Hi all, I've looked through all the forums regarding siphons and see lots of references to PVC pipe. My question is: can corrugated polyethelene "drainage" pipe be used instead of PVC? My local hardware store sells the 6" size in 50' lengths, which would be a lot easier to install than a system made from 10' lengths of PVC. It's also much cheaper in the 4-6" size! I'm talking about the kind without holes of course; they also sell a kind perforated with holes for collecting drainage water.
Some details: my husband and I are hoping to drain about 3' of water from an area roughly 1/2 acre in size, maybe a little smaller. From the deepest part of this pond it is about 7' to the top of the dam, then we can go down about 10' on the other side. The total distance the pipe would have to run is about 80-90 feet, which means we'd have to somehow splice together two sections of pipe. One of my concerns is making the splice airtight, which I understand is important for a siphon. Duct tape?
This is a one-time use temporary siphon because we only need to drain it this once. This is the main reason we'd rather not spend more $ than necessary.
Has anyone used this kind of pipe? Would it collapse under the vacuum conditions of the siphon? Is it a really bad idea for some other reason I haven't thought of yet?
Another option we've considered is cutting a trench through the dam to let the water out and then repairing the dam later, but will we risk washing out the whole dam? And would the dam still be as strong as it needs to be afterward? The soil is good clay.
Any help, thoughts, or opinions are appreciated. Thanks!
