New Respect

[skjl47]

Nope, the sink doesn't have to stay on. You turn it on for about 5 seconds, then the hose is entirely filled with tank water and you can turn the sink off again. It drains the tank slower with the sink turned off, but it works just fine. The sink is just used to start the siphon, gravity does the rest of the work.

Hello; I was curious. My sink basins are not much below the level of my upper tanks. The lower tanks are below the level of the sinks. I had figgured the tap would have to be left on.

 

[Betta132]

If the tank is lower than the sink, then yes, the faucet may need to be left on. Alternately, you can unscrew the hose from the tap once it's full and place the end in the bathtub to let it drain. There are switches on either end of the hose, so you can fill the hose with water, turn the switches to seal it shut, move the non-tank end to somewhere low, and start it up again. Slightly more work, but still easier than bucket hauling.
If your tank (or at least the section of the tank that you want to drain) is higher than your faucet, you're good.

 

[AlG]

I use a 50' foodgrade 1/2 garden hose I fit my syphon tube on one end, both ends have valves screwed on, and my sinks all have hose thread adapters for their aerators.... I can fill hose at a sink close valves put one end in tank other end in tub or outside open tank valve and then drain valve to start(I usually use my mouth).... Then hook drain up to sink and pump warmed water back in. Basically the Same as Python method but cheaper and better parts (50' food grade hose was $15 fittings less than $10 I already had syphon tube)... I think a 50' Python is like 50 or $60

 

[Kittiee Katt]

I use a 50' foodgrade 1/2 garden hose I fit my syphon tube on one end, both ends have valves screwed on, and my sinks all have hose thread adapters for their aerators.... I can fill hose at a sink close valves put one end in tank other end in tub or outside open tank valve and then drain valve to start(I usually use my mouth).... Then hook drain up to sink and pump warmed water back in. Basically the Same as Python method but cheaper and better parts (50' food grade hose was $15 fittings less than $10 I already had syphon tube)... I think a 50' Python is like 50 or $60

This sounds like the way to go.. Cheap and easy. I might take my current "Python stash" (which is about 45 bucks atm) and go to the hardware store instead. Thanks for the idea.

 

[AlG]

No problem glad to have helped... Here it is

 

[Drx6x]

Or you can use a waterbed drain fill kit( same exact valve as the python hardware stores usaly have them) and a garden hose cost me about 20 bucks.

 

[AlG]

Yeah.... I have to many snails and plants in some tanks,those things always get jammed up in my experience. I actually reamed out the syphon tube fitting so it was as wide as Possible now only the largest red Rams horn shells r a problem... I was carefull to find all fittings that had a large ball valve so when open there is no restrictions which helps it drain quicker .... Not a lot but every bit helps when your doing multiple high gallon changes.