Habitat - Indoor :: Questions on a 55 gal

[Brianthedog18]

I'm in the process of buying a 55 gallon on ebay from a seller around CT, but I have a few questions before I actually buy it.

First off, as a lot of you know, I live in a dorm room. Are there any special considerations about the floors? Will they be able to hold the weight? (The max tank size is supposed to be 30 gallons, but I can sneak it in).

Also, when doing a complete cleaning, how do you get out the little bit of water that the hose can't get to? With my 20 gallon, I'd just lift it and dump it in the sink, but obviously you can't do that with a 55 gallon. Should I just leave it and add new water?

I really want to upgrade Leo's tank, but I need to make sure it is reasonable first, I don't want the floor in my dorm room to collapse!

[missibsu]

I don't know about your dorm rooms, but when I was in college ours were pretty sound. I mean people lug along all kinds of crap to college and we were never warned about weight issues. I would attempt to put it along the wall and not in the middle of the floor, that way there is some extra support.

As for the last bit of water, leave it. I have a 75 gallons, and even when I do a complete cleaning I leave a couple of inches of water. Mostly because I don't want to catch all of the guppies that my turts have lost interest in. When you think about the amount of water you are adding, that last little bit is nothing.

[Brianthedog18]

Ok, thanks for the response miss!

I think what I'll do is build a stand for it once I get it, and then put it in the corner of my room. With my 20 gallon, I usually brought it back and forth when I came home from school, but I think I'll bring the 55 gal in August and leave it there until May when I come home. Until then I'll just use my 20 gallon as a temporary for when I come home and have to take Leo with me.

That'll make it much easier to go back and forth too. I'm so excited for the new tank!!

[Brianthedog18]

Also, what's the best filter for a 55 gallon?

[missibsu]

I love my xp3, it comes highly recommended from me...and some others on here as well!

[industrial_girl_2000]

First off, as a lot of you know, I live in a dorm room. Are there any special considerations about the floors? Will they be able to hold the weight? (The max tank size is supposed to be 30 gallons, but I can sneak it in).

Also, when doing a complete cleaning, how do you get out the little bit of water that the hose can't get to? With my 20 gallon, I'd just lift it and dump it in the sink, but obviously you can't do that with a 55 gallon. Should I just leave it and add new water?

I really want to upgrade Leo's tank, but I need to make sure it is reasonable first, I don't want the floor in my dorm room to collapse!

I also have a 55gal tank which I have had for 12 yrs (which will be replaced within the next year....I'm already saving up for a much larger tank for my big baby!).

I would get a tank stand to hold the tank (don't put it directly on the floor because you don't know if the floor is even or not). Best to give the tank as much support all the way around as you can. You can get a simple tank stand made of metal (I recently saw them at Petsmart & they were reasonably priced). It doesn't have to be fancy, but it will support your tank properly.

Heck, by the time you fill the tank 2/3 for your turt (& allow basking space at the top), I guess that would be around 30 gallons so you wouldn't be over the limit.

Also, when I empty the water out of my tank (I also have a 55 gallon with a basking area that is *above* the tank rather than inside the tank, so the water is all the way to the top), I don't worry about the last inch of water. I just empty as much as possible, then refill. It helps to put the tank near a window so you can just put the siphon tube out the window and let her rip! That way you don't have to lug the water outside with buckets or pick up the heavy tank. Likewise, if you have a hose outside, you can route it into the window & fill 'er up quickly! Works great. I used to do this all the time at my old house when the option was available.

Once the tank is set up, I don't move it. I just don't want to take chances of dropping/jarring it because I don't want it to leak/break.

[gammeragirl]

I have a 55 gallon tank too, and I siphon it by the window! funny, my turtle's name is Sheba. She is 3 years old, and spoiled rotten. I wedge the siphon in a corner of the tank as low to the bottom as possible. Then secure the tube thru the window and walk away. Works well. Any nasty stuff left behind I sop up with paper towels. Most all of the water goes.

[BullDog]

Out the window? That's awsome xD I've never done that... Well, partly because the back door and hot tub right under my window I usually dump it down the toilet.