# My sink sucks!



## JWerner2 (Jul 7, 2008)

Anyone got any ideas or tricks to get better water pressure out of a sink in a apartment?

My big tank is less than 50ft away from my kitchen sink and I cant get any vacuum going at all with my python.

Thanks!


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## bentcountershaft (Nov 23, 2007)

Which floor are you on? The higher up the worse your pressure will be, unless you have a water tower on top of the building. I'd recommend ditching the python for emptying and connect a power head to the end of the hose. Make sure the hose is secured to wherever you're draining it to (so that it doesn't flip around and spray water all over) and just vacuum/drain with the power head.


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## bell (Dec 12, 2005)

check out what i did at my old house (i just moved to florida)....
if you have an accesible trap under your sink you could easily change it to this setup then back when you move out....
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... light=hose


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Can also get one of those 30 gal trash cans on wheels and use a sump pump for refilling.


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## kornphlake (Feb 12, 2004)

When I lived in an apartment I always used a gravity siphon and a 5g bucket to do water changes. I've got a very old home made gravel cleaner with a fairly large diameter hose that will drain about 10 gallons per minute, getting water out of a tank fast enough was never a problem. I had a bigger issue with getting water back into the tank. I found that filling the bucket using the spigot in the bathtub was several times faster than any other faucet in the apartment.


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## JWerner2 (Jul 7, 2008)

Well putting the water back in is not a problem its just sucking things out.

Oh well I guess unless I get some kind of pump in my plumbing which ain't gunna happen I am going to have to live with it.

I just take the water out like usual but at least now the work is cut in half by adding the water back in using the sink ( my tap water is fine for the fish ).


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

The sink is high compared to the tank. The lower the drain and the Python device are, the more suction you will get. If you run the Python from the sink, run it from the sink to a shower or bathtub and set the Python device in the bottom of the shower or tub. Run the second half of your hose from the shower to the tank.


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## JWerner2 (Jul 7, 2008)

:-? 
I dont get that.

I am using the one that connects to the faucet. How do I go about setting the suction and then transfering it to the bathroom?


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## BenHugs (Jan 13, 2007)

I have the same problem with my python..... the trick is to start "filling" first and when all the air is out of the hoses open the valve and your syphon will start it works every time :thumb:


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

JWerner2 said:


> :-?
> I dont get that.
> 
> I am using the one that connects to the faucet. How do I go about setting the suction and then transfering it to the bathroom?


 Assuming you have two 25 foot hoses and they will reach, connect one directly to the faucet. The drain/fill device will now be in the middle. Set it on the drain of the tub or shower. Run the second hose from the drain/fill device to the tank. If you have one long 50 hose, you would need to get something like this....

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... n+(20+foot)&ref=3665&subref=AA&GCID=C12188x007

If you hose is way too long for the distance, you can shorten it to reduce kinks and friction.


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## Stickzula (Sep 14, 2007)

Essentially you make an extension of the faucet since you can't just hook the pyhton up to the tub. Since the drain/python device is at a lower elevation than the tank, gravity will help boost the flow.


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## JWerner2 (Jul 7, 2008)

So what I do is splice the sink valve thing into the middle of the hose and lay it set to siphon in the tub. Then I hook the other end of the hose directly to the sink. I then turn on the sink and its supposed to start the siphon?

Water from the sink goes to the tub and drains while that draining will create a siphon from the aquarium to the tub so basically water will flow to the tub from both ends?
:lol: What do you think would happen if I fill the tub up start to drain it and the do this? Would it start a even heavier siphon from the aquarium :lol:

Thanks guys!

I think I am set the way I just did it last night. Use a large hose to drain into a bucket and use the python to replace the water from the sink. It may still take some buckets but hey it still knocks down on some of the work load.

I am actually using the home made python DIY. I was ok with the buckets but my **** kids keep splashing in them :lol:


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