UPETTOOLS Electric Aquarium Gravel Cleaner

The UPETTOOLS Aquarium Gravel Cleaner is a mains-powered gravel vacuum. Instead of starting a siphon by hand and waiting on gravity, a 110V, 28W pump pulls water up the tube and sends it out through the hose. That makes it most useful on larger tanks where a manual siphon takes a long time.

What it does

UPETTOOLS lists six jobs for the one tool: changing water, washing sand, lifting debris, filtering water, a shower function and flow control. In practice the main use is the same as any gravel vac. Push the tube into the substrate, let the suction lift fish waste and leftover food, and drain the dirty water out.

Flow and drain speed

The pump is rated at up to 1700 L/H. The maker says it can empty a 180-gallon (681L) tank in about 30 minutes under ideal conditions. A valve lets you turn the suction down so fine sand stays put and only the debris lifts.

Telescopic tube

The cleaning tube extends from 23.6 inches (60 cm) to 37.7 inches (96 cm) and locks at length. That covers water depths from about 13.7 inches (35 cm) to 47.2 inches (120 cm), so it reaches the bottom of tall display tanks without putting your arm in the water.

Using it safely

• Keep the plug and outlet well away from splashes, and use a drip loop on the cord.
• Start on low suction over sand, then open the valve once you see how the substrate behaves.
• Match temperature and dechlorinate the refill water, for example with Seachem Prime.

Who should look elsewhere

For a small tank, a powered unit is more than you need. A manual siphon such as the QZQ gravel cleaner kit is simpler, and the Python Pro-Clean is a common middle ground.