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hi just wondering the easiest way to start a siphon other than orally, i have tried a few methods but none seem to work too well for me.

Where are you running the siphon to.

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The calming qualities of a good aquarium are irrefutable

If you take the sypphon and fill it up with water and let it run to the end of the hose and plug the end of the hose with your finger when it reaches there. Then fill the syphon up with water so ti is completely full and put the one end in the tank, and the hose in the bucket. When you remove your thumb from the end of the hose it will start the suction for you.

thank you gourami.cuz doing it orally it kind of gross especially it water gets in the mouth

gourami i tried this method but it did not see to start up how it was supposed to , though i do see the concept.do u have another way or could you possibly be more specific?

For my larger tanks, it is relatively easy because I can submerge the siphon itself in the aquarium. This way, I allow the entire siphon to fill with water; you have to make sure a good deal if not all of the siphon fills with water, leaving few or no pockets of air, because those can kill your siphon. After submersion, plug the one end with your finger and pull it out and into the bucket, and the siphon should start.

For smaller tanks I would start it by mouth, but currently neither of my smaller tanks have a substrate so I've just been using a cup of water and scooping.

The siphon will not work very well if your tank is close to the level of what the water is going into; for example, if your tank and bucket are both on the floor. For this, either use a battery-powered siphon, a vacuum-powered siphon, or just scoop the water out manually.

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The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

Make sure there aren't any air bubbles in the hose (especially biggish ones). When I do this, I put the wide end of the siphon in the tank, then scoop up some water with it (with thumb on the narrow end), then let the water run down to the end of the siphon, holding the wide end up in the air and the end with my thumb on it low so it's as straight as possible until all the bubbles come out the wide end. Then I fill up the wide end with water by scooping it in the tank and at that point I have a pretty good siphon. Remember that when you're letting the bubbles out, if there is a part of the siphon goes downward in the direction you want the bubbles to go, they'll get trapped there.

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ah ok.i misunderstood, i have just been submerging the vacuum part of the siphon and plugging one end.duh

I have used the suck by mouth method for more years than I can remember it is quick and easy and never a problem as far as I am concerned.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info
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Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

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wouldnt the suck by mouth have some risks like infectious things that could be transmitted from fish to hhumans?

Not really. The only disease I know of transmittable from fish to humans is fish "tuberculosis", which is extremely infrequent.

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The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

thanks shinigami for clearing that up, your way works very well(the submerging way).and also thankyou for clearing that up, now i now if i get in a jam or want to get it done faster i can do it both ways, but the mouth way kinda erks my mom.lol

If you're getting water in your mouth you're sucking for too long. It's not rocket science.

Hi,
" have used the suck by mouth method for more years than I can remember it is quick and easy and never a problem as far as I am concerned."

Keith... Is that maybe why you have those slits in the
side of your neck, and the webbing between your toes?




Frank

PS, I currently use a Python brand siphon. But, before
that, I used the oral method as well. The trick was to
have enough hose length so that once the water started
over the side of the tank and down the hose, I had time
to register (in my mind) that the water had started to
flow, and then I removed my mouth from the hose in time
so as not to get a mouth full.


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

yes i just dont think the hose is long enough because it only goes into the bucket an inch or too and by the time i get it over the side of the tank it is alreeady in my mouth.you have to kind of anticipate when it will be there and just guess when to take it out of your mouth.that was why i was searching for an easier method.

Yeah, the mouth method irks my mom too, haha.

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The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

I think that you can buy a siphon pipe with an attached hand pump & you can pump the water through the pipe & into the bucket. Personally I'm still using the old sucking method without any problems.

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Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com

yes, and cant you buy those really cool siphons with the shut off valves for filling really large tanks from the sink.though i have never seen then at the lfs id like to order then, cuz toting buckets of water is kind of a pain.

honestly I had to laugh when I saw the tittle post..
the "easist" way is to suck!..lol..
no kidding aside..Im sure we all crindge when we have to start it up..lol..I do.. spit water a couple of times over the yrs, just not paying attention..
when I start to seek out my 80gal I purchased a python(Siphon) with a 50ft hose..( 4 tanks all around the house).. 5 to be soon..I was using an old cooler.. had to remember to plug up the side..done that twice..water all over the livingroom floor..lol
A python makes water changes much more pleasant to do and alot faster..nothing like the old way toting the cooler to the bathroom and then having to mop floor after..lol
Sue

Pythons waste a RIDICULOUS amount of water.

The hose on my gravel vac is about 10 meters long, so I have at least 10 seconds between seeing the water go up and over the side of the tank and it coming out the end.

Worst I've done though was having a...Ummm...Failure of foresight. Cannister filter didn't want to prime so I pulled the outlet hose off, forgot to unplug the power and sucked on the hose. Mouth full of all that algae crap that always comes out plus the filter pumping full bore into my face.