JBJ Instant Siphon Gravel Vacuum (GL-28)

The JBJ Instant Siphon Gravel Vacuum (GL-28) takes the worst part out of a water change: starting the siphon. A few squeezes of the in-line bulb pump start the flow every time, with no mouth-priming and no shaking the tube. Push the intake into the gravel and it lifts out waste and detritus while the gravel tumbles and drops back to the bottom. An on/off valve controls the flow and a strainer keeps small fish out of the hose. Browse more aquarium cleaning tools and maintenance and water care.

Why You'll Love It

• Instant siphon. The squeeze-bulb auto siphon pump primes the line in a few pumps. No mouth, no mess.
• Cleans the gravel, not the tank. Waste is pulled into the intake chamber while the heavier gravel separates and settles back.
• On/off flow control valve. Slow it down for a nano tank or open it up for a big one, and stop the flow without lifting the tube out of the water.
• Built-in gravel and fish strainer. Keeps gravel, fry and small fish from being pulled into the hose.
• 6 ft of tubing included, enough to reach a bucket on the floor from a tank on a stand.
• Rigid intake tube stays steady in the gravel and helps in deeper tanks.

How to Use It

Set a bucket below the tank and put the hose end in it. Lower the intake into the tank, open the valve and squeeze the bulb a few times until water flows. Push the intake straight down into the gravel, let the debris lift out, then move to the next spot. Use the valve to slow the flow if the water level drops faster than you are cleaning. Work across the tank in sections, taking out 10 to 25 percent of the water, then refill with conditioned water at tank temperature. On fine sand, hold the intake just above the surface so it lifts the debris and leaves the sand behind.

Specifications

What's Included

• Gravel vacuum intake with rigid tube and integrated strainer
• Auto siphon squeeze-bulb pump
• On/off flow control valve
• 6 ft flexible tubing

Recommended Pairings

• JBJ Vinyl Tubing, 10 ft, in 5/8 in to extend the drain hose to a sink or a bucket farther away.
• Fritz Complete or Aquaforest AF Water Conditioner to treat the tap water you refill with.
• Seachem Stability to top up beneficial bacteria after a deep gravel clean.
• Mag-Float 125 to clean the glass while the water level is down.
• Aquatop EZ Vac-N-Fill if you would rather run water changes from a faucet on a larger tank.

FAQ

How do I start the siphon?
Put the intake in the tank and the hose in a bucket below it, open the valve and squeeze the bulb a few times. Once water flows, the siphon keeps running on its own.

Will it suck up my fish?
The integrated strainer keeps small fish and fry out of the hose. Keep an eye on bottom dwellers and slow the flow with the valve around them.

Can I use it in a sand bed or reef tank?
Yes. Hold the intake just above the sand rather than pushing into it, so it lifts detritus without pulling the sand out.

How big a tank is it for?
Anything from a nano to a standard 55 gallon. The adjustable valve lets you slow it down for small tanks or run it wide open for larger ones.

Can I make the hose longer?
Yes. The drain line takes standard 5/8 in vinyl tubing if you need to reach a sink or drain.