Syphoning... 0.o

[Vegan Peaches]

I was doing a water change today, like I do every other day because my nitrites still wont shutup, and my dad walks by and says 'thats really dumb, you should jsut syphon the water out' ... I sit there and blink a couple times, then run up, grab a bucket and a garden hose and proceded to do just that. Well, It's alot easier than my other method - put 2 liters under water til they fill up, then go fill them up with new water, add dechlorinator and fill - now I just fill the 2 liters with water, syphon the old water into the bucket, dump it, then pour the 2 liters into my tank (no need to syphon water in until I get my 55 gal ^^ )

Is'nt it amazing what your dad can teach you?

Anyways, after doing this I realized - yuck, fish water tastes bad. Not like it matters, we have plenty of gum, so the point of this thread is - is it possible for the stuff in the fish water to harm me in any way 0.o Like, if my fish get ich and i get it in my mouth, will I get all funky or something? Also, I have used a couple ick meds in there and a dechlorinator that all say 'don't swallow' on them, and i don't swallow the syphoned water, but I'm just being catious.

Usually I ask about what will be healthy for my fish, now I'm asking what will be healthy for moi - will syphoned water make me sick, or anything?

 

[a1wonder]

the taste might be from the hose you were using because mine just tastes like normal water.

 

[Vegan Peaches]

m... this hose was hooked up to our old washing machine so it's about 15 years old xD yea, I bet that's it then.

I'll buy a new hose tomorrow ^^

 

[Synirr]

I have yet to have the misfortune of actually tasting the water...
As long as your fish don't have fish TB or some bacterial nasty, a little tank water shouldn't hurt you.

 

[enchanted]

If you purchase a decent Gravel Vacuum with a good size hose you can use it for syphoning.

Also, put a good portion of the hose under water to get it full of water, cap it, push it over into bucket and unplug it (you can plug with your finger).

You never taste the water.

 

[Vegan Peaches]

Heh... thats a good idea... TB scares me x.x

 

[isu_guy]

Ok, a couple of things-
1) to syphon, you don't need to suck the water with your mouth. If you put enough of the hose in the water and then pull it out so that the water cannot fall out the "tank end" the water will start to run to your waste bucket. If you then place the hose back in the water so that the water can fall back into the tube the syphoning will start - no water in the mouth. My friend told me how when she was little her dad made her and her sister do the job of sucking the syphon - it was funny to see her face when I explained how unnecessary that was.

2) I think the best bet for you and for your fish, to have equipment that is just for the aquarium. No chemicals or fish poop in your garden hose, nothing with cleaning chemicals in your tank (eg from using a rinsed out mop bucket to get your new water for your tank).

3) They make syphons for aquariums to clean gravel/sand and to remove water during a change.

(side note, I also use my syphon to put new water in. I put a chair on a table near my tank and get the syphon to pull the clean water into my tank. It doesn't disturb and of my decorations, and is a slower change of anything that could shock the fish - temp, ph etc, although I try to not have it be a change anyways.)

goodluck to you and your fish

 

[Boggle]

Wish someone told me about this 'no sucking' method before. I swallowed some fish tank water and was sick for 3 days.

 

[FishDan]

Since things like TB in the aquarium is rare, and other "bacterial nasties" can be found elsewhere in greater quantity, there is nothing in fish water that is going to harm you. At least not in the quantities you are talking about. It may taste bad, but bad taste won't hurt you. In the history of mankind, people have siphoned far more dangerous things (and gotten some in their mouths) than fish water.

And yeah, there is no need to suck, methods as mentioned above.

I think the best bet for you and for your fish, to have equipment that is just for the aquarium. No chemicals or fish poop in your garden hose

Regarding this comment, nothing in your aquarium will be bad for your garden. In fact, "used" aquarium water (ie, with fish poop) is actually beneficial to your plants. Many people use changed out water to water their houseplants or their garden. Having chemicals enter your tank via a "contaminated" bucket is a dangerous concern however.

\Dan

 

[Synirr]

Since things like TB in the aquarium is rare, and other "bacterial nasties" can be found elsewhere in greater quantity, there is nothing in fish water that is going to harm you.

Yeah, I've heard that there's less than one case per year of a human contracting fish TB.

 

[Logitech]

I would never taste the tank water.
Not even if it was a teaspoon full of water.
The only exception is paying me money more than one hundred dollars.