Now all people who have an aquarium can purchase various devices for it. It should be noted that for fish you need to create certain conditions. It is necessary to have additional illumination, to observe the correct water temperature, and also to regulate the soil. Without these procedures and devices, fish cannot live for a long time.
In order to clean the aquarium, it is necessary to use a siphon. How to use the siphon for the aquarium, we'll talk later. Thanks to it, you can remove all the dirt, food residues, as well as the waste that the fish leave. The same design can reduce the level of bad substances in the water, and it will also prevent siltation of the soil.
What are siphons?
With what constitutes a siphon for cleaning the aquarium, we have already figured out, now it is necessary to discuss its types and methods of work. Such devices are available in mechanical and electrical types. The first is a siphon, which is equipped with a check valve. These cleaners are made up of pears. It is she who absorbs water. A hose and a special transparent funnel join to it. In order to prevent the absorption of stones and fish, the device must be transparent. Mechanical devices have one drawback. It consists in the fact that it is necessary to drain the water. Care should be taken so that its volume does not exceed 30%.
Siphons can also be produced on batteries. They are considered more convenient. Such devices do not require draining the liquid, as there is no hose. A similar device is capable of absorbing water well. She passes through a special pocket where trash remains, and then returns to the aquarium. Battery-operated siphons for the aquarium do not take up much space, have a motor and a funnel. The disadvantage of such a device is that the use of a battery-powered device is prohibited at a depth of more than half a meter. Otherwise, water can get into the battery compartment, respectively, the siphon will break.
How to siphon the soil?
After a person has decided on the mechanism of the device, it is necessary to understand how to siphon the soil. 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 this, the funnel should be moved to another section.
It is worth noting that cleaning the aquarium is a rather lengthy process. A minimum procedure will take about an hour. You need 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 aquarium, then you need to remember about the above 30%, which can not be exceeded before draining.
To clean the middle of the bottom, you can use large funnels, for corners and decorations should use special nozzles, which can be purchased separately. If plants are planted at the bottom of the aquarium, then it is necessary to clean it carefully, otherwise there is a risk of damaging the roots. In such cases, professionals recommend using special models that you can buy 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 for sand. In order to drain the water, it is necessary 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, use a siphon with a special filter mesh. It will linger all the big objects. After mechanical cleaning, fresh water is poured into the aquarium.
Advice
Professionals know how to use the siphon without any problems. 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 picks up a siphon, it is necessary to take into account the volume of the aquarium, what 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 use is not worth it, as they can harm the fish. If you could not find such a device in the store, then you can use a syringe and a tube from a dropper.
If the device is too powerful, then it can easily suck in fish. Therefore, you need to monitor as much as possible the cleaning process. The funnel should be lowered to the maximum depth. The lower it is, the better it will be to 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 you lower the tip below. You should also put the end of the hose lower than the aquarium itself, because only in this position will the water drain.
DIY siphon
The most important element is the hose. If it is assumed that the siphon will work with an aquarium of 100 liters, 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 the aquarium with your own hands.
On an aquarium of 50 liters, a 5 mm diameter hose must be used. You should take a plastic bottle, syringes for 10 cubes, they need 2 pieces, an 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 piston. Using a knife, you should cut off the protrusions from one of the syringes to get 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, a hole should be made, the diameter of which will be 5 mm. Using electrical tape, you can connect the resulting tubes. A tube that 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. Insert a brass outlet here. And you need to attach another piece of hose to it. Now the homemade siphon is ready.
In order for it to work, it is necessary to immerse the wide end in the ground and take a bottle. After this, a reverse draft will appear, 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, it is necessary to fill it with fresh water.
Available options
At the moment, manufacturers offer a huge assortment of siphons for aquariums. All of them allow you to clean the soil. There are mechanical devices and electrical siphons for the aquarium, powered from the network, expensive and cheap, medium power and high, as well as with additional valves and so on. That is why it will be quite difficult to understand which device you need to purchase. The main thing is not to rush and carefully consider your purchase.
Eheim
A good German company is EHEIM. It should be noted that all professional aquarists know this manufacturer. The most popular are electric type siphons for aquariums that run on batteries. They weigh only about 600 g and do not need an additional drain tank. The device returns the purified water to the aquarium immediately.
Thus, you can also save on buying new water. Due to the fact that the suction tube has serrated edges, the roots of water plants will be maximally preserved. Such an aquarium siphon is suitable for a container that is designed for no more than 200 liters. The height of the walls should not exceed 0.5 m.
Of 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. The prices for the devices are so diverse that they can impress any customer. For example, the HAGEN Marina Aqua Vac aquarium siphon can clean the vessel efficiently and gently. However, the cost of this device is 6 thousand rubles. Due to an ordinary rubber bulb, this company creates other models that allow saving on a siphon. Such devices cost only 600 rubles.
Tetra
Known is the company "Tetra". It provides the market with siphons that have different capacities. For example, the T-50 aquarium 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.
Summary
Siphons are very popular among aquarium owners. They allow you to keep the container clean. This is important for aquarium inhabitants. Siphons can be purchased at any specialized store. Fakes should be avoided to keep the fish safe.