Siphoning

[soup]

Does anyone have a favourite technique or link to a site
where siphoning technique is described? Have googled
and many sites talk of siphoning but I have found none
that actually talk of the technique for siphoning. For
instance should the gravel be agitated while siphoning ?
--
yours S

Nihil curo de ista tua stulta superstitione

[[email protected]]

Get a gravel vacume it it will clean food and waste in the gravel. Can
get at Petco Walmart, ect.

[Geezer From The Freezer]

wrote:
>
> Get a gravel vacume it it will clean food and waste in the gravel. Can
> get at Petco Walmart, ect.

Get a Python! They are so easy to use!

[Larry Blanchard]

In article >, says...
>
>
> Get a Python! They are so easy to use!
>
I saw a battery operated gravel vac in one of the catalogs. It doesn't
drain any water, just extracts the garbage. Anyone use one of those?
How'd you like it?

--
Homo sapiens is a goal, not a description

[pausto]

soup wrote:
>
> Does anyone have a favourite technique or link to a site
> where siphoning technique is described? Have googled
> and many sites talk of siphoning but I have found none
> that actually talk of the technique for siphoning. For
> instance should the gravel be agitated while siphoning ?
> --
> yours S
>
> Nihil curo de ista tua stulta superstitione


I have natural gravel, 1/4 to 3/4 in size, no plants. The
gravel is less than 1 inch deep. I push the vac all the way down
through the gravel, lifting out all the crud that can be gotten.
I do this weekly as part of a 25% water change.
Folks with different tank setups will have different
techniques.

[Gunther]

In article >, says...
> In article >, says...
> >
> >
> > Get a Python! They are so easy to use!
> >
> I saw a battery operated gravel vac in one of the catalogs. It doesn't
> drain any water, just extracts the garbage. Anyone use one of those?
> How'd you like it?

A waste of money in my opinion, although you might have better luck
on a small tank -- say 10Gal. The one I tried was just weak, and too
short for my 29G.

[Roy]

The small syphon / gravel cleaner the wife has for her 10 and 2.5
tanks work fine, however on larger tanks they are slow.

I use a pump to suck up gravel / debri / water, and discharge it back
through a basket and filter media into the tank, or out into a
container if I do a water change. I adjust the flow of the pump so it
will lift gravel up some, but not sufficient to pull it all the way up
the hose, so it works just like a typical sypphon cleaner only has
more consistent power and a lot faster.
\


On Thu, 10 Feb 2005 23:42:02 -0800, Gunther >
wrote:

>===<>In article >, says...
>===<>> In article >, says...
>===<>> >
>===<>> >
>===<>> > Get a Python! They are so easy to use!
>===<>> >
>===<>> I saw a battery operated gravel vac in one of the catalogs. It doesn't
>===<>> drain any water, just extracts the garbage. Anyone use one of those?
>===<>> How'd you like it?
>===<>
>===<>A waste of money in my opinion, although you might have better luck
>===<>on a small tank -- say 10Gal. The one I tried was just weak, and too
>===<>short for my 29G.


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the business to Ken Fischer http://dandyorandas.com/) she has NOT retired from
helping people with sick GF and koi FOR FREE. 251-649-4790 phoning is best for
diagnosis. but, can try email put "help sick fish" in subject. Get your fish at Dandy Orandas
Dandy Orandas Dandy Orandas........you guys got that DANDY ORANDAS

[Angrie.Woman]

"Geezer From The Freezer" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> wrote:
>>
>> Get a gravel vacume it it will clean food and waste in the gravel. Can
>> get at Petco Walmart, ect.
>
> Get a Python! They are so easy to use!

I have to second this. I've kept fish for about 20 years now, and only found
out about the Python a few weeks ago. I've used it twice, and I'm sold. I
might even get a second tank going now, because it really makes the cleaning
*that* much easier.

A

[Angrie.Woman]

"Larry Blanchard" > wrote in message
...
> In article >, says...
>>
>>
>> Get a Python! They are so easy to use!
>>
> I saw a battery operated gravel vac in one of the catalogs. It doesn't
> drain any water, just extracts the garbage. Anyone use one of those?
> How'd you like it?

You really need to do frequent water changes, especially with goldfish.
Taking the crud off the bottom of the tank is only part of what changing the
water accomplishes. I've never tried one of the vacuums you're describing
for that reason.

