# How to clean a fish tank---



## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

Could you siphon into 5 gallon buckets and dump one while the other is filling?


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

You can syphon with a bucket  That's what I do.


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## BELLA (Nov 13, 2006)

Ok--how do you do this w/o getting fish water in your mouth?


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## BELLA (Nov 13, 2006)

PS--I have 2 little goldfish--I would like to get more after tank is clean.


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

Goldfish are messy messy fish- be sure to only have one inch of fish per gallon of water, considering adult size of the fish you buy. Consider a filter good enough for a 50 gallon tank if you opt to keep goldfish in a 30.

Lol I used to work in a fish store! I love fishkeeping! We have a 30 gallon tank.


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## BELLA (Nov 13, 2006)

I used to have other kinds of fish but the water heater kept breaking so I couldn't maintain the temp. So I just turned it off and went with goldfish---I know they are messy but so very hardy.


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## Ninde'Gold (Oct 21, 2006)

There's a system you can get a most pet stores. You attach one end to your tap, and the other end sits in the tank, and you hit the switch one direction, it sucks the water out, the other direction it puts water back in.

I think it was like $40, but we had 4 fish tanks, one was 80 gallons and the others were 30s, so it was worth it to us. I can't remember the exact name of the thing... Fluval? Maybe that's just the company? Or that might've been our filters... but it works wonders and sure beats taking the water out with buckets. Most pet stores sell it, its like a syphoning system. Wish I had a picture of it somewhere....


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

yes they are very hardy...

Michelle she is too far from a sink to use that kind...


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## Jo Ellen (Feb 25, 2007)

I'll send Daisy over, she'll be happy to clean it for you 

:wavey:


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## Ninde'Gold (Oct 21, 2006)

AquaClaraCanines said:


> yes they are very hardy...
> 
> Michelle she is too far from a sink to use that kind...


The hose is like 30 feet long. And you can buy extra hose to extend it. 

We had our hose stretched all the way acrossed our condo to get to the bathroom sink 

If she doesn't want to invest in it then there's always buckets lol.


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## Carsonsdaddy (Nov 1, 2006)

Ok.... Easy way to clean fish tank:

Step 1: Carry fish tank over to window
Step 2: push tank out window
Step 3: go buy a dog....they are way easier to clean up after.  : 

((just kidding))


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## Ninde'Gold (Oct 21, 2006)

Python Gravel washer and Syphon

That's what they look like, the initial tubing is only 6ft long but you can get the 20 foot extension tube with the same fittings.

It's basically a water vacuum for fishie tanks. It only took about an hour for us to fully clean our 80 gallon tank, if that. And it wont suck up your fish, no worries we tested that out with the feeder fish first LOL


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## Heidi36oh (Feb 27, 2007)

I've used a wet/dry vacuum before when it really needed cleaned good, but the fish have to come out first....LOL, The Gravel washer/syphon works really good too, I use it a lot. The vacuum I used to completely clean the hole tank once.


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## TheHooch (May 9, 2007)

Carsonsdaddy said:


> Ok.... Easy way to clean fish tank:
> 
> Step 1: Carry fish tank over to window
> Step 2: push tank out window
> ...


And to think I was looking for Ant's shootgun picture to post. ROFL Good one Jeremy.


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## BELLA (Nov 13, 2006)

GoldenLover84 said:


> Python Gravel washer and Syphon
> 
> That's what they look like, the initial tubing is only 6ft long but you can get the 20 foot extension tube with the same fittings.
> 
> It's basically a water vacuum for fishie tanks. It only took about an hour for us to fully clean our 80 gallon tank, if that. And it wont suck up your fish, no worries we tested that out with the feeder fish first LOL


Can you buy this item at Walmart? I think this would work---the tank is about 20 ft from a sink--I just don't want to have to syphon with my mouth--ugh.


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## Ninde'Gold (Oct 21, 2006)

I believe Wal-Mart sells them. I know we bought our first one at a Pet Store but the 2nd one I'm almost positive we picked up at Wal-Mart because we couldn't find a pet store in Calgary when we first got there and we needed to fill the tanks up before the fishies died.


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

My husband used to siphon the water with a section of garden hose. The hose was put out the nearest window. It was a 55 gallon tank. They're beautiful, but he said it was too much work.


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