Battery Operated Suction Device?
- Thread starter Thyra
- Start date
I kind of figured the battery powered thing would be weak, but maybe we could invent a DIY alternative? Even if it was hand pumped maybe there is a way to keep it self-contained so the water does through a filter and back into the tank. Wasn't there once a gadget you could put on an electric drill to siphon liquids? Could something like that be expanded on? What we need is some kind of power supply rather than batteries. It has been way too long since I have taken a physics class, lol!
I have gave up on the easy vacuum deal. I just do it the old fashion way however, I have it plumbed with PVC into my house drain pipes. I have pipe coming from the top of the tank to the floor where a ball valve is located just before the floor, It then goes to the drain pipe. The pipe at the top has a hose barb that I attach my vacuum device to after I submerge it. I then turn the valve on, there is water in the pipe that runs out to the drain and causes the siphon to start. Then I turn off the valve when done before taking the vacuum device out so there will be water in the pipe for the next time. Then to fill I have my 200G water tote plumbed to each tank with a pool pump for pressure. There is a valve at the top of each to control the water from the pump. No more buckets!!!! I love it!!!!
I am trying to visualize your set up, McMopar, but some how I don't think it is your living room and I doubt your 200g water tote is either. The most I could do is maybe figure out a way to get a hose out of one of our front windows and hopefully not have any malfunction of any equipment so the carpeting didn't get soaked! Filling the tanks is the same problem - I need a person at the water source and one at the water outlet to handle the "start and stop" and there is usually only me. So right now I am stuck with bucketing.
NO,NO, the tote and pump is outdoors on a pad I built right next to the house. The ones plumbed are my 150G and 75G, these are in the tv/living/den area. Its the largest room in the house, its about 32x20 with a small portion of that for a closet and the bar separating the kitchen. The 125G in our bed room is also plumbed. Down here in the south homes are build on a cement pad or a pier and beam foundation. Mine is on a pier and beam foundation so there is ample room to move around under the house to get to plumbing. Its kinda like a crawl space under homes in the northern areas.
My water tote is two farm grade rubbermaid brand 100G water troughs. I got this idea when I use to fill a heavy duty plastic trash can (30G) with water from the hose, then treat the water to make is safe temp and ect. I then had a small pond pump I inserted (from Lowes) that I had a hose barb on to fill my tank. I also vacuumed water into it as well then pumped it out the window onto my cactus, plants, or grass. My water totes are filled by my R/O filter system by the first three stages which is before the R/O membrane. This way only the chlorine, chemicals, and sediment is filtered and not the minerals.
I had one yrs ago when I kept saltwater tanks. I thought it would be a good idea to clean debris between water changes. It didn't have hardly any power. Even getting excess flake or pellet food that had dissolved would not be sucked up. Nice idea, but the one I had (maybe 20 years ago) had no power to work.
I don't have any snake problem. I own 5 acres and keep about 90% of it cut to less then 3 inches. Also I have 3 dogs that are in the fence around the house so the foot traffic from them keeps them away. The only incident was about 5 years ago, my female lab was bit in the face by a Copper Head. These are non lethal but do cause a lot of swelling for a couple days. That is the only snake seen by the house in 7 years. Even out in the back forty of my land by the creek (also in the cut area) I only see a couple to few a year.
Well, one thing a friend of mine had he made himself. I havn't made one for me yet but I might...
Take a small submersible pump, like used in a small pond or large fountain. Take a small containter that will give you easy access and fill it with media of choosing (he has used plain cotton for his in-between filtering). use maybe a small tupperware bottle (like used for ketchup etc). You modifiy the lid to accept your vacuum hose (gravel vacuum not shopvac). In the bottom of the containter, modifiy it to mount onto the inlet of the submersible pump. Then take another length of hose on the pumps outlet for the clean return.
So there's no accidental spill, he takes a shop clamp and clamps on the return hose onto the side of the tank first. Then drops his gravel vac into the tank, and away he goes. The water is filtered before it hits the pump so there's no gunk or buildup in its impeller. Cleaned water goes back in tank. When he's done, he unhooks it all and tosses out the media. He says cotton wads work pretty good.
OR, you could also go on Craig's list/eBay etc and find a small canister filter and basically do the same thing. Something you use for your in-between cleaning.
Take a small submersible pump, like used in a small pond or large fountain. Take a small containter that will give you easy access and fill it with media of choosing (he has used plain cotton for his in-between filtering). use maybe a small tupperware bottle (like used for ketchup etc). You modifiy the lid to accept your vacuum hose (gravel vacuum not shopvac). In the bottom of the containter, modifiy it to mount onto the inlet of the submersible pump. Then take another length of hose on the pumps outlet for the clean return.
So there's no accidental spill, he takes a shop clamp and clamps on the return hose onto the side of the tank first. Then drops his gravel vac into the tank, and away he goes. The water is filtered before it hits the pump so there's no gunk or buildup in its impeller. Cleaned water goes back in tank. When he's done, he unhooks it all and tosses out the media. He says cotton wads work pretty good.
OR, you could also go on Craig's list/eBay etc and find a small canister filter and basically do the same thing. Something you use for your in-between cleaning.