Equipment & Supplies • my siphon won't pick up junk- need advice

[jed clampett]

I've got a 50' hose with a large gravel vac but it doesn't seem to generate enough pressure to suck stuff into the hose and out. Was thinking of replacing with a thinner vac tube but can't seem to find one online. Advice please. Thx.

Dan

[ken31cay]

I use a Python with a 50' hose + 10' extension, connected to my utility room's sink where the water pressure coming out of that spigot is pretty good. And I have no issue with gravel vac in my tanks. Is the water pressure really low maybe at the spigot your hose is connected to?

[jed clampett]

I use a Python with a 50' hose + 10' extension, connected to my utility room's sink where the water pressure coming out of that spigot is pretty good. And I have no issue with gravel vac in my tanks. Is the water pressure really low maybe at the spigot your hose is connected to?

I'm just using straight siphon power. No sink connection. Don't really have that option with this set up.

[Deeda]

Jed, where are you siphoning to with the existing hose, to a level above the tank rim or below the tank rim? I find that when just using gravity, the lower the drain end the faster it drains.

[Ronzo]

JC;

Simple siphon is an effective (and free) energy source, but 50ft of hose with just a simple siphon (where I estimate only a few feet max of height diff between intake and outflow, if tank and sink are on the same floor), the hose length will present significant resistance to flow and slow it (so it doesn't surprise me that it is unable to pick up much)...opposed to the 5ft of hose I use to drain into a 5gal bucket (which works like gangbusters to suck up debris!)...is there any way you can shorten path, OR increase height diff (by for instance draining to a cellar drain)?

Cheers

[jed clampett]

Jed, where are you siphoning to with the existing hose, to a level above the tank rim or below the tank rim? I find that when just using gravity, the lower the drain end the faster it drains.

siphoning out the door (outside) to a spot about 4 feet below substrate level

[jed clampett]

JC;

Simple siphon is an effective (and free) energy source, but 50ft of hose with just a simple siphon (where I estimate only a few feet max of height diff between intake and outflow, if tank and sink are on the same floor), the hose length will present significant resistance to flow and slow it (so it doesn't surprise me that it is unable to pick up much)...opposed to the 5ft of hose I use to drain into a 5gal bucket (which works like gangbusters to suck up debris!)...is there any way you can shorten path, OR increase height diff (by for instance draining to a cellar drain)?

I did not consider this. Thanks for the info. I will think about modifying my system.