Alternative to Rigid Tubing

**simplykayla76** · 08-03-2012, 09:38 PM

I have a 10 gallon fry tank that i have been doing daily water changes in with a airline tube. The issue with this i have to remove all decor to get the bare bottom clean as possible.

Well as i am not able to see all angles at all times to avoid hurting any fry i was hoping to buy some rigid tubing and not have to remove any decor.

The problem with this is the only place i can find it is online and for a .83 cent item they want to charge 8 or 9 dollars in shipping...insane!

Is there anything else that is similar to rigid tubing that would be easy to find?
Because if i use the option of not removing any decor then the waste goes under the decor and i am wasting my time...

**Cliff** · 08-03-2012, 10:22 PM

I'm not too sure I'm completely understanding here, but what about a normal gravel vac that has the larger rigid tube on the end of it

**simplykayla76** · 08-03-2012, 11:09 PM

The fry tank is bare bottom. And I don't use a gravel vacuum because as careful as i try to be..i still usually have at least one fry who gets sucked through my airline tube into the bucket and it wouldn't survive going through a gravel vacuum.

**genocidex** · 08-03-2012, 11:11 PM

I know what you mean. Petsmart by my house stocks that regularly. For about 1$.... I think she wants to be able to have a gravel vac type end while using an air line tube as to not suck fry

**simplykayla76** · 08-03-2012, 11:20 PM

Yes i have found it online at petsmart.com but when i call my petsmart they tell me they don't carry it in the store ...same with my petco.

**Indian Woods Angels** · 08-04-2012, 02:34 AM

Request they order it in for you.

They may have this at an Ace hardware store. Or order it in.

Might try a big box store by the irrigation tubing, they could have something water safe and rigid there.

**Scrup** · 08-04-2012, 02:40 PM

So....you don't want to use a gravel vac, you want rigid tubing for your airline tube? They sell those for under gravel filters. Little rigid parts that connect to the airstone, I've seen them from 6-18" long.

Best bet would be to order what you want online honestly.

**runswithscissors95** · 10-28-2012, 03:27 PM

Try getting pvc tubing from McMaster-Carr. It is pretty rigid while maintaining some degree of flexibility. It is also pretty cheap.

**Jaster** · 10-29-2012, 12:50 AM

I've found some at craft stores like AC Moore.

**korith** · 10-29-2012, 12:57 AM

What I use in some of my small fry tanks is a $1 dollar store turkey baster, yep a turkey baster, may sound a bit silly but they work perfect for cleaning out small tanks. Able to get the debris out and keep the fry safe. You can remove the bulb from the turkey baster and attach some plastic tubing to it. Also find it useful to drain the turkey baster/hose into a white bucket, and afterwards look there for any fry that may have gotten sucked up.