CalmedByFish Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 (edited) Anyone have experience with a small battery-powered siphon, or a "hand pump" siphon like the one in the link? I'd love a super easy way to get a siphon started. (I'm okay with weak suction. That might help with offering advice.) https://smile.amazon.com/Aquarium-Fish-Siphon-Gravel-Cleaner/dp/B06XKGYJHR Edited August 7, 2021 by CalmedByFish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 I just dunk mine with the hole up tube connector on gravel and lift water starts running out put opening back in. This may not be possible in a smaller tank though. Never used a pump hope you find one. I have some small qt tanks I would love a pump for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalmedByFish Posted August 7, 2021 Author Share Posted August 7, 2021 On 8/6/2021 at 8:02 PM, Guppysnail said: I have some small qt tanks I would love a pump for. This is the low level of use I need. It's my regular tanks, but bare-bottom, and I just want to get the little "dead spots" where grunge collects. The piles are too small to bother with a regular siphon, and too big to get with a turkey baster. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_G Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 I have a similar model. It works great and the only issue is the hose sometimes gets a kink. Other than that it’s $10 we’ll spent. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalmedByFish Posted August 7, 2021 Author Share Posted August 7, 2021 On 8/6/2021 at 10:39 PM, Patrick_G said: I have a similar model. Would it work to siphon tanks that are on the floor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonske Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 I only use hand-pump siphons, dirt cheap (made you know where). Things that I observed with them are there is a big variation in quality. Among the blue ones (on the photo below), good copies start very easily and are very convenient to use. Bad copies don't start at all or require a lot more effort. the segmented hoses don't handle pinching the hose technique very well, the tube is a bit too easy to damage this way. some come with protective grid at the end, like the one on your link. Those grids are fine with bare bottom tanks, but extremely frustrating in planted tanks (it's easy to remove them though, so no big issue). the big gray version has a valve, which is very convenient, but the non-segmented hose gets kinked when bent over the tank wall. Overall, despite some quality issues (which might not be relevant to you) these siphons work great for me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonske Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 On 8/7/2021 at 11:45 AM, CalmedByFish said: Would it work to siphon tanks that are on the floor? Yes, it works fine. I forgot another tip about these siphons: if you want to get a particular clump of debris, it is better to squeeze the "pump" thing before submerging the front end of the siphon, and then let go. If you bring the siphon close to the debris, and then squeeze the pump, it will blow your target away, often in a million of pieces that are more difficult to remove. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT_ Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 On 8/6/2021 at 5:57 PM, CalmedByFish said: Anyone have experience with a small battery-powered siphon, or a "hand pump" siphon like the one in the link? I'd love a super easy way to get a siphon started. (I'm okay with weak suction. That might help with offering advice.) https://smile.amazon.com/Aquarium-Fish-Siphon-Gravel-Cleaner/dp/B06XKGYJHR/ref=sxin_13_ac_d_rm?ac_md=0-0-YXF1YXJpdW0gc2lwaG9u-ac_d_rm_rm_rm&cv_ct_cx=aquarium+siphon&dchild=1&keywords=aquarium+siphon&pd_rd_i=B06XKGYJHR&pd_rd_r=6cedac2d-e3a7-4ac5-b1d5-514882530f03&pd_rd_w=h3Jjb&pd_rd_wg=hWMKz&pf_rd_p=c48bd116-ac07-400f-a807-5a93dbcb711b&pf_rd_r=1CZ0DE4GY82RT2CS6MYD&psc=1&qid=1628297451&sr=1-1-12d4272d-8adb-4121-8624-135149aa9081 protip: you can shorten amazon URLs by cutting out the stuff after ref= (inclusive). infact you don't even need the Aquarium-Fish-Siphon-Gravel-Cleaner bit, just the "dp/<item number>" part. eg: https://smile.amazon.com/Aquarium-Fish-Siphon-Gravel-Cleaner/dp/B06XKGYJHR 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keeg Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 On 8/6/2021 at 7:27 PM, CalmedByFish said: This is the low level of use I need. It's my regular tanks, but bare-bottom, and I just want to get the little "dead spots" where grunge collects. The piles are too small to bother with a regular siphon, and too big to get with a turkey baster. For the dead spots in bare bottom tanks like you described, I use an oral syringe that had the pole thingy removed and airline tuning over the exit hole. Works like a charm. I don't even need a pump or dunking it in water, I can just use another syringe on the other side for starting it/ clearing solid debris. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalmedByFish Posted August 7, 2021 Author Share Posted August 7, 2021 @CT_ I edited it. Did I get it right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT_ Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 On 8/6/2021 at 9:30 PM, CalmedByFish said: @CT_ I edited it. Did I get it right? ironically you only changed the text but not the link. you can edit the link but its easiest to just delete it and re paste it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalmedByFish Posted August 7, 2021 Author Share Posted August 7, 2021 On 8/6/2021 at 11:39 PM, CT_ said: you can edit the link but its easiest to just delete it and re paste it. Ok, I *think* I deleted it and re-pasted. I don't even know how you can tell what I did! Everyone, I really will get back to the siphon topic tomorrow. Just trying to look smart first. 🤣 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 I got a Top Fin siphon unit with an inline pump with a power switch on the cable. It supports using an intake sponge too. I got mine to kit-bash a filter for fun, so I have not yet used it properly. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott P. Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 I use one with the squeeze bulb on it. Squeeze it about 3 times and it is siphoning. Cheap and nothing to break. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbit Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 I had a hand-pump siphon that my husband got for free with some exercise equipment, and I promptly clogged the bulb with Java moss and plant debris. The hoses weren’t made to come off the bulb, so I had to cut the hoses of to try to clean it. I imagine an aquarium version would be made to come apart for cleaning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalmedByFish Posted August 9, 2021 Author Share Posted August 9, 2021 Thanks for the help! I ordered this one, because it looks like the tip will be small enough to target little poo piles. Fingers crossed. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WPT9QL5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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