Tank cleaning syphon tube

[Bremenguppie]

I currently use one of those hose syphon cleaners you pick up at walmart or any pet store, but it does great at just sucking water out but not as good at sucking out the poop, extra food and dirt out of tank. Least not as well as id like. Just wondering if anyone has found something that works better.

 

[lapin]

I have found nothing better than the Python brand. You might have to try different diameter tubes until you find one that works for your size sand/gravel. You can also cut the tube at an angle so sand does not plug it up as quickly if you push it into the bed too far.

 

[Rover88]

Opposite of Lapin, I have found nothing but incredible frustrations with the Python tube. It has never been able to pull water effectively from the tank only put water into it. It drives me up the wall, and now sits useless in storage.

I have one of the 'standard' hoses with the large plastic cup on the end and I find it struggles a bit to pull up anything heavy. However, hands down the best tool I've ever found for cleaning a tank is just a straight tube. I use it in my quarantine however, because I don't want it ripping the sandbed out of my tank! But it works great on a glass bottom. Its the same hose I use from my return pump to the tank.

 

[billdogg]

I have found nothing better than the Python brand. You might have to try different diameter tubes until you find one that works for your size sand/gravel. You can also cut the tube at an angle so sand does not plug it up as quickly if you push it into the bed too far.

^^^This x 1000^^^

I have been using a python siphon for all of my water changes for the entire 30+ years I've had a marine aquarium. I rarely use it on the sand anymore, both because the CUC is there doing it's job and because there is little room on the sand anymore due to coral growth.

I cannot imagine not having one.

Opposite of Lapin, I have found nothing but incredible frustrations with the Python tube. It has never been able to pull water effectively from the tank only put water into it. It drives me up the wall, and now sits useless in storage.

I have one of the 'standard' hoses with the large plastic cup on the end and I find it struggles a bit to pull up anything heavy. However, hands down the best tool I've ever found for cleaning a tank is just a straight tube. I use it in my quarantine however, because I don't want it ripping the sandbed out of my tank! But it works great on a glass bottom. Its the same hose I use from my return pump to the tank.

I will attribute this to either very low water pressure or operator error. It is so incredibly simple to use that this is the first time I have ever heard of anyone having trouble with it.

 

[Rover88]

I will attribute this to either very low water pressure or operator error. It is so incredibly simple to use that this is the first time I have ever heard of anyone having trouble with it.

I looked into reviews when I was running into issues, and it seems a very common problem. Most people attribute it to low water pressure which I have heard before. I don't really have a way to test my water pressure.

Either way, it simply does not work for me. It can't pull water through the hose to my sink, which is less then 10 feet away, with both my taps open on full.

 

[Quantized]

Typically in a saltwater tank with fine sand you do not clean it with a siphon as you would with a freshwater tank with gravel.