How To Siphon Water With A Garden Hose

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Siphoning is a great way of using gravity to move large amounts of water from one location to another. You can empty a pool, clean a fish tank, or prepare rainwater jugs by siphoning. If you are working with fresh water, it's possible to move water through a siphon using pressure from your mouth. If you are working with a single siphon tube, submerging the tube and draining it is a quick option. However, if you are tackling a larger job, then a two-hose siphon system might be your best bet.

1

Position an empty bucket. You'll need to use gravity to siphon water from one spot into a bucket.^[1] The object that the water is coming from must be higher than its final destination. So, if you are siphoning water from a full bucket to an empty bucket, place the destination bucket on a stable, lower surface.^[2]
2
Position a siphon tube. Stick the end of your siphon tube into the empty destination bucket.^[3] It should almost reach the bottom of the bucket to prevent it from coming back out. Then, place the other end of the siphon into the full bucket.
- You may want to use a weight to keep the end of the hose in the water.
- You can use almost any type of hose or tube for siphoning. However, it really helps if the hose is clear so that you can see the progress of the water.
3
Suck lightly on the end of the tube. Pick up the end of the siphon tube from the lower destination bucket or container. Lift it just above the container of water, which will help you avoid getting water in your mouth. Then, place your lips around the tube's end and suck like a straw. Pull the water just over the rim of the container of water. Once the water reaches the arc of the tube, it will start to come down the tube. Move your mouth and insert the tube into the bucket.^[4]
- If your hose isn't long enough for you to weigh it down in the water and hold it up over the container, then you likely need a bigger hose.
- Be careful to watch the location of the water in the tube or you might end up swallowing some as it comes out of the end. This is a reason why it is not a good idea to siphon other liquids, like gasoline, with your mouth.
4

Let the water pour into the empty bucket. Take the end of the halfway full siphon tube away from your mouth and quickly place it into the lower container. The water will start to run into the bucket through the siphon. It will continue until the upper container is emptied or you pull the siphon end out of either container.

1
Immerse the tube in a container of water. Coil the siphon tube into a circle and place it into a container full of water. Gently push the tube down until it is completely covered, working from 1 end to the other. You will see air bubbles pop up to the surface of the water, as the air escapes from the inside of the tube. Go slowly to allow the air bubbles to escape as you submerge the tube. Once the bubbles stop, the tube is full of water and ready to be drained.^[5]
- To make sure that the bubbles are completely out of the tube, shake it a bit before pulling it out.
2
Place your finger over the end of the tube. Now that the tube is full of water, you'll need to stop up the end that you plan to pull out of the container. Fold or crimp the tube in on itself toward the end, creating a barrier. Then, place your finger or thumb over the end, blocking off the flow of water out of the tube.^[6]
- The tube must stay totally under the water during this process or you'll end up with bubbles in it.
3

Move the plugged end of the tube to the empty container. Slowly and carefully lift the blocked tube end out of the water. Keep your finger covering the end of the tube. And, make sure the other, unblocked end stays securely under the water. Place the blocked end into the lower, empty container.^[7]
4

Unplug the tube. Pull your finger away from the end of the tube. Hold the tube down slightly with your fingers to keep it from flailing around as the water starts to come out. Watch the water move from the higher container and into this new one. If the water flow seems to stall, give the tube a small, quick shake to start it up again.^[8]

1
Position the first garden hose. Put the end of your hose in the bottom of a higher container that the water will move out from. If you choose to anchor the hose down with an object to keep it from moving, just make sure that it doesn't block the water flow. Then, place the opposite end of the same hose into a container that is the destination for the siphoned water.
- This is a great method to use if you need to siphon water over a longer distance or if you need to move a large amount of water.
2

Attach the shut-off valve. Screw on the valve to the end of the hose that is at the bottom of the higher container. Make sure that the valve is set on the open position. You can purchase a shut-off valve at your local garden store.
3

Attach a second hose. Get the unused hose and screw one of its ends into the empty side of the shut-off valve. Then, attach the other end of the second hose into a nearby faucet. Double-check that all of your connections are secure and tight.
4

Fill the siphon hose. Turn your faucet until it starts to send water out through both hoses. Watch to see when the first hose is full. Then, turn the shut off valve into the off position. You can then disconnect the second hose from both the faucet and the valve. This will leave you with one hose that is full of water and connected to both containers.
5

Open the shut-off valve. As soon as you move the valve into the open position, the water will rush out of the hose and into its final container. You can hold the end of the hold somewhat upright to guide the flow of water if you like.

Add New Question

Question

Can I use a siphon hose to empty an aquarium?

Craig Morton
Aquarium Specialist, Aquarium Doctor Inc.

Craig Morton is the CEO of Aquarium Doctor Inc. based in Huntington Beach California and servicing Orange County, Los Angeles County, and the Inland Empire. With over 30 years of aquarium experience, Craig specializes in creating custom aquarium designs along with aquarium installation and service. Aquarium Doctor works with manufacturers and products such as Clear for Life, Sea Clear, Bubble Magus, Tropic Marine Centre, Salifert, ReeFlo, Little Giant, Coralife, and Kent Marine.

Aquarium Specialist, Aquarium Doctor Inc.

Expert Answer

Yes, you can use a siphon hose to siphon the water from the aquarium into a bucket.
Question

What's the best way to siphon water for an aquarium?

Craig Morton
Aquarium Specialist, Aquarium Doctor Inc.

Craig Morton is the CEO of Aquarium Doctor Inc. based in Huntington Beach California and servicing Orange County, Los Angeles County, and the Inland Empire. With over 30 years of aquarium experience, Craig specializes in creating custom aquarium designs along with aquarium installation and service. Aquarium Doctor works with manufacturers and products such as Clear for Life, Sea Clear, Bubble Magus, Tropic Marine Centre, Salifert, ReeFlo, Little Giant, Coralife, and Kent Marine.

