Starting a siphon for overflow box- please read

[fishfatty]

How do you start the siphon for a u tube style overflow box? Want to finish the sump tonight. Thanks!

 

[fishieness]

it took me a while to think of a way. i have heard of people filling it up underwater and then putting bags full of water over the ends for transport, but that was too much of a hassle.
i just took a piece of airline tubing and stuck it up to the top and suck all the air out. then once water starts coming into the airline tubing, just keep the end in your mouth to prevent a backsiphone and remove it

 

[sign guy]

IME It also helps to make shure the box is holding as much water on both sides of the tank as it can

 

[jrthomas40]

i got some air tubing stuck up the hose filled the boxes with water and sucked the air out....you have to put the air tubing in the backside of the u tube and suck the water from the front once it starts to siphon give a wiggle or pick it up and down careful not to pull it out of the water....cuz it is a BIA to start

 

[tjake68]

I fill up the tube wrap plastic on each end with a rubber band set tube in overflow box and remove the rubber bands and plastic the only problem is its very tight space to work in I usally get my 11 year old son to take the plastic off my hands can hardly fit in overflow box but i only had to do this once in the last 2 years goodluck

 

[compjtc]

i've always done the airline tubing method, but instead of using plastic to cover the ends of the tube why not just put the whole overflow underwater?

 

[stanlalee]

it sucks (literally). airline tubing just past the U of the U-tube. suck too long (without watching the decreasing air pocket in the siphon tune) and you'll end up with a mouth full of tank water. you have to pour water in the back part of the overflow box and suck out the air at the same time. once you've suck the air out bite the hell out the tubing and dont let go unless you want to have to start all over and pull the tubing out the U tube completely while using your teeth to keep it clamped shut (while at the same time keeping from pulling the U-tube out of water). It really is a pain but it gets easier with practice.

 

[reefkprz]

I used to use the air tube method I got sick of it (works well though) I drilled and put a air flow regulator at the very top of the U tube, now I just open the valve and suck the air out untill its full, but I think I have too much free time on my hands anyways.

 

[gwh57]

Originally Posted by reefkprZ
I used to use the air tube method I got sick of it (works well though) I drilled and put a air flow regulator at the very top of the U tube, now I just open the valve and suck the air out untill its full, but I think I have too much free time on my hands anyways.
I drilled a hole in mine too, but I put a small fitting whitch attaches to an aqualifter pump. The aqualifter pulls air from the tube continually. It has never stopped.

Unless I stop it for service.