AQQA 6-in-1 Electric Aquarium Gravel Cleaner

The AQQA 6-in-1 Electric Aquarium Gravel Cleaner (model AQ038) pairs a 20W, 320GPH water pump with a set of interchangeable heads. AQQA lists six jobs: water changing, sand washing, debris cleaning, scrubbing the tank, water filtering and water cycling.

The pump

The submersible pump moves up to 320GPH, which speeds up both draining and refilling. AQQA stresses that the pump must be completely submerged in water when running; running it dry can damage it.

Filter cup

The filter cup holds a sponge that catches fish waste and food residue. Instead of draining water out, you can run the kit in a loop so water passes through the cup and returns to the tank. That is useful for spot-cleaning between water changes without losing any volume. AQQA also suggests the cup for rinsing a turtle.

What is in the box

• 2 tubes and 1 water pump
• 1 outlet pipe
• 1 scraper, 1 corner wash head, 1 brush head
• 1 sand vacuum with filter sponge
• 1 filter cup and 1 intake cover

Fit and setup

No extra tools are needed to assemble it. The adjustable handle length suits 23”-40” tanks, so it covers most common home aquariums. Swap heads to move from sand washing to glass scrubbing.

Who it suits

Keepers with mid-size and large tanks who want a powered vacuum with extra cleaning heads. For a simpler motorized vacuum, compare the AKKEE electric gravel cleaner. AQQA lists a 365 days warranty.

Keep the intake cover fitted whenever the pump runs, since it stops small fish, shrimp and plant pieces from being drawn in. After each session, rinse the filter sponge in old tank water and let the parts dry before storing them. Check the tubes for kinks before switching the pump on, and unplug it before changing heads or lifting it out of the water. With regular use, this kind of kit can replace several separate tools and cut down the time you spend on a full clean.