Ive got a problem with my siphon being too weak. Half of the debris gets sucked out and the other hald just keeps rolling around in the siphon tube. Its kind of frustrating because I know Im not getting my aquarium as clean as I would like to. My water level is about 4.5 feet high and I drain into a 5 gallon bucket on the floor. I have a 46 gallon bowfront and use a standard Marineland large siphon. I also sometimes use the Aqueon water changer, but again the siphon isn't very strong. How can I create a stronger siphon?
Weak Siphon
- Thread starter bry1105
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
OasisKeeper
Aquarium Advice Activist
Yah, I have the same problem. My doctor said it was the size of the hose.
Its the drop distance and the flow rate as restricted by the hose. Don't know what you can do about that short of jacking up the tank or drilling a big hole in the floor.
There are those powered vacs around but have no experience with them myself.
TheFishBoss97
Aquarium Advice FINatic
4.5ft!!!!!!!!!r u sure...
jk,m
i think u meant the distance from the siphon to the bucket? right........
make ur own
go to home depot, get a 1" tube......clear plastic bendy(any lenght, preferably over 6ft)
and u have a vac, use a turkey baster at the end to start the siphon.......
jk,m
i think u meant the distance from the siphon to the bucket? right........
make ur own
go to home depot, get a 1" tube......clear plastic bendy(any lenght, preferably over 6ft)
and u have a vac, use a turkey baster at the end to start the siphon.......
TheFishBoss97
Aquarium Advice FINatic
also, in the siphon itself(the blue part thick tube, the part that u suck crap up with(not the long tube), has a switch at the end, if it gets closed by accident, opening it will increase flow, it is supposed to automatically open when siphoning, but sometimes is jammed...........
roundar
Aquarium Advice Freak
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2011
- Messages
- 314
A longer hose dropped out your window would do well depending on window height etc.
LyndaB
Aquarium Advice Addict
I can only give advice regarding the Aqueon, which I presume you have hooked up to a faucet. When we noticed that ours was lacking suckability, if there is such a word, we turned on both the hot and cold taps. This gave us the proper draw with the hose. Once the draw was established, we were able to turn off the hot water and just have the cold running to do the water removal/gravel vac.
roundar
Aquarium Advice Freak
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2011
- Messages
- 314
Technically once the siphon is started, you don't have to have any water running to pull it, unless it's for extra "suckability."(in which case I really do think you'll fair better by running the hose outside.) For one tank, this is probably just fine, but anyone with a bunch of tanks will attest to the fact that it does waste a lot of water.
LyndaB
Aquarium Advice Addict
We use this for 4 tanks. I've never tried just turning the faucet off afterwards. Will give it a go this weekend.
If we ran the hose out our window, the water would just run into our basement.....
If we ran the hose out our window, the water would just run into our basement.....
BigJim
Aquarium Advice Addict
To get better suction, you want to use a vacuum with a small nozzle to hose ratio. You could make one with a small piece of PVC pipe and a large piece of clear plastic tubing. Better work fast though, because the larger tubing will drain your tank faster.
By small nozzle to hose ratio you mean the two closer in size? How can I do that since they are made the way they are?
skiweeangel
Aquarium Advice Addict
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2011
- Messages
- 1,235
I have been having a similar problem and I'm glad I found this thread. I'm going to try some of these tricks.
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
Just a thought for cleaning the gravel well-has anyone ever tried using a wet/dry shop vac with a small attachment (so gravel isnt sucked up) to suck up the mess??? This is something im contemplating....
BigJim
Aquarium Advice Addict
That's exactly what I mean. You really need to discover the DIY side of aquaria. When something isn't commercially available, just make it. Look for a clear piece of tubing at Home Depot or Menards. They come in larger diameters than most aquarium stuff. You can use just the plain tubing as a vacuum or you can find a piece or pipe that will fit into the end of the tubing.
ocean
Aquarium Advice FINatic
You can also cut the clear plastic tube shorter, I've done this with the one that hooks to the sink and the ones that drain into a bucket, works like a charm!!
LyndaB
Aquarium Advice Addict
We use this for 4 tanks. I've never tried just turning the faucet off afterwards. Will give it a go this weekend.
Well, we did our water changes yesterday and tried turning off the faucet once the "draw" had been made. I left the faucet on for a good 5 minutes after the tank started draining, then turned the faucet off. It was like watching paint dry. It was obviously much much slower. So, turned the faucet back on after about 30 minutes and left it on for draining the next 3 tanks. I think, in our particular situation, turning off the faucet was not a good thing to do.
Me too. My siphon stopped completely.
Cutting the plastic tube (not the hose) didn't help either.
I didn't think getting a stong siphon would be this difficult. Frustrating...
roundar
Aquarium Advice Freak
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2011
- Messages
- 314
Astute conclusion.
It's simply a matter of how high your sink compared to your tank. If for instance, you ran it into a basement sink, you would probably start sucking up your fish.
LyndaB
Aquarium Advice Addict
Aha! That's my problem. It's a physics thing...... I may be psychic but I don't do physics.....
Chriznat20
Aquarium Advice Freak
This is funny and ironic because - Im having the same problem right now!!!
Ive always used a marineland siphon vacuum in my 29g tank but with my new 46g bow front I acquired last week, it wont suck up anything but water. It picks up detrius, but it swirls around inside the vacuum and falls right back out...frustrating.
Today I went to my LFS and bought a "Hagen" brand vacuum called the "Marina vacuum". Its huge - the guy said thats what they use and its got great lift.
Ive always used a marineland siphon vacuum in my 29g tank but with my new 46g bow front I acquired last week, it wont suck up anything but water. It picks up detrius, but it swirls around inside the vacuum and falls right back out...frustrating.
Today I went to my LFS and bought a "Hagen" brand vacuum called the "Marina vacuum". Its huge - the guy said thats what they use and its got great lift.
Ive got the same 46 bowfront. Had it for a few years now.
Let me know how the vacuum works. I need something that works!
Similar threads