[soup]

soup popped their head over the parapet saw what was going on and said
> Does anyone have a favourite technique or link to a site
> where siphoning technique is described? Have googled
> and many sites talk of siphoning but I have found none
> that actually talk of the technique for siphoning. For
> instance should the gravel be agitated while siphoning ?

Thanks all, was looking for technique rather than
should I/should I not use one.
Have got one and use it as part of the water changing
regime (40% every two days just now ) , it is quite amazing
the amount of crap the siphon seems to get out of the gravel.
Have found GENTLE agitation of the gravel is the way to
go.

--
yours S

Nihil curo de ista tua stulta superstitione

[Larry Blanchard]

In article >,
says...
>
> "Larry Blanchard" > wrote in message
> > I saw a battery operated gravel vac in one of the catalogs. It doesn't
> > drain any water, just extracts the garbage. Anyone use one of those?
> > How'd you like it?
>
> You really need to do frequent water changes, especially with goldfish.
> Taking the crud off the bottom of the tank is only part of what changing the
> water accomplishes. I've never tried one of the vacuums you're describing
> for that reason.
>
I wasn't implying that one could eliminate, or even reduce, water
changes. But there are times I want to get some crud out of the tank
without changing water.

--
Homo sapiens is a goal, not a description

[Lilly]

I bought one years ago for the princely sum of $20-25 I think. I
remember it being expensive, but thought if it saved my back, it would
be worth it. Returned it the very next time I was at PetCo.

If I want to get crud off the bottom, I use airline. It's small so it
doesn't pull a lot of water, but it will pull crud. Then it might take
1 bucket to top up. So you remove crud, add a little clean water all
for not too much effort (like a 50% water change effort ;-)

Lilly

Larry Blanchard wrote:
> In article
>,
> says...
> >
> > "Larry Blanchard" > wrote in message
> > > I saw a battery operated gravel vac in one of the catalogs. It
doesn't
> > > drain any water, just extracts the garbage. Anyone use one of
those?
> > > How'd you like it?
> >
> > You really need to do frequent water changes, especially with
goldfish.
> > Taking the crud off the bottom of the tank is only part of what
changing the
> > water accomplishes. I've never tried one of the vacuums you're
describing
> > for that reason.
> >
> I wasn't implying that one could eliminate, or even reduce, water
> changes. But there are times I want to get some crud out of the tank

> without changing water.
>
> --
> Homo sapiens is a goal, not a description

[Angrie.Woman]

"Lilly" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>I bought one years ago for the princely sum of $20-25 I think. I
> remember it being expensive, but thought if it saved my back, it would
> be worth it. Returned it the very next time I was at PetCo.

Really? What didn't you like? Mine works like a charm! I thought for sure it
would leak, especially since I bought it used, but not a drop from anywhere
that's not supposed to be dropping.

Angie

[Lilly]

It's been like 9 or 10 years, but I remember it not holding the crud
all that well in the cloth bag. I'd rather just syphon off small
amounts of water and replace it.

Angrie.Woman wrote:

> Really? What didn't you like? Mine works like a charm! I thought for
sure it
> would leak, especially since I bought it used, but not a drop from
anywhere
> that's not supposed to be dropping.

[Angrie.Woman]

"Lilly" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> It's been like 9 or 10 years, but I remember it not holding the crud
> all that well in the cloth bag. I'd rather just syphon off small
> amounts of water and replace it.
>

That's not a Python. I had one of those things you're talking about - it was
the first tank cleaner I ever had. I'm with you...I don't remember why, but
you are right -it never seemed to work that well.

A

[Lilly]

The Python is fabulous. But my water source is so close to the tanks
that it's hardly worth the effort of getting it out to use it. Still,
for big cleans I will haul it out of the closet.

Lilly

Angrie.Woman wrote:
> "Lilly" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> > It's been like 9 or 10 years, but I remember it not holding the
crud
> > all that well in the cloth bag. I'd rather just syphon off small
> > amounts of water and replace it.
> >
>
> That's not a Python. I had one of those things you're talking about -
it was
> the first tank cleaner I ever had. I'm with you...I don't remember
why, but
> you are right -it never seemed to work that well.
>
> A