I Bought A Siphon Today And...

[CezzaXV]

How does it work?

Not as in I can't get it to work, but what is the science behind it? It makes no sense! A really nifty little gadget though. Can you believe, when I first got my tank, I bought a jug

 

[Dav]

How does it work?

Not as in, I can't get it to work, but what is the science behind it? It makes no sense! A really nifty little gadget though. Can you believe, when I first got my tank, I bought a jug

Siphons operate by atmospheric pressure,

they make life very easy indeed

bit of reading for you
http/science.howstuffworks.com/siphon-info.htm

 

[lucasluke]

Put siphon end in tank and the tube end in bucket then give tube end a little suck and it is away!

 

[Hermithall]

Straightfoward, but is it the same as an overflow? Hmmm.

 

[Overload]

Got to love ancient Greek technology

 

[minnnt]

Just don't suck for too long as you will get a mouth full... ooer...

 

[fatmrak315]

I SHAKE THE BIT IN THE WATER UP AND DOWN A COUPLE OF TIMES AND IT TENDS TO THEN START DRAINING WATER. NO SUCKING OF PIPE AND NO OOER!!!

 

[synodontismultipunctatus]

Yeah you can do that, but the shaking splashback gets everywhere and it wont work when the valve breaks. And it will break. Suck it!

 

[fatmrak315]

I MUST HAVE A VERY SPECIAL ONE BECAUSE I HAD IT FOR NEAR 2 YEARS AND IS STILL WORKING FINE. TOUCH WOOD

 

[synodontismultipunctatus]

YOURE PROBABLY RIGHT!

 

[fatmrak315]

watch my siphon break on my next water chain. lol.

 

[Athena]

I used to shake my syphon to get the flow started but it sometimes took a while and, yes, water does splash and it scares the fish with all that rapid movement going on... I then discovered that no shaking was necessary at all - all I do now is immerse the syphon into the water and tip upside down (bottom of tube facing upwards slightly out of the water) so that the tube is full of water and begins draining into the bucket, then whilst it is draining I return the tube back into the water and hey presto it continues to drain. Completely effortless, no stress to me or the fish ...and no sucking involved (tried that once many years ago and ended up with a mouthful of tankwater...yuck!) LOL

Athena

 

[tmh0921]

Oh yes - mouthful of tank water - yuck! Have done that more than once and the toothpaste companies must love me for it!

 

[saz326]

+ buy yourself a pair of locking forcep (forecep?) thingies. That way you can clamp the hose so only need to get a mouthful of fish water once each time the water change is going on. Fold the hose over on itself and clamp the two bits together by the bend.

 

[minnnt]

Ensure the siphon has a clear tube so you can see the water coming and you shouldn't get a mouthful!!