Using an Aquarium Siphon

A siphon is a tube, made of rubber or plastic, by means of which water can be drawn out of the aquarium into a container which is at a lower level. A convenient size t use is a 5-foot length of 1-inch inside diameter heavy rubber tubing. Heavy-wall tubing is advisable to prevent kinking and collapsing. There are three methods for starting a siphon:

1. Holding the tube to form a U, put one end under the faucet. When water runs out of the other end, indicating that the tube is full of water, cover both openings with your thumbs. Hold one end underwater in the aquarium and the other end in a bucket lower than the aquarium. Release both ends. Once the flow has started, it will continue automatically.

2. Immerse the entire tube in a container of water, keeping the open ends higher than the center so that all the air runs out of it. Place a thumb over each opening, and then release both ends.

3. The method most frequently used by experts, because it is fastest, should first be practiced with a container of clear water. It involves placing one end of the siphon tube in the water to be siphoned out. The balance of the tube is allowed to hang down. Suck on the lower end until the flow starts, and then quickly drop it into the bucket. A little practice will enable you to tell by the sudden easing in the resistance of the suction pull that the water has come over the top of the loop and is starting down. It will, however, take a little practice so you won’t get a mouthful of water.

An 8- to 10-inch piece of rigid plastic tubing in the end of the siphon hose makes it easier to control and move. The short end in the aquarium is held in the right hand, which guides it over the bottom. The left hand directs the flow into the basin or bucket and regulates the flow, either by pinching the hose or by moving the thumb over the outlet opening.

Stop the flow, hold the suction end about 1 inch over some debris at the bottom of the aquarium, and release the flow momentarily. The debris will be sucked up like magic. By controlling the flow, a maximum of dirt and a minimum of water can be removed. A siphon can be used as a cleansing tool, as a means of emptying the aquarium of water, and as a way of removing gravel - providing the tube is wide enough. In any of these jobs, practice develops control. By putting a funnel at the siphon intake, the siphon will not pick up gravel - only the lighter material.

Surprisingly enough, fishes are seldom sucked up in a siphon. Ordinarily, they avoid it when they feel the suction, although when an aquarium is being emptied, fishes that remain as the water is lowered become panicky and will rush up the siphon tube. The rapid trip rarely injures them so long as they land in a container of water and not on a hard surface like the floor.

Lifting the siphon out of the water without closing the ends will empty the tube and break the suction. Should the siphon tube become clogged and resist efforts to blow it out, place it on the floor and walk along it to crush the clogging material.

How To Clean Your Aquarium

As a responsible pet owner of course you want to provide your fish with the best
environment you possibly can, and you want to be certain you keep your tropical
fish tank as clean as possible. After all this is the home for the fish and
where they’ll live out the rest of their days, but they need to rely on you to
maintain it, clean it, keep it warm, and everything else that’s needed for that
home to be safe and sanitary. It’s not that hard to keep tropical fish tanks
clean and healthy but you should follow some rules that will allow you to do just that.

Be certain not to use any harsh cleansers, chemicals or abrasives when cleaning
tropical fish tanks because this may cause severe damage to your fish. Chemicals
and bleach always leave a residue no matter how much you rinse and these things
are very bad for your fish. If there are algae stuck to the side you can use a
razor or straight edge on glass tanks or a special cleansing cloth for tropical
fish tanks as this is the best way to keep your tank nice and clean.

You should use a special vacuum to clean the substrate or gravel on the bottom
of tropical fish tanks. This type of vacuum will get any harmful buildup and
bacteria without needing to remove and upset the entire collection of gravel,
which is never a good idea. Some people make the mistake of thinking that the
entire tank needs to be emptied and everything cleaned but this isn’t safe for
the fish as it wipes out the entire water of the tank.

Doing a water change is also important when cleaning tropical fish tanks. For large tanks you simply pull out about 10%-15% of the
water and replace it with warm tap water; for smaller tanks you’ll need to do
this with about 25% of the water. Always add a water condition afterward and you
can find these most anywhere that tropical fish tanks are sold.

It’s just as important not to over clean your tropical fish tanks as it is to
clean them periodically.  Don’t over clean them as this can cause as much damage
to the fish as not cleaning it enough.

What Type Of Aquarium Is Right For You?

Many people love to have tropical fish tanks as it is sort of capturing the
beauty of the fishes inside the aquariums. There are different types of fish
that you can get to put in your tank but tropical fish are definitely some of
the most attractive.

The tropical fish are beautiful and bright in color and belong to the cold water
fresh water fish group. There are certain advantages and also disadvantages for
maintaining them. The topical fish tanks create an artistic appeal for your home
and the ecosystems. Maintaining it can be helpful for educational learning
experience. Through this one can learn about the biology of the fish and the
ecosystem where the fish persists. Fish can be easily be left if you’re going on
a short trip.

Some of the disadvantages of the tropical fishes include that they can die
quickly if there is difficulty with the tropical fish tank. But tropical fish do not
require much more care than a plant so in that case water should be replaced with
clean water from time to time. In order to keep a tropical fish tank you must do your research to be
certain you keep the tank as clean as it should be in order to maintain the health
of the fish.

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