# gravel vacuum question



## overboard (Mar 11, 2008)

How many of you use the "Python" type gravel vacuums, that hook to the faucet? What do you think about them? Does the faucet have to run the whole time, or just to start the siphon? If it works like a siphon, what happens if the tank is lower than the sink? And how do you dechlorinate the new water? I just hate hauling buckets, and in the winter my flower beds just don't drain that well to start with, and I run out of places to dump the water.


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## Veloth (Jun 25, 2008)

I use my Python both ways. During the summer I let the tank water run outside to my Gardenia bushes, When it gets cold I let it drain into the bathtub(disinfect afterward). If you leave it hooked up to the faucet it uses the water pressure to pull the water out of the tank. I don't use water treatment because I have well water


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## The old man (Apr 12, 2008)

I change about 40-50% each week using my python. Add the dechlorinate at the recommended dose for a full tank. I add about half before it starts filling and the rest as it fills. Not lost any fish yet with this method. I've got a bathtub fairly close to tank and use that. It is lower than tank and drains and fills tank fine.


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## gasteriaphile (Nov 25, 2008)

I've looked up search for siphons, etc. and haven't found one that fits my question. I've even gone back on this equipment area for over a month.

Here's the deal. I need to clean the goop from the top of the gravel in my betta bowl. A one and a half gallon bowl. What I need is a very small and very simple siphon, or some sort of vacuum device. Is there one made that is suitably small for a betta bowl? and I am hoping if small then that also means not too much vacuum so that I can control it very precisely. I also will need one for my 4gallon nano.

All of the vacuum cleaners and siphons I've been seeing on all the sites have this huge business end! I'd like just the end of a tubing to suck up the food particles etc. What I need has to be very small in diameter (like maybe 1/4 inch? or at most 1/2 inch). It seems almost as though I could make one out of simple plastic tubing one finds at the hardware store but I don't know how to construct the part that makes the suction start. I certainly do *NOT *want to just suck on the other end with my mouth!!!


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## cstevens75 (Dec 12, 2008)

i just googled siphon pump and got a bunch of different options. this is something used alot in automotive industries and sounds to me alot like what you are looking for. i am not sure of the hose diameter but it looks small i am sure you could find something like this at walmart or any automotive/hardware store.

i have never posted a link i think this will work

http://store.advdesigns.net/siphon-pump.html


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## Nevermore (Mar 26, 2007)

gasteriaphile said:


> What I need is a very small and very simple siphon, or some sort of vacuum device. Is there one made that is suitably small for a betta bowl? and I am hoping if small then that also means not too much vacuum so that I can control it very precisely. I also will need one for my 4gallon nano.
> 
> All of the vacuum cleaners and siphons I've been seeing on all the sites have this huge business end! I'd like just the end of a tubing to suck up the food particles etc. What I need has to be very small in diameter (like maybe 1/4 inch? or at most 1/2 inch). It seems almost as though I could make one out of simple plastic tubing one finds at the hardware store but I don't know how to construct the part that makes the suction start. I certainly do *NOT *want to just suck on the other end with my mouth!!!


I have one like that, so they do make them. I don't see a brand name on it unfortunately and as I've had it a couple years I don't remember what it was. The tubing is 3/8" and the siphon tube is 1" in diameter. It siphons very slowly, which works well because it only pulls up the light organic stuff and not the substrate. I've looked all over it though and I don't see a brand name. I would suggest searching stores that sell aquaria online.


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## gasteriaphile (Nov 25, 2008)

CStevens, I think that would work fine. I'll try and find a place that sells that kind (the business on the link you provided is not one I have in my area).


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## Cliff Mayes (Jan 29, 2007)

You are quite correct that a smaller tube size can work better to siphon out small size water containers.

A straight piece of rigid tubing from the LFS attached to some flexible vinyl tubing works fine. I have been sucking on siphon tubes for years and haven't gotten sick from it yet. I do not go out of my way to suck up mouthfuls of tank water but it has happened. Disgusting though it is; it is not the end of the world. I keep various sizes for different purposes.


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## csaxe21 (Nov 25, 2008)

I was going to say you could use any tubing, but it looks like Cliff aready said it .
I'll say it again anyways though.
You could use any tubing you want. For a small tank, you could just use the airline tubing that you would buy at your LFS. I also have been using the sucking method, and it works great and is by far the easiest. It's not really that bad because you could see the water coming, and if it's coming it means the suction started. Worse comes to worst, you get a mouthful of fish water and spit it out (It has happened).

Good Luck


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## bartoli (May 8, 2006)

Long time ago, I picked up the following from a dollar-store:










It fits perfectly with the regular flexible airline tubing.

Another way is to fill a tubing with water from end to end - with no air in it. Then dip one end into the tank and the other end into a bucket. Water flow will start automatically.


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## bibbels (Nov 30, 2008)

For my small tanks (<10 gallon) when I need to precision vacuum or do not wish to remove water too quickly I use some flexible airline hose and a bulb siphon starter by Python. It includes a 1/4 in. tubing adapter.

I need to connect some rigid airline tubing to the end to make it easier to use but have been lazy and haven't done so. I usually use a giant pair of forceps to hold the end.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3728+18018&pcatid=18018


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## gasteriaphile (Nov 25, 2008)

What you are suggesting seems to be the same thing as one of the previous posters. Their suggestion of a simple siphon using a bulb led me to buy one from a local auto supply store. I tried it and couldn't make it work, or figure out how to make it work. So I took it back.

Since then I have bought a product made by Lee at Petco which uses the "shake" method to activate a one-way valve, but unfortunately you have to submerge the entire working end of the apparatus and I can't do that with the small size of my betta bowl, or, for that matter, the 4 gallon tank!

So I am still sitting on Square One.

g



bibbels said:


> For my small tanks (<10 gallon) when I need to precision vacuum or do not wish to remove water too quickly I use some flexible airline hose and a bulb siphon starter by Python. It includes a 1/4 in. tubing adapter.
> 
> http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3728+18018&pcatid=18018


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## greytdobe (May 25, 2007)

For that gallon betta bowl...do what i do with mine...
a very large turkey baster. It works great when trying to get into small spaces.


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## gasteriaphile (Nov 25, 2008)

That's really neat. I had already tried that too, but with my wife's current model. I'll bet that better ones exist. With hers, the water was taken up pretty good but when I removed the cylinder from the tank the water ran back out again!  But hopefully there are "high-tech" basters that hold the liquid? Thanks the continuing the thread Dude! g


greytdobe said:


> For that gallon betta bowl...do what i do with mine...
> a very large turkey baster. It works great when trying to get into small spaces.


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## dirtyted (Mar 5, 2010)

The old man said:


> I change about 40-50% each week using my python. Add the dechlorinate at the recommended dose for a full tank. I add about half before it starts filling and the rest as it fills. Not lost any fish yet with this method. I've got a bathtub fairly close to tank and use that. It is lower than tank and drains and fills tank fine.


not to revisit an old topic. but I was wondering if this method of dechlorinating water works for everybody?


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