Tank diving! Tools and tricks to dealing with deep tanks.

[Oldsalt]

This is the pair of grabbers I use. Called Grip 'n Grab by a company named Ettore. It actually intended to be an accessibility tool. Made of aluminum, very light weight, soft rubber grips in the tongs, head can swivel but only locks in on 90 degree angles. It comes in several different lengths and can pick up fairly heavy objects. I think I gave $23ish for mine from Lowe's Home Improvements.

Nice! Thanks for the heads up.

Edit * to get the Ettore 34 inch grabber to Australia it will cost me over 60 dollars. 35 bucks for the grabber plus another 30 for delivery. Deal breaker. I'm just getting another pair of the 36 inch ones for 10 buck's locally. It is listed to pick up to 6 kg which is close to 15 lbs. The 2nd one in the photo above is the one I have. The Ettore lists 5 lbs and is 2 inches shorter. Nice that the head rotates but I can live without that. Sometimes I wish I was back in the USA. I can't even buy macroalgae or refugium starter kits because Australia won't allow import. I need Chaeto, not Caulerpa that does sell locally.

 

[Wen]

I use 30" plain wooden dowels with tools attached with either cable ties or electrical tape. Paint scraper and piece of prefilter sponge for cleaning glass, toothbrush and small bottle brush for scrubbing rocks. Two turkey basters silicone together ( cut the top off one and glue it into the top of the second) to make an extra-long "super baster" for target feeding, sucking up dirt, and rescuing seahorse fry. Clear, flexible hose taped to a dowel to vacuum sand and do water changes. Ghetto, but effective.

I am prepping for a 34" deep tank. Any chance you can post a photo of the "super baster"?

 

[Claire Austin]

I am prepping for a 34" deep tank. Any chance you can post a photo of the "super baster"?

 

[Nep2nzReef]

Nice!!

 

[krash7172]

I have an elevated built-in tank that requires a ladder and platform to "tank dive". I found these valuable.

Top to bottom:

1) 2 ft SS grabber. Can pickup large items with a good grabbing point if needed.
2) SS spike for tasks like scraping vermetid snails. Dental tools are good but short.
3) Scoop for picking small items of the bottom like mushroom frags, snail shells or removing the little cute starfish from glass.
4) Plunger for sand bed. Its a water bottle with a plastic ball. Only holds pressure when you lift.

 

[Wen]

I have an elevated built-in tank that requires a ladder and platform to "tank dive". I found these valuable.

Top to bottom:

1) 2 ft SS grabber. Can pickup large items with a good grabbing point if needed.
2) SS spike for tasks like scraping vermetid snails. Dental tools are good but short.
3) Scoop for picking small items of the bottom like mushroom frags, snail shells or removing the little cute starfish from glass.
4) Plunger for sand bed. Its a water bottle with a plastic ball. Only holds pressure when you lift.

When do you plunge the sand bed? Never heard of this. :cool:

 

[krash7172]

There are mixed opinions on turning the sand bed. I did it when my tank was young. Diamond goby does the same thing but better.