Everyone who has a domestic pet knows that one of the indispensable conditions for its correct maintenance is cleanliness and daily care. But if the dog, for example, can be taken out for a walk, but for a cat to put a tray , then you will not walk the fish and you will not plant a tray. For the care of fish, there are specific, specific devices, for example - a siphon for an aquarium. Of course, the question immediately arises as to how such a device can help in the care of fish. Let's figure it out in order. First of all, fish need not only timely feeding, but also cleaning the aquarium and its contents, in particular soil . But in order to "clean", sometimes it is necessary to drain the aquarium and replace it with fresh water. It is for draining the water and for cleaning the aquarium from the products of life of its inhabitants and is designed aquarium siphon.
Types of siphons for aquariums
Siphons for cleaning aquariums are both mechanical and battery-operated - electrical. The principle of their work is similar, it is based on the absorption of dirty water (due to negative pressure) into the beaker and then draining it through the hose (tube) into a separate container. How does the process of cleaning the aquarium with a siphon occur? When the device is immersed to the bottom of the aquarium, all sorts of contamination (residues of fodder, silt, scales, excreta) are sucked into a glass (a cylinder, funnel - definitions-synonyms) and along a hose with water are diverted into a separate container. To control the process and timely transfer of the siphon to the next section of the bottom for cleaning, it (siphon) is necessarily made of a transparent material (most often plastic). In specialized outlets, whose profile - trade in equipment and accessories for aquariums, one can find models of siphons without a hose, where the funnel is replaced by a kind of mud trap in the form of a pocket (bag).
It is very convenient to use models of siphons with motors. The principle of operation of such electric siphons for cleaning aquariums is simple enough - the water sucked into the siphon passes through the trap-pocket with the walls of kapron, here it is cleared of dirt by the principle of filtration and then comes back to the aquarium. Very similar to the work of a vacuum cleaner, is not it? And do not bother with the drain hoses and water drainage tanks. The only "but" for electric siphons - their design is such that they are used to clean aquariums, in which the height of the water column does not exceed half a meter. Otherwise, water will fill the batteries. Therefore, such siphons can be recommended only for cleaning small aquariums. Another tip from experienced aquarists to those who are interested in the question is which siphon to choose for cleaning the aquarium. Since the siphon is also used for cleaning the aquarium soil, select devices with a glass of at least 20 cm so that small stones are not sucked into the siphon. And, of course, pay attention to the shape of the glass (give preference to the model with an oval glass, this will make it easier to clean hard-to-reach places)
Homemade aquarium siphons
If for any reason you can not get a siphon of industrial production, do not despair - it's not difficult to make it yourself from a plastic bottle and a tube. The tube (the length depends on the depth of the aquarium, but not less than 50 cm) is connected with the neck of the bottle, which has previously cut off the bottom. To keep the fry from catching fry or small fish, the end of the tube from the side of the bottle should be tightened with gauze. Well, the principle of operation is described above - the discharge of water is carried out by creating a negative pressure.