I just tried to make a three tier syphon system, and I failed miserably.
Then I tried just two buckets, but that also couldn't siphon the water fast enough. I don't have any 3" tubing, so I was using a pair of 1/2" hose lines, wire tied together. It was siphoning, but no where near quickly enough. I'll grab some 3" hose from Deseret Industries or something. I don't need anything pretty, & just a couple 3 foot runs should do it.
I'm using a "little giant" 550gph pool cover pump, and a regular garden hose with 3/4" ID into a bucket sluice.
I also need to get a hose T with valves, so that I can regulate the water flow better.
A trick I did pick-up about the siphon'ing: use a large glass jar for the ends of your hose, this will help them stay under water (when the jar is on its' side), and if you stand the jar up (while the rim is submerged), it will minimize the amount of material that gets into the jar.
One of these days I will just put a large hole in a couple buckets, and make a connection using a REALLY big tube, but then I gotta put a filter on one end, and that could clog up..
Oh me oh my what to do.