What unique siphoning device do you use?

[gill again68]

I am looking for a powered way to siphon out "junk" from crevices and cracks and other hard to reach spaces. I was thinking of a maxi jet pulling across a filter but dont really know how I would get that to work. Maybe trying to make the wheel again here so I wanted to see what you use and how. I got the gravity one down so we can skip that one.

 

[meowzer]

I use the UNIQUE Turkey baster....lol

 

[gill again68]

WOW I should have said and Turkey Baster!!!!

Given the nice big rocks in my tank I find that my Turkey Baster and siphon hose dont do just what I want. Was thinking of something more mechanical but would be used between water changes so I wouldnt always be removing water. The Enheim siphon does this but is just not powerful enough. Maybe that will help point in the direction I am thinking.

 

[gill again68]

I have a design in mind and will post if it works.

 

[fretfreak13]

XD Shop vac!

 

[bill109]

take a clear vinyl hose and start a siphon.
put your thumb on the end out side of the tank and let the siphon suck the junk off the rock into a bucket by taking you thumb off and leting it siphon.
you can do a WC and clean detritus off as well.
this works well for cyano bacteria as well. just keep playing with the siphon. when you take your thumb off the sand will fall out quicker than the cyano etc.

 

[gill again68]

Ok, here is what I am thinking. I like the siphon but sometimes I want to clean without removing so much water. I also find that just the siphon doesnt pull as good as I want. So here is the fix I am proposing. In the pictured diagram you will see a small pump in the sump with a hard line (pvc) going up to the tank and then back to the sump. At the top there will be a T-fitting and a flex hose can be attached and removed from that point. This would work like the old waterbed fittings you attach to a faucet where it draws water across a hole and creates a suction. The water would then travel back down to the sump and be filtered (micron sock) prior to entering the sump. Then just clean that. You could leave everything in place and just remove the siphon hose. For that matter you could use it to power a water change.
Keep in mind I get bored and like to make things complicated. Meowzer has already pointed out the Turkey Baster method and I have 2 of those although my last turkey tasted like fish!!!

 

[geoj]

I have tried this type of siphon filtering and the filter quickly gets clogged with waste and flow stops or leaks start.
The siphon in your design has a prob. The sump pump will force the water out the hose making it a power washer not a suction/siphon.
I don’t want to discourage you but here is what I finely decided. A) I am going to do water changes and I will need a siphon hose to do it. B) I am going to siphon the gravel and I will need a siphon hose to do it. So put A and B together and less work for me.

The more water changes I need the more I should siphon the gravel…

 

[gill again68]

I was thinking it might do just that. What I do know is that you can make a powered siphon like that work.

 

[meowzer]

Why not just buy one of those siphons that they make for fw tanks? I have used one of them on the sw before....you just have to watch the sand level in the main tube

 

[gill again68]

I think the answer to that Meowzer is I just want to make something.

 

[meowzer]

Originally Posted by Gill again68
http:///forum/post/3220108
I think the answer to that Meowzer is I just want to make something.

OK then......I like to BUY rather than make

I'm really not a good DIY, or designer for that matter either

 

[rlablan]

There is a type of syphon hose that I had for freshwater.
It is just like the regular syphon hose but there is like this tee off and a piece of it connects to your sink spout, or a hose line. When you turn the water on, and open the valve to the suction part, the water makes a strong vacuum and it does a great job cleaning. It is very powerful and pretty easy to use. Cost me about 20 bucks at petsmart.
Would something like that work for you?

 

[gill again68]

Well thats the idea but what I want is a self contained system that will utilize the water in my tank and cycle it to the sump.

 

[beazalbob69]

This is what I did. Get a good powerful pump like a mag drive. On the inlet hook up a short piece of tubing. On the outlet hook up a short piece of pvc tube and get a regular athletic sock inside the sock put a piece of filter material. Next put the sock/filter onto the pvc tube and hold it on with a zip tie. Now just put the pump/filter in the tank and plug it in. use your turkey baster to get the crap off the sand and rocks then suck it up with the hose. you can leave the pump in the tank for a couple of hours to really filter the crap. Ater that just take it out and clean all the junk out of the filter sock and its ready for next time. Works like a charm!

 

[darnell609]

Seen this at my LFS they had an old cannister filter sucked all the waste off the rocks as well as sand ran it threw the filter then back out to the sump.This seemed pretty effective to me they just put a smaller tip at the end of suction hose.

 

[srfisher17]

Is it possible that you just need more water flow in your DT? I get very little crud build up anywhere that a baster and good mechanical filtration won't take care of.