siphoning out

[arj]

i just got a siphon pipe thingy today, i was wonderigng if we should take fish out before using it? also, how do we stop the sand from going through?

 

[Inchworm]

Hi arj

What kind of siphon did you get? Is it actually a pipe, or is it more like a hose with a plastic tube on the end? Is it a Gravel Vac like this one?

http/www.petmeister.com/item879.htm

 

[arj]

here is the one i've got.

 

[arj]

... helloooo? Shall we take the fish and the ornaments out too?

 

[Fawke]

No, from what i can see it is a normal gravel vacuum.
You can move the ornaments out the way to vacuum underneath, but thats as far as you need to go...

No need to move fish.... they'll get used to it

I use mine weekly (for water change)

 

[Nidge]

Thats the same as mine, I vacuum every week on the open floor of the tank and every other week i move the ornaments but i never take them out. There is definitely no reason to remove the fish, If your worried about them been sucked up dont be the suction is far to weak for that.

 

[J_acon]

But if you got sand, it might get sucked up. Little stones will sink back.

 

[arj]

ok, i was worried that the fish might get sucked up... will they even of they go right up to it?

 

[Nidge]

No your fish will not get sucked up unless they are tiny fry!

 

[Inchworm]

Hi arj

Since you will be working on the bottom of the tank, rather than siphoning water from the top levels, the only fish who could get caught in the siphon are the corys and it's very unlikely that anything like that will happen. If they are swimming in the area you are working on, which is quite likely because they like to investigate the gravel you have just disturbed, looking for food, just brush them away with your hand. You will not hurt them.

You can adjust the strength of the suction the siphon is making by raising or lowering the height of the bucket you are sucking the water into. I suggest you start up the siphon in a sink and do a little experimenting with it before you actually try to clean your tank. This will give you a little more confidence.

Siphoning is one of those things that seem complicated until you actually learn to do it, but once you do you will wonder why. It's really pretty easy.

BTW, do you know how to start it without sucking on the end?

 

[kev_kb]

You'll see my post in this section it is possible to syphon up fish.... He was an Otto and he wasn't anywhere near the syphon when I started... In future I'm going to cover the end of my gravel vac with some fine mesh just in case.

 

[Never2Bknown]

BTW, do you know how to start it without sucking on the end?

You can, but it's kinda hard to explain... You dip the siphon into the water and lift it out just enough so that the water you dipped out starts to run down the tube and into the bucket. When it starts to do that, quickly put the siphon back underwater before all the water is in the bucket. It should start to suck up water on its own. You may need to do it a few times before you get the hang of it, but once you do, it's pretty easy.