Water syphon for tall aquarium

[zain611]

Hey guys

Anyone recommend any tall water syphons? Any good companies? Was looking at python. The new tank I have is 72cm tall so want a syphon around 60cm

Thank you

 

[Colin_T]

Get a 2 litre plastic drink bottle and cut the bottom off. Then stick a garden hose on the top and use it as a gravel cleaner.

 

[zain611]

Thanks Colin, didn't actually think of that. Don't want to sound stubborn but I might just go for a premade one. I also measured the height of the glass as that mainly would be where the water would be which came to about 57.5cm so probably be safe to have a syphon around 50cm in height.
I've seen a python syphon so might just get that and buy their hand pump with it. I have an interpet one which has lasted me 6 years.

 

[AbbeysDad]

Siphon???
Consider sand instead of gravel. I have 2-4" of pool filter sand (others prefer big box store [sakrete] play sand). With Malaysian Trumpet Snails and a few Cory's, I never vacuum the substrate. Instead, I use a submersible pump to remove the water for water changes.

 

[Colin_T]

I never vacuum the substrate. Instead, I use a submersible pump to remove the water for water changes.

Why don't you use a gravel cleaner and just not push it into the gravel?
The gravel cleaner bit will stop the fish being sucked out and the syphon hose will drain the water.

 

[NickAu]

try this.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Gravel-...012807&hash=item440816488d:g:EtwAAOSwTQtaAnID

 

[AbbeysDad]

Why don't you use a gravel cleaner and just not push it into the gravel?
The gravel cleaner bit will stop the fish being sucked out and the syphon hose will drain the water.

Because there's just no point....the pump has a fine sponge filter installed and I use the same submersible pump to pump pre-filtered water back into the tank. BTW, you don't gravel vac if/when you have rooted plants and it's really unnecessary with sand and a cleanup crew. There is never any mulm on the sand. With the exception of planting/re-planting, my substrate hasn't been touched in years!

 

[NickAu]

you don't gravel vac if/when you have rooted plants and it's really unnecessary

I agree, I have not vacuumed the substrate in my tanks since I set them up, there is NO point in throwing away good fertilizer then going out and wasting money on fertilizer.

 

[zain611]

Thanks Nick for the suggestion. Didn't know aqua one had this size gravel cleaner. Same company as the tank.

When I clean my sand substrate I start the syphon then stop it, dig the tube in the sand and lift it up, you'd then see dirt rise above the substrate so then I'd start the syphon again to take it up. I don't have any plants except a moss ball so don't have to worry. Might get java fern when I set up the new tank. Don't want anything which needs additional attention

 

[Zante]

Would you believe that my discus tank never got syphoned in the five years I had it set up?
Just had a team of corys and bristlenoses to keep the dirt suspended until it got sucked into the overflow.
The discus even successfully bred in that community tank.

Once the root system of the pothos was nicely grown it was a great net for any particulate: food for loads of microfauna which in turn provided live food for the fry. Started with 12 corys ended up with well over 35 (at which point I stopped counting), and I suspect my rummynoses also bred, since when I dismantled the tank I still had some to give away, while by all reasoning they should have died of old age.
Also any pollutants released by the particulate caught in the roots was readily and greedily absorbed by the roots themselves.

Basically, if you have a well balanced and thought out tank you will have to do little in terms of maintenance.

 

[AbbeysDad]

I think that gravel/sand vacuuming is necessary is another hobby myth (like the one inch per gallon rule, or that we need 4x to 10x water flow through a filter(s), or over filtering is necessary or good! - things like this are perpetuated by well meaning hobbyists, but just aren't true).

Once organic matter decomposes, the result is a humus like material that has nutrients, but is no longer a pollutant....so what is being removed is relatively inert. And if there is a sufficient clean-up crew, it's minimal. Also, for rooted plants it provides organic fertilizer.

Now there are some exceptions. Very coarse gravel and some decor may allow too much fish food and waste to routinely get trapped down under. Also, undergravel filters can especially become "nitrate factories".

If you have a sand substrate, especially if you also have Cory's, and Malaysian Trumpet Snails you'd never need to touch the substrate.

 

[NickAu]

I think that gravel/sand vacuuming is necessary is another hobby myth

I never vacuum my tanks.