Siphons for aquariums: an overview of models

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Now all people who have an aquarium can purchase various accessories for it. It should be noted that for fish it is required to create certain conditions. It is necessary to have additional lighting, observe the correct water temperature, and also regulate the soil. Without these procedures and devices, the fish will not be able to live long.

In order to clean the aquarium, you must use a siphon. How to use a siphon for an aquarium, we'll talk later. Thanks to it, you can remove all the dirt, food residues, as well as the waste left by the fish. The same design can reduce the level of bad substances in the water, and it will also prevent soil silting.

What are siphons?

With what a siphon for cleaning an aquarium is, we have already figured out, now we need to discuss its types and methods of work. Such devices are available in mechanical and electrical types. To the firstshould include a siphon, which is equipped with a check valve. These cleaners consist of a pear. She is the one who sucks up the water. A hose and a special transparent funnel are attached to it. In order to prevent the absorption of stones and fish, the device must be transparent. Mechanical devices have one drawback. It means that you need to drain the water. You should pay attention that its volume does not exceed 30%.

Siphons can also be produced on batteries. They are considered more comfortable. Such devices do not require draining the liquid, since there is no hose. Such a device is able to absorb water well. It passes through a special pocket where debris remains, and returns back to the aquarium. Siphons for an aquarium on batteries do not take up much space, they have a motor and a funnel. The disadvantage of such a device is that it is forbidden to use the device on batteries at a depth of more than half a meter. Otherwise, water may enter the battery compartment, respectively, the siphon will break.

How to siphon soil?

After a person decides on the mechanism of the device, it is necessary to understand how exactly the soil should be siphoned. It doesn't matter what type of device or model was chosen - the cleaning method is the same. The funnel must be lowered vertically to the bottom, then the process itself begins. You need to continue it until the water becomes completely transparent and without any debris. After that, the funnel should be moved to another area.

It is worth noting that cleaningan aquarium is a rather lengthy process. The procedure will take at least an hour. It is necessary to walk all over the ground, otherwise cleaning the aquarium does not make any sense. If a person uses a siphon to clean the soil of a mechanical type aquarium, then you need to remember the above 30%, which must not be exceeded before draining.

To clean the middle of the bottom, you can use large funnels, for corners and decorations, you should use special nozzles that can be purchased separately. If plants are planted at the bottom of the aquarium, then it is necessary to carefully clean it, otherwise there is a risk of damaging the roots. In such cases, professionals recommend using special models that can be bought at a pet store. Such a siphon has a metal tube, the end of which is only 2 millimeters. A drain hose is attached to it.

In order to speed up the cleaning process and protect plants, use devices with small holes. Such a device is suitable for any type of soil, except sand. In order to drain the water, you need to prepare a container. If we are talking about a large aquarium, it is best to use a long hose that can reach the nearest sink or bathroom. If there is a risk that a fish may get into the device, a siphon with a special filter mesh should be used. All large objects will linger in it. After mechanical cleaning, fresh water is poured into the aquarium.

Tips

Professionals know how to use a siphon without anyproblems. But beginners have some difficulties, especially during the first use. That is why you need to pay attention to the following tips.

When a person chooses a siphon for himself, it is necessary to take into account the volume of the aquarium, what kind of soil is available, the number of decorations and planted plants. If we are talking about a nano aquarium, then special devices are sold for them. Standard ones should not be used, as they can harm the fish. If it was not possible to find such a device in the store, then you can use a syringe and a dropper tube.

If the device is too powerful, it can easily suck the fish. Therefore, you need to monitor the cleaning process as much as possible. The funnel should be lowered to the maximum depth. The lower it is, the better it will clean the bottom. If there are no plants on the site, then you can lower the tube to the entire depth of the soil. The pressure will be stronger if the tip is lowered. You should also put the end of the hose lower than the aquarium itself, because only in this position will the water drain.

Siphon DIY

The most important element is the hose. If it is assumed that the siphon will work with a 100 liter aquarium, then a tube with a diameter of 10 mm is suitable for it. If you use thicker, then during cleaning, before a person has time to clean the bottom, almost all the water will pour out. In order to avoid such troubles, you need to understand how to make a siphon for an aquarium with your own hands.

For an aquarium of 50 liters, you must use a hose with a diameter of 5mm. You should take a plastic bottle, syringes for 10 cubes, you need 2 of them, electrical tape, a knife and a brass outlet for the hose.

It is necessary to take a syringe, remove the needle, and also remove the plunger. Using a knife, cut off the protrusions from one of the syringes to end up with a tube. Next, you need to take the second syringe and cut off from the side where the piston entered. But in the place where the needle was, you should make a hole, the diameter of which will be 5 mm. With the help of electrical tape, you can connect the resulting tubes. The tube, which has a hole, must remain outside. Insert a hose into it. Next, you need to take a plastic bottle and cut a hole in the lid, which will be 4 mm in diameter. The brass outlet should be inserted here. And you need to attach another piece of hose to it. Now the homemade siphon is ready.

In order for it to work, you need to immerse the wide end in the ground and take the bottle. After that, a reverse thrust will appear, the debris from the bottom will rise. If you do not want to use a bottle, you can take a bucket. After the aquarium is a little empty, you need to fill it with fresh water.

Available options

At the moment, manufacturers offer a huge range of siphons for aquariums. All of them allow you to clean the soil. There are mechanical devices and electric siphons for mains powered aquariums, expensive and cheap, medium and high power, as well as with additional valves and so on. That is why to understand what device you needpurchase would be difficult. The main thing is to take your time and think carefully about your purchase.

EHEIM

A good German company is EHEIM. It should be noted that this manufacturer is known to all professional aquarists. The most popular are electric type aquarium siphons that are battery operated. They weigh only about 600 g and do not need an additional drain container. The device returns the purified water to the aquarium immediately.

Thus, you can also save on the purchase of new water. Due to the fact that the suction tube has jagged edges, the roots of aquatic plants will be preserved as much as possible. Such a siphon for an aquarium is suitable for a tank that is designed for no more than 200 liters. The height of the walls should not exceed 0.5 m.

Among the shortcomings, it should be noted that the batteries are discharged quite quickly, and the cost of the device itself is high. The first drawback will disappear if, instead of batteries, you install an adapter that allows you to power the device from the mains.

HAGEN

The German company HAGEN is one of the leaders in the production of aquarium equipment. Prices for devices are so diverse that they can impress any buyer. For example, the HAGEN Marina Aqua Vac soil siphon can clean the vessel efficiently and gently. However, the cost of this device is 6 thousand rubles. Due to an ordinary rubber pear, this company creates other models that allow you to save on a siphon. Such devices cost only 600 rubles.

Tetra

Known is the firm "Tetra". It provides the market with siphons that have different capacities. For example, the T-50 aquarium cleaning siphon will clean the soil well even in a 400-liter aquarium.

But the DC30 model will be convenient only for those aquariums, the volume of which is not more than 60 liters. Of course, the cost of such devices is different, but in general, this is a good and budget option, given the German quality.

Results

Siphons are very popular among aquarium owners. They keep the container clean. This is important for the inhabitants of aquariums. You can buy siphons in any specialized store. Counterfeits should be avoided to keep the fish safe.