The Popko Aquarium Siphon Device is an ingenious new take on how to get water to drain from your tank, without having to drill it. This miniature siphon is capable of draining up to 2,500 liters or around 660 gallons per hour in an assembly that miniaturizes the mechanics of a typical overflow box and U-tube siphon.
It might not be made of glass like the Mame Nano Overflow but it is partially DIY coming with an assortment of elbows and fittings to make it fit your tank just how you like. This is an interesting aspect of the Popko but it’s also the reason we haven’t been able to test ours out – it uses a 20mm outer diameter tubing that has to be specially sourced in North America, but which is more standard in other parts of the world.
Thankfully a fresh new video by Taiwanese distributor Oceanexus finally gives us a good view of how this device functions. Although the explanation is in Chinese, the video still gives a pretty good presentation of how the Popko Siphon works, and how small it is compared to the tank it’s on.
This small contraption is a niche device if you’ve got an existing tank that you don’t want to drill, but want to equip with a sump for filtration, or if you have a tank simply too small – with glass too thin – to practically drill. The Popko Aquarium Siphon Device certainly has an interesting role to fill with a reasonable price tag of under $50 so long as you can source the 20mm pipe needed to assemble this kit.
