How to Make Aquarium Siphons More Effective

Aquarium fish release metabolic waste products into the water where they live. These organic products build up over time and pollute the tank, unless removed. Much of the organic waste eventually settles between individual grains of gravel, where it is typically not visible to the aquarist. An aquarium siphon can draw these organic waste products out of the substrate and flush them, together with old aquarium water, into the sink or down the drain. Although many different siphon models are available, you can make your own.

Things You'll Need

  • 4-foot-long piece of transparent, plastic tubing, 1 1/2 inches in diameter
  • Large plastic bath
  • Very warm water
  • One soft drink bottle
  • Sharp scissors
  • Kettle
  • Small bowl
  • Small tube of 100-percent, non-toxic silicone sealer
  • Towel
  • 10-gallon bucket
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Instructions

    • 1

      Lie a 4-foot long, 1 1/2-inch diameter transparent plastic tubing in a large plastic bath, filled with very hot water. Place the tubing in a loose coiled shape to fit into the plastic container.

    • 2

      Remove the loosely coiled length of tubing and straighten it out on a clean and dust-free work surface. The hot water allows the tubing to regain its original shape and removes any serious kinks in the tubing, which restricts the water flow when you siphon water from your aquarium.

    • 3

      Use a sharp pair of scissors to cut the top section off a plastic soft drink bottle. Make the cut about half-way down the body of the bottle. Discard the bottom half of the bottle and keep the neck and shoulders piece. Remove the bottle cap and discard.

    • 4

      Rinse the top section of the bottle thoroughly under warm running water.

    • 5

      Place one end of the 4-foot-long piece of tubing into a bowl of boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove this end and push it into the bottle's neck.

    • 6

      Use 1 tbsp. non-toxic, 100-percent silicone sealer to secure the end of the pipe in the bottle. Spread the silicone around with your finger to create a watertight seal. Put the bottle and tube aside for 24 hours for the silicone to cure.

    • 7

      Place an old towel on the floor in front of your aquarium, and place a 10-gallon bucket on the towel. Place the half-bottle into the aquarium and hold it just above the gravel.

    • 8

      Suck powerfully on the opposite end of the transparent tube, but remove the tube from your mouth as soon as the water begins to flow into it.

    • 9

      Place the end on which you sucked into the 10-gallon bucket and push the bottle into the gravel. Detritus and debris are drawn out of the gravel and through the tube, into the bucket. The very large diameter bottle prevents the gravel from being drawn into the tube together with the light pieces of dirt.