Habitat - Indoor :: Cleaning 20 gallon Tank

[elinka]

Hi! What's the best way to clean a 20 gallon tank, or just a glass tank in general? Should I carry the tank outside and pour the dirty water out(which will be kinda difficult) How do you all change and clean the tank water? Thanks!

[therizman1]

Something to consider before carrying it outside, water weights about 8lbs per gallon... so even if it is half full, thats 80lbs to carry.

If you go to any pet store, or even Meijers, they sell suction things, usually called gravel vacs that work very well to clean out your tank.

Mike

[jenaero]

I bought a Python for about $80 at the local pet store. It's got a 50 foot hose (also available in 25 & 100 feet) and it hooks up to your kitchen tap. It drains AND fills the tank with no spills. Here is a link for that

http://www.pythonproducts.com/nospill.htm

The last thing you want to do is carry a tank full of water around. It can very easily break in your hands..you'll have a big mess, and maybe need some stitches

[kneecole]

or you can do the cheap complicated way like me.... scope out bucket fulls of water till its not so hard to carry....

[marisa]

I do the bucket thing with my 20 gallon as well, since the tank isn't that big (I actually have a really big scoop that I use to fill the buckets with). And I don't move the tank until all the water is out of it.

[elinka]

oh okay, that makes sense. i think i'll try the bucket method

[Oldturtle72]

They also sell siphon hoses in the pet stores or you can go to any store that sells plastic tubing. If you buy a long enough piece, you can self prime it by putting one end in a bucket and put the other end under the water and lift it up to get the water flowing down the tube and then rapidly putting the end in your hand back under the water. This beats putting the low end in your mouth and sucking on it to get a water flow. Using a siphon like this will empty your 20 gallon without having to bail and eliminates pickin' that haevy, awkward sucker up. Also if the tubing is 1/2 inch or better ID you can aim the tip end at debris on the tank bottom and it will suck it up. I use that setup when I do a partial on my 265 gallon basement pond but I'm lucky--I have a nearby floor drain. I also don't have any gravel on my habitat bottoms.

[judo42]

I agree with Old Turtle...a siphon is probably the way to go cause it's pretty fast and easy. I use a 5 gallon bucket myself and just siphon until the bucket gets full. I clean the gravel on the bottom of my tank 2-3 times a week cause I like have the water super clear. Also cause it only takes me about 2-3 mins to fill up the 5 gallon bucket with dirty water. A siphon would also be a good investment now cause you're definitely gonna need one as you upgrade to bigger tanks to accomodate your greenies' growth as s/he gets older.

[tissigirl]

I also agree with OldTurtle. A siphon is definately the way to go! It also cleans out the dirt that gets under your rocks (if you have them) that won't get cleaned using a bucket. You'll be surprised the nasty stuff that gets trapped there!! And it sucks up the small particles that using a bucket may not get. It tends to suck the stuff like a magnet.

[da sAUCE!]

you know what i do? i use my filter as a water pump.....i put a container up to the outpour and just let the filter suck almost 95% of the water out. CRAFTY, EH!?!?

[judo42]

Good Stuff Sauce! Never heard of that or even thought of it. Ingenuity at it's finest. If I didn't already have a siphon I would try that out. Now at least I have something to fall back on if my siphon ever breaks.

[elinka]

da SAUCE-that's a great idea, i think i'll give that a try as well

[Rickh]

My 2 cents. I love the Python. I have a 7 year old RES who lives in a 150 gallon tank. I keep the tank clear, except for the basking area which will someday come outside and on top of the tank, just havn't engineered that yet. If you haven't used the Python, it drains as well as refills your tank. I have done full water changes in cluding filter cleanings (Duel Fluval 404's) and Sally just kicks back and watches the show. Save your backs, and get one. If you take good care of your turtles, they will grow quick. Sally is 9 1/2 inch shell length and weighs 4.5 lbs.