[reaperman]

Siphons only really "work" if the final position of the water is lower than the starting position. Siphon effect allows the water to pass through an intermediate higher elevation without continuous external pumping energy, but on average the water must still be going downhill to utilize the siphon effect.

[bluejekyll]

Omg, I wasn’t thinking. The surface of the target liquid needs to be lower than the source. I was thinking of a pipe coming in lower than the lake, but that wouldn’t work.

[reaperman]

If it makes you feel better I have a degree in chemical engineering, and a few months ago made the exact same mistake as you for an automatic watering system where I put a reservoir of water in the cabinet below a plant and wondered why water was traveling from the planter into the reservoir and overflowing and spilling all over the cabinet and floor.

Some days we're just dumb, even if most days we're pretty smart.

[bluejekyll]

That made me smile. Thanks ;)