.::When YOU do a water change::.

[~FairyAngelFish~]

sucking the water out made me ill, so i used a syphon and have now moved onto the Python No Spill system. No water in the mouth. No feelin sik

Ew. AHHA

 

[KerriPaul]

I got fed up with throat infections and got an ecco. I use the downpipe from that. Ie switch off tap. Take out of filter, place over bucket, switch on and syphon is ready set up.

 

[Candyco]

Just wondered if any1 has heard of a syphon that only removes the dirt, not the water!?!

Big Al's online has this one Battery operated filter, and I know Drs. Foster and Smith has one as well, but I wasn't able to find it on the website. I am seriously considering getting one now that Big Al's has one. It would just help clean up the gunk if you don't have time for a full water change

I'll have a look @ that.... only thing is i'm in UK.... would they ship it? Else i may have 2 look again over here!

 

[mwm]

Hmmmmmm!

Just wondered if any1 has heard of a syphon that only removes the dirt, not the water!?!
My husband said he used 2 have 1 with his old tank. I've never heard of this. Any1 else? (either that or i'm really daft & missing out on something)
) )

Isnt that called a filter?

 

[fufanu360]

haha nice one mwm, a filter doesnt stir up the gravel though, its just cleans the water

 

[mwm]

haha i try

 

[candy]

my bf can atach his syphon to his canister filter thus taking the dirt and putting it in the filter then the filter returning the water to the tank .... still ahve to do water changes so we hardly use it

 

[Sorrell]

I used to suck my siphons and I still do on baby tanks with airline tubing, but on the bigguns I use a turkey baster to get it started. Works like a charm, none in my mouth, none on my hands

 

[Inchworm]

Hmmmmmm!

Just wondered if any1 has heard of a syphon that only removes the dirt, not the water!?!
My husband said he used 2 have 1 with his old tank. I've never heard of this. Any1 else? (either that or i'm really daft & missing out on something)
) )

Actually, this is not a good idea. The main point in doing a water change is to take out some of the water and replace it with clean and fresh water.

What you might not realize is that you not only want to remove visible dirt, when cleaning your tank, but you need to remove bad bacteria as well. Left in there, they will reproduce and you run a greater risk of your fish getting sick if they are stressed from one thing or another.

While there will always be some bad bacteria just waiting for the opportunity to attack the fish, you can make life hard for them, simply by doing good and frequent water changes and bottom vacuumings.

 

[chris_1127]

i dont think anyones suggested using them instead of doing a water change - theyre useful as an addition - i do at least 25% a week but due to my two bristlenoses i find that a quick hoover-up midweek helps keep it a bit tidier

 

[pebbles]

fairyangel ... use a turkey baster in the bucket end of the tube to start the water flowing.....
candyco . they can be bought in uk ... most good LFS where i live sell them.. like said cannot replace water changes they are useful for tidying up in between .... pebbs

 

[the caretaker]

the best way I have found of doing a water change and a gravel clean is use a gravel cleaner it starts the drain off on it;s own you get to clean the gravel and do a water change NO sucking and your tank is really clean

 

[Candyco]

TY pebbs.... it's just the poo my red-bellies create looks terrible after a day or so (especially in sand), didn't want 2 keep taking water out n changing it all the time!

 

[Paul_MTS]

I just siphon my tanks.

On my big tank i use 3/4" hose to syphon it straight out the window into the garden.

You don't need to suck on the end until the ater comes into your mouth, just until it's over the highest point then the water will shortly follow!!

When you water change shop tanks you don't eant the water in your mouth so you soon learn!

I attach rigid piping to the end of the hose to vacuum the sand more easily.

We sell a mains powered gravel cleaner and it's rubbish, it's not powerful enough to suck out the salmon catfishes crap in there

 

[Talisman]

By the way, to answer your question BigAl's DONT ship to the UK.