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How do I use a siphon?

There's a few things that could be going wrong though. Either not getting the syphon started properly to begin with, lifting the tank end above the waterline, lifting the bucket end higher so that it's not low enough for the syphon to continue, or clogging it. Those would be the main problems I can see happening when someone is new to using a gravel vac.
 
AdoraBelle Dearheart said:
There's a few things that could be going wrong though. Either not getting the syphon started properly to begin with, lifting the tank end above the waterline, lifting the bucket end higher so that it's not low enough for the syphon to continue, or clogging it. Those would be the main problems I can see happening when someone is new to using a gravel vac.
Click to expand...
As you said, It is very simple.


Definitely if the OP can get a video that will likely help us find a quick solution.
 
VioletThePurple said:
This is my first time using a proper siphon. I've followed all the instructions that came with it. The problem is, when it picks up waste the waste just falls out soon after instead of going in. Unless I tip it over to pour directly down into the tubes. The instructions told me to shake up and down, so I did that. It won't suck all the way up automatically. Is it supposed to be like this or am I doing something wrong?
Click to expand...

Actually you need to squeeze the siphon(the blue part) a few times for it to start the suction.
Once the suction has started, the water and the waste will be sucked out from the tank.
You don't really need to shake up and down.

How big is your siphon?
Bigger siphon has more powerful suction and it can be too strong at times.
So, you will have to lift it up and down for the sand to drop down again as you only want to suck the waste up.
The sand is heavier and it will drop down when you lift up the siphon but the waste will be sucked up.
You can also gently hover the siphon over your sand without touching the sand and it will suck the waste up.

You can bend the hose to slow down the flow of the suction or you can turn the control knob to reduce the flow if you want it to suck the waste slowly.
If you want to stop/pause the siphoning of water halfway, you can turn the knob to 90deg and it will stop.

You can even connect the output to a long hose for you to drain the water directly to your bathroom or even to your garden/outside the house without the use of a bucket.

I attached a siphon photo below.
 

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Lajos_Detari said:
Actually, you need to squeeze the siphon (the blue part) a few times for it to start the suction.
Once the suction has started, the water and the waste will be sucked out from the tank.
You don't really need to shake up and down.

How big is your siphon?
Bigger siphon has more powerful suction and it can be too strong at times.
So, you will have to lift it up and down for the sand to drop down again as you only want to suck the waste up.
The sand is heavier, and it will drop down when you lift up the siphon, but the waste will be sucked up.
You can also gently hover the siphon over your sand without touching the sand and it will suck the waste up.

You can bend the hose to slow down the flow of the suction or you can turn the control knob to reduce the flow if you want it to suck the waste slowly.
If you want to stop/pause the siphoning of water halfway, you can turn the knob to 90deg, and it will stop.

You can even connect the output to a long hose for you to drain the water directly to your bathroom or even to your garden/outside the house without the use of a bucket.

I attached a siphon photo below.
Click to expand...
I bought one that was recommended for 5 to 20 gallons because I have both a 5 gallon and a 20. I can't get it to start.
Mine doesn't look like that; it looks like this:
 

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AdoraBelle Dearheart said:
So jealous! Wish I had a python. But they make me nervous too, and I don't have a mixer tap for refilling either. But it would make draining easier, if I didn't have pygmy fry or shrimplets to worry about! So really, I have to use buckets to empty and buckets to refill anyhow. Sigh.

While Cory in the vid crimps the tubing to pause the flow, I find it easier to just put my thumb over the bucket end. But depends how close you are to the bucket really. :)
Click to expand...

Actually you don't need a python.
If you have a siphon, find the right size of hose and connect it to the output of your siphon.

I have a few sizes of siphons and I DIY my own with long hoses.
I have another clean JBL hose which I used it for refilling water only as I don't like to mix hoses for siphoning the waste and hose for refilling fresh water. This is to prevent reintroducing back the pathogens that I had sucked out from my tank.

Slim siphon like GEX siphon is very useful for small tank or to prevent it from sucking small fry.
You can cover the input hose with a fine net or laundry net to prevent the fry from going in.
I used to do it when I was keeping shrimps.
 

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Last edited:
VioletThePurple said:
I bought one that was recommended for 5 to 20 gallons because I have both a 5 gallon and a 20. I can't get it to start.
Mine doesn't look like that; it looks like this:
Click to expand...
Nothing wrong with that siphon. Follow the directions in the video that @AdoraBelle Dearheart linked and I guarantee you it will work.
 
VioletThePurple said:
I bought one that was recommended for 5 to 20 gallons because I have both a 5 gallon and a 20. I can't get it to start.
Mine doesn't look like that; it looks like this:
Click to expand...

Does it have this part? See photo below.
It's weird that they are selling siphon without this part.

I guess you will have to follow the video then.
 

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Lajos_Detari said:
Does it have this part? See photo below.
It's weird that they are selling siphon without this part.
Click to expand...
Not that weird. None of my gravel vacs have a bulb primer, and I don't need it so haven't worried about it. :)
Lajos_Detari said:
Actually you don't need a python.
If you have a siphon, find the right size of hose and connect it to the output of your siphon.

I have a few sizes of siphons and I DIY my own with long hoses.

Slim siphon like GEX siphon is very useful for small tank or to prevent it from sucking small fry.
You can cover the input hose with a fine net or laundry net to prevent the fry from going in.
I used to do it when I was keeping shrimps.
Click to expand...

Thing is, any net fine enough to prevent pygmy cory fry from being sucked up means it's going to be too fine to clean the substrate properly, you know? It won't suck up anything bigger that I want to remove, and would just clog all the time. Would work for a simple water change for a larger tank for sure, but not so much for cleaning the substrate itself.
 
Lajos_Detari said:
Does it have this part? See photo below.
It's weird that they are selling siphon without this part.

I guess you will have to follow the video then.
Click to expand...
No its not. Siphons work really good without it! As soon as I knew how to use one without it then boom your set.
There is no need for the primer bulb. Just a way to make more money for the companies. I remember when I had my first 3.5g betta tank I had a primer bulb and it sucked tbh compared to the gravity siphon method lol
 
Rocky998 said:
No its not. Siphons work really good without it! As soon as I knew how to use one without it then boom your set.
There is no need for the primer bulb. Just a way to make more money for the companies. I remember when I had my first 3.5g betta tank I had a primer bulb and it sucked tbh compared to the gravity siphon method lol
Click to expand...
I disagree.
The primer bulb saves you all the trouble and I can suck from tanks at almost any height and even at any water level.
Do you know how cheap the primer bulb? It's almost zero cost at my place.
 
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