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I think every one has a favorite method to start the syphoning on a vacum cleaner. I put the hose end in a bucket and then pump the cleaner part up and down rapidly several times to get the suction started. Of course, I alway make sure there are no fish in that area when I start.

Yes, I am serious. I want to remove the solids automatically as much as possible too. Drip systems overflow water off the top of the tank at least some of the ones I have seen do. I want to overflow water off the bottom of the tank. I want the water in the tank to roll, so I put the box filter in the back at the low point so the air will lift the water. If the water goes up in the back, I hope it goes forward at the top, down at the front and toward the back at the bottom. If I jet a stream of water toward the back at the bottom I hope the solids will flow downhill to the back and out the drain.

If it saves half the times I need to use the python on 100 tanks I can take care of 200 tanks instead, or do something else.

The tanks have been sloped for months now, but only a few holes are drilled. I had to move my fish in for winter. It has been a long time since I have seen most of them (summer tubbin). I need to cull them, remove the tadpoles and change the water to get the new tanks cycled. Drilling holes will have to wait for a while.

max

Castlequest has the right idea, they designed the vacuums with the large front piece so that you can start the suction without sucking on the discharge. Takes a couple of tries to get it right, just fill the large end with water, raise it so the water starts downhill then submerse the front again. Voila!

Guppy, you don't need to tip the tank toward an overflow. In a drilled tank the overflow pvc will rise to the maximum water level that you want to maintain. Tipping the tank will stress the tank and cause an "uneven" level of water. Many hobbyists employ a drip system to slowly and continuously add water to this type of set-up.

The overflow and drip syst4em will relieve you of water changes but not maintenance insofar as vacuuming or wiping down tanks.

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Are you serious Guppy Max? Maybe Im not reading your post right..........can the tank stay clean that way? Seems you would still have to vacuum gunk that gets pooped out on the high side LOL.

You know theres those self starting ones? You shake it a couple times and the water primes by itself. Its like $10-20 for one. They have a ball or some sort so water goes up, and air leaves, but water does come back out because the ball stops air from going back into the canister.

I am trying to set up an automatic water changing system. I have sloped my tanks to one end, drilled the bottom of the tank at the low end, and piped out of the tank so the water overflows out the bottom when too much water is added to the tank. I plan to add the water at the high end with low flow through a small nozzle. Needless to say I have a bunch of tanks and I am still using the python.

Can any one offer any tips on this?

max

I bought a "siphon starter bulb" and use it. Just squeeze it and voila! I want to get a python, but 80 dollars and up is just too much.


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No need to suck the vacuum tube. I just scweez the plastic bulb at the other end once or twice and itstarts sucking. Just have to be quick to syphon most of the gunk as the suction rate is very high.

hey, i suck on the end of my gravel vac... only once or twice i've had fishwater...

you just gotta get it to the top, so it starts the travel down the rest of the tube - so as to get the siphon going...

Another thing to watch out for (forgive me if someone mentioned this already, I did skim a bit):

Don't get a cinch in the tube - my old gravel vac had a chronically cinched hose on it right next to the vacuum part - but it worked great if you pinched the wide ends of the tube to hold it open though.

Now we have a pump-action starting vac and it works great! No messy ways of starting it up - just pump the vac part up and down and it starts itself

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I have mastered the art.... of sucking on it really fast. LOL! I havent drank it in a loooonnnng time.

Last edited by fishnewbie at 26-Dec-2004 21:49

i usually just put the vac in the water and shake it till it starts to siphon in the bucket...no mouthfulls of water for me

Well the best way is with a python, lol, no sucking, no accidental overflow of the bucket, no heavy bucket of dirty water to carry, and/or spill. ect ect

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I Recieved a Gravel Vaccume for Christmas that was purchased at Walmart, today when I went to go out and test my new toy I found after I got it sifining that it wouldnt suck gravel upi, i would have to jam the cylinder into the gravel and it would very slowly move up. DO any of you guys have any tips to help me along.....

Last edited by Mustang00 at 25-Dec-2004 13:52

well said, castlequest. i was going to post the same thing but couldn't find the right way to say it.

it's quick, easy, and doesn't involve drinking fish water!

It's easier to start a siphon by dunking the hard plastic end under water and tilting it up so the water starts flowing down the tube and while it's doing that, tilt it back down into the water, making sure not to get too much air in it or it wont work and then it siphons &gt;_&gt;

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If you're sucking up the gravel by accident, there are several things that will control the intensity of the water flow. The main thing is the vertical distance from the tank to the bucket. If the water has a long way to fall, it will fall faster.

You can also control the flow speed by keeping your thumb over the outlet end of the hose and covering it up slightly or stopping the flow altogether as required. Just make sure you don't squirt water all over the room!

Liana but then you end up with a mouth ful of aquarium water. Thats even worst the licking your hands before/during a basketball game

Smallblue:

I used to start siphons like that, but it's a lot easier IMO to just suck the end really quickly. Plus it's not as messy, I always managed to get water all over the place and mess up decor when I submerged the entire thing in the water. Just make sure you are 100% awake when you suck the end of the siphon...
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