Mulm vacuum aquarium: In this guide we will introduce you to sludge extractors for the aquarium. A very important piece of equipment that should not be missing in aquaristics. We have already explained in detail in an article why you should vacuum the sludge (or maybe not). Now it's time for the devices themselves. We show you the bestsellers, the differences between the devices, be it electrical or mechanical, the best manufacturers such as Eheim, Dennerle or Tetra, for every aquarium, whether small (Nano aquarium) or big.
Functionality of a sludge suction device for the aquarium
What is the function of a mulch vacuum cleaner? As the name already says, the sludge in the aquarium is sucked out with it. You can thus clean the aquarium. In the tank, droppings, plant remains and organic waste are sucked off and the substrate is loosened at the same time. The pebbles are also cleaned in this way. So the goal is to get waste out of the tank. Which is known to require a certain technique. With a purely mechanical removal with a net or by hand, you cannot get smaller suspended particles out of the water. In addition, you can use a debris vacuum cleaner to remove the important one Water change carry out. This is important for the self-contained microorganism in an aquarium.
We recommend ours for this Water change guide.
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Mechanical mulch vacuum cleaner
If you look at the individual devices, you first have to differentiate between how they work. On the one hand there are purely mechanical ones, which are associated with a hydraulic function, but there are also electrical models. There is also often talk of semi-automatic debris vacuum cleaners.
Let's start with the rather cheaper devices, the mechanical ones. Basically, they all have the same structure. A plastic bell / suction bell, which is located in the aquarium, is connected to a hose. This is then outside the aquarium. The waste is transported out of the aquarium via this hose. These can either end up in a bucket or directly in the drain.
It is sucked in either via a hand pump or directly via the mouth. Today, however, this is usually no longer necessary, because almost all models on the market have a vacuum pump. It sucks the water out of the aquarium. In order for this to work hydraulically and physically, the hose must hang lower outside of the aquarium, this is the only way the water can drain and the hydraulics ensure that water drains automatically. Basically you do the water change and the mulm removal in one step.
Many models also have a flow limiter. With this, the water flow can be adjusted. Especially important for smaller aquariums. Nano aquarists will know what we are talking about.
In the suction bell, which is located in the aquarium, the stones and the aquarium gravel are whirled up and thus the waste and suspended matter are removed from the tank.
Electric debris vacuum cleaner
Basically, a debris vacuum cleaner without an electrical connection is completely sufficient. And, of course, they are pretty cheap to buy.
But there are also other models, which are usually powered by a battery. The big advantage of these models is that you don't have to change the water at the same time. Here the water is sucked through a filter with a container and immediately released back into the aquarium. In this way, larger and smaller suspended matter is removed. Eheim doesn't call these mud suckers, but mud suckers. The evaluation and opinion of the customers are very positive.
Be careful when vacuuming the debris
Another note on the use of various devices. It can quickly happen that a fish, a shrimp or even a crab gets lost under the sludge extraction bell. If the water were to run straight down the drain, the animals would probably be beyond saving. It is therefore always better to work with buckets, or to attach a safety net in front of the drain to the sewage system. How can you save the animals?
In the case of particularly sensitive animals, it is also necessary to adjust the flow limiter so as not to injure the animals. Strong currents could cause injuries here.
Field of application of the mulm sucker - size of the aquarium
It depends on the size, so you could distinguish the different areas of application in one sentence. Of course, not every mulm vacuum cleaner is suitable for every aquarium. On the one hand, the size of the suction bell is decisive for the aquarium in which it will find its place. Large bells usually also have a large hose diameter and thus draw a lot of water out of the aquarium. It is certainly not practicable to be out and about in a nano aquarium with such a sludge suction device. There are various models that are very slim. In addition, these also have a small diameter of the hose, so that only little water is drawn out of the pool.
With the battery-operated models, the water withdrawal plays less of a role, since the water is let back directly into the aquarium. There, however, one has the problem that these models are usually very large and therefore cannot be accommodated in small tanks. In addition, the battery can sometimes run out. Another disadvantage.
Bestselling mulch vacuum cleaner
Let's look at some of the bestsellers. First of all, it has to be said that battery-powered models have not yet caught on. Among the bestsellers you can still find commercially available hydraulic models that work on the principle of water extraction.
Among the battery-operated models, the Eheim Quick Vac or Eheim Quick Vac Pro has certainly been able to assert itself. The Bedee Aquarium sludge vacuum cleaner is also electrically operated and can be recommended.
Among the mechanical models, the bestseller lists usually include the JBL Aqua Ex or the Sera substrate cleaner. Fluval models can also be found. Mostly they differ only by very small differences. Be it the flow rate or the type of pumping. In our opinion, Dennerle has a very good sludge vacuum cleaner for nano aquariums. It has a flow limiter, which is a decisive advantage for small pools. A vacuum pump was also installed, so that annoying announcements by mouth are history.
Tetra GC Aquarium Floor Cleaner is also very popular. Of course, there are also some models from not well-known manufacturers, which are certainly in no way inferior to the well-known ones.
Here you will find the top sellers from Amazon. It's always worth taking a look at the reviews.
Build a mulch vacuum cleaner yourself
Of course, you can also easily build a debris vacuum cleaner yourself. Here you can even adjust the size individually according to your requirements. The construction is quite simple and basically consists of only two parts. On the one hand the suction cup and on the other hand the hose.
A syringe is perfect for nano aquariums, which you only have to cut off at the front and attach the hose to the back. In larger aquariums, the suction bell can consist of a plastic bottle. These are available in different sizes. So you should be able to build the mulm sucker yourself for the right aquarium.
As you can see in the following video, there are many other ideas for building a mulm vacuum cleaner. So be creative.
Test of the mulm sucker
Of course, there are also some diverse tests of mulch vacuum cleaners, although we would rather refer to the reviews and recommendations here. These are usually more meaningful than a test of a single person.
Conclusion on the Mulmsauger
A sludge sucker should not be missing from any aquarist. This useful tool is essential and should be available. Be it for water changes or to remove waste and aquarium waste such as organic waste plants removed from the aquarium. The choice of which sludge cleaner it should be depends on the factors of size of the aquarium, price, electrical or mechanical/hydraulic and the water flow rate.