Aquarium Specialist, Aquarium Doctor Inc.

Expert Answer

The best way to siphon water for an aquarium is to use a 4-6 foot siphon hose.
Question

How do I empty an aquarium into a low-level sink using a piece of polythene tubing?

Doug Ludemann is the owner and operator of Fish Geeks, LLC, an aquarium services company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Doug has worked in the aquarium and fish-care industry for over 20 years, including having worked as a professional aquarist for the Minnesota Zoo and Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. He received his Bachelor of Science in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior from the University of Minnesota.

Professional Aquarist

Expert Answer

Remove the substrate and detritus from one corner of the tank, then weight your tube down in that corner using a small stone or aquarium decoration. Start your siphon using the submersion method above. The size of the tube will depend on it's circumference, so a wider tube will go faster than a smaller tube. However, you can successfully drain a tank using a small tube if you're patient.
Question

How do I siphon water from a Jerry can which contains a liquid like gasoline?

Doug Ludemann is the owner and operator of Fish Geeks, LLC, an aquarium services company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Doug has worked in the aquarium and fish-care industry for over 20 years, including having worked as a professional aquarist for the Minnesota Zoo and Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. He received his Bachelor of Science in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior from the University of Minnesota.

Professional Aquarist

Expert Answer

Get a tube that's long enough for you to make a loop with it while still having enough length to put the ends in the 2 respective containers. Make the loop with the tube just above the Jerry can. Then, use your mouth to pull the water into the loop. The loop will help prevent the liquid from reaching your mouth. Once the water is in the loop. Cover the end of the tube that's in your mouth with your finger and transfer it to the empty container. This should begin the siphon.
Question

Will the water continue to siphon if the end of the hose is submerged in water in the lower bucket?

Doug Ludemann is the owner and operator of Fish Geeks, LLC, an aquarium services company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Doug has worked in the aquarium and fish-care industry for over 20 years, including having worked as a professional aquarist for the Minnesota Zoo and Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. He received his Bachelor of Science in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior from the University of Minnesota.

Professional Aquarist

Expert Answer

Yes, it will continue to siphon until the upper container is empty or the fluids in both containers are level.
Question

How do I siphon water out of a garden hose?

Doug Ludemann is the owner and operator of Fish Geeks, LLC, an aquarium services company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Doug has worked in the aquarium and fish-care industry for over 20 years, including having worked as a professional aquarist for the Minnesota Zoo and Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. He received his Bachelor of Science in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior from the University of Minnesota.

Professional Aquarist

Expert Answer

You can use any of the methods described in the article above. If you don't mind getting the substance in your mouth, you could use the mouth method. However, it may be best to use the 2 hose method, especially if you're siphoning a substance you don't want to get in your mouth.
Question

What is the best method for siphoning water from a pond?

As long as the outlet point is lower than the intake (pond) end of the tube, any of the methods illustrated in the article would work. Since you're dealing with a larger volume of water, you will want to use a garden hose (or something of similar width), not narrow plastic tubing! If the tube is long (and wide), it will take a lot of lung power to get suction started by sucking on it; so the garden hose + shut-off valve option is best. If time is a factor, or if you are working against gravity (i.e. you need the water to drain at a point higher than your pond), rent an electric or diesel-powered water pump, like you'd use to pump water out of a flooded basement.
Question

I've tried siphoning water by sucking it. It works, but the flow is very slow. Is there a way to make it faster? Do I suck harder? Or do I use a broader hose?

The broader the hose, the faster the flow, as more water can escape. You can also check to make sure that there are no leaks or kinks in the hose, as this will slow down the movement of water. Since siphoning is powered by gravity, positioning the original container even higher than the destination container will also speed up the flow of water.
Question

I need to drain a large bucket of water outside to the street. What can I do?

Put one end of a hose pipe into the bucket and secure it so it doesn't come out. Take the other end to the street and use your mouth to suck on it. This will likely require a lot of effort, as you're working with a hose long enough to reach from the bucket to the street. You may also get some water in your mouth.
Question

How do I dry the inside of the tube once I've used it?

Run the vacuum cleaner and restrict the entrance down to the size of the tube with one end in the vacuum's inlet the other open to the air. Air will be sucked through the tube's end that is open to the air and will cause the water inside the tube to dry. You can also hang the tube up the air dry, so that both ends are facing downwards.

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Things You'll Need

Container of water
Plastic tube
2 garden hoses
Shut-off valve
Bucket
Object to anchor the garden hose

Add a shutoff valve inline at the crest of the tubing and a check valve at the outlet end and you can completely control the siphon hose and it will stay primed when you shut it off.
The size of your hose will determine how long it takes to siphon the water. Larger pipes will work faster than smaller pipes. Additionally, smaller pipes can easily become clogged by sediment or detritus.
If you are siphoning as part of an experiment, add a few drops of food coloring to the higher water container. You'll then be able to see that water travel down the tube and into the empty bucket.^[9]

Make sure that the hoses that you are using do not have any holes. If they leak water, then the siphon process may be slowed down or it may not work at all.
It's a good idea to have a separate hose for siphoning water. Do not use the same hose for gasoline products or chemicals.^[10]

About This Article

Article SummaryX

To siphon water, start by submerging one end of a hose or tube in the water you want to siphon out. Then, put the other end in your mouth and gently suck in. When the water is about halfway through the tube, remove the tube from your mouth and put it into an empty container lower than the original water source. If you're siphoning something other than water, like gasoline, use a clear hose and make sure to stop before the liquid reaches your mouth. Finally, let the water drain out, making sure the other end stays submerged in the water. For tips on how to move large amounts of water using two garden hoses, read on!

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