how you made the 'tube sock'? I assume that the nylon tulle is sold as a flat piece of fabric, so how did you create the 'sock'? Is there more stitching involved? LOL! I have a lot of floating plants (hornwort) in my 40g community and it makes me crazy how it gets stuck in the filter intake and subsquently causes my filter to sputter and flow irregularily. I have to clean the intake on my filter everyday too. Thanks again. KrissyW

[Suzy]

Heehee, Krissy, how about that; multi-talent!

Yes, the tulle comes flat. I cut it into rectangles about five inches by six inches, fold it in half, and sew up one side and across one end. That's all there is to it! I machine stitch, because it's so much faster, and I use the same thread I always use on my machine.

You would have to adjust the measurments to fit your filter intake, of course. I like mine to be a little loose and to go up beyond where the intake stops, to facilitate removal of the sock. If it's too tight, you'll have a hard time peeling it off inside out.

The beauty of it is that if you use black, it blends in; after you get used to it being in there, you won't even notice it's there anymore.

With your floating plant problem, sounds like exactly what you need!

[Glitch]

Suzy How do you keep it in place? it seems like it could fall off. Does the suction hold it in place for you? or what?
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[Suzy]

Yes, absolutely, the suction holds it on. As you peel the sock off INSIDE OUT, the suction continues to hold everything together, but you still want to move quickly, so you don't give the crud a chance to escape.

[Glitch]

Cool thanks, time to bust out the sewing machine and hit the fabric store.
_________________
Glitch your mind so chaos=logic
Narf I think so Brain, but how do you tune a piano made out of spam?