Tips

[U4BOYZ]

Okay...feel dumb asking...but does anyone have any tips on siphoning? My husband and I tried to get the siphon started for an hour today...we accomplished nothing but upsetting our fish. Is there an easy way to get the flow started? We suck! No pun intended! ;)

 

[yote]

I just submerge both ends of my siphon hose in the tank.Then I'll cover both ends with my thumbs.stick one end in my bucket and turn it loose.
You can also hold the end thats in the tank up to a powerhead and let it push the water through.

 

[Brian_G]

ya know. i never thought about that yote. sometimes i get a mouthful of water :(

no question is a stupid question :)

 

[Bifferwine]

I always make NDB start the siphon for me. Thanks for the tip, Yote! NDB will be happy to hear it! ;)

 

[U4BOYZ]

Great ideas Yote. We'll try them. Thanks!

 

[bjohanson1234]

I always hold the one end of the tube underwater then suck the air out of the other end. Stop sucking once the water reaches over the tank and down to the bottom of the loop. Put my thumb over the end of the hose and place it in the bucket. Never get a mouth full of water.

 

[beano]

you try to start it and mess up, you need to empty out any water that did make it into the tube. otherwise it either won't work the second time or you will get a mouthful. I like yore idea, I even jam the tube over the outlet of my old maxijet. I do the same in reverse to pump my water change water from the 5 gallon up to the DT

 

[Zissou]

Takes about five seconds.

Please excuse my drawing. :mrgreen:

 

[dcantucson]

Thanks Kevin. That looks like an easy method.

 

[bjohanson1234]

that only works if the syphon tube has a built in checkvalve that doesnt let the air in from the end of the tube out of the water.

 

[PRC]

I use the same pump that Zissou uses...works great...shake it sideways about 3 or 4 times and it's going...Onve i read a couple of threads about how you don't want to put your hands in the tank if you have cuts on yoru hands I didn't think it was great to be sucking on the water!

Costs about $15 at the LFS. Makes cleaning the tank alot easier.

 

[U4BOYZ]

Okay...so I really enjoy the visual! Thanks for that. We're going to give it another try today. :)

 

[wontonflip]

I do something similar to zis....except i pop the thin tube off the big tube, lets the air escape, put back the thin tube, submerge the thin tube to get water in there, cap off the end, and pull it out and it starts the siphon.

I've also done the water-in-the-mouth method :mrgreen:

 

[U4BOYZ]

that only works if the syphon tube has a built in checkvalve that doesnt let the air in from the end of the tube out of the water.

That's interesting...I have one of those clamps on the tube to regulate the air...do I want it clamped shut or open? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm....

 

[U4BOYZ]

Well my husband and I tried all the methods recommended...and we found a combination of two suggestions worked the best for us. We submerged both ends as Yote suggested...then we would tip the large end up while still underwater to get the last of the air bubbles, like Zissou suggested (and was nice enough to illustrate!)...then we'd plug the tube end and take it out of the water (thanks to Yote)...drop it in the bucket...and viola---worked like a charm every time we tried it. I have a feeling the powerhead would've worked too...but our tube is really long to reach the bottom of the tank---and it's oval at the end---not round---so weren't able to get quite enough air for it to catch on. I would recommend trying this method...especially if you're one of the 'I just suck the end and pray I don't get a mouthful of water people'....we don't need to croaking from some bazaar fish waste disease! ;)