DIY Siphon Project

I have a 20 gallon long aquarium with a gravel bed.

I was given a siphon for cleaning the bottom of the tank (standard store bought one long tube blue cap long hose), but even with the 20 gallon
tank, I feel it siphons off more water then crud. Don't get me wrong the crud it is lifting out and into the bucket is awesome.

But I'd like to get the same lifting/cleaning power but with not as much water loss.

So well drinking a bottle of water today, I sat back and looked at the bottle and thought this might be just the answer I'm looking for.

So I get home from work and start the build, cut the bottle in half, popped a hole in the cap, inserted hose and started the siphon. Water moved with no problem, but I saw next to no gravel being lifted or crud being brought up.

I tried two different 'designs' a half bottle and a full length bottle, both had the same results.

I'm I not seeing the same performance as with the bigger device. Is this because the water bottles are so much wider the the 'real siphon'?

I would think a smaller diameter pick-up would produce more turbulence and scoop up more crud.

What if you put the water through a disposable coffee filter as it's going into the bucket? This way you can put the filtered water back into the tank afterwards. Just a thought... haven't tried it myself.

--hutch

Yeah, I was thinking I might need to find something of a smaller diameter also.

I saw on another fish sight somebody did something, but was done with a cup at the end with holes in the bottom and sometype of filter materal.

Mark