Question: Filling An Apartment Tank

[Sean1364]

I suppose it's a bit of a funny question, but does anyone have any creative ideas on how to effectively fill a 40 gallon tank in an apartment without a hose or anything of that sort? So far I've just been filling buckets in the bathtub and dumping them in one at a time. Are there any vaccuum types of products that I could use to transport water from my bathtub to my tank?

 

[Shizeric]

I would keep with the bucket method....the hose/bathtub method is asking for a disaster.

 

[Mac Myers]

I was lucky enough to have a sink 7 feet from my tank so a 12' hose and adapter worked for me. I always spill it all over anyway.

 

[CherryBlossom]

I live in an apartment too. I use the bucket method too. But I have 3 kiddies so the use of a hose when they are around is just asking for trouble heehee!

 

[Sean1364]

Okay. What if I wanted to start over, removing both water and sand. How would you suggest removing the remaining water and sand once the amount is too little to get out with a bucket?

 

[Azhael]

With the ole rubber tube.
I feel your pain...i dread even partial water changes xD I don´t even have a bucket, i use a bottle

 

[Sean1364]

With the ole rubber tube.
I feel your pain...i dread even partial water changes xD I don´t even have a bucket, i use a bottle

The problem is that my tank is on the floor at the moment, so I can't use the suction method. I'm really at a loss.

 

[kimko86]

You could try this it's a siphon that you connect to a sink faucet, you can take water out of the tank and then put fresh water back in.

Or you could try this one, I like the removable fish-saver cleaning claw. I have this exact one and I got mine at Wal-Mart for about $35.00.

I've used both of these and they are pretty much the exact same thing but with different makers. I live out in the country so I siphon my tank water out the window and water the flowers/foundation. Then I connect it to the sink and fill it up the tank with fresh water.

When I lived in the city I used to drain it by connecting it to the sink, you twist the bottom piece and then turn the tap water on and it creates a suction to remove the tank water. Then you twist the bottom piece back when your done, and then it directs the flow of water into the tank.

Hope this helps,
Kim

 

[mduros]

I live in a 3rd floor apartment, wood floors, air conditioning that doesn't work, etc. I keep a 55 gallon tropical fish tank and a 20 gallon taricha granulosa tank. I use buckets and empty them into the toilet and fill them in the bathtub. I have five 5 gallon buckets to do weekly changes in the tanks. And do it very assembly line like. I siphon the water into the buckets first, carry one bucket into the bathroom empty it and put it into the tub and start filling it, then get the next bucket, empty it, take the full bucket out of the bathtub, put the empty bucket in to fill and carry the fresh bucket out and fill the tank, and so on... It's very efficient and very quick. When I redo substrate, which I tend to do about once a year, I put the inhabitants in a rubbermaid bin and then siphon as much water as I can out of the tank and just use a large glass and scoop out the substrate putting it into buckets. I then pour as much water as I can off of it and leave the buckets to dry out. I usually then put the dry substrate away somewhere for future re-use.
Take care,
Mary.

 

[mojorising]

I have a 30litre water butt with tap (can get from camping shops or sites). I connect hose to tap and fill butt up. Then close lid and carry to tank

 

[deliriah]

My method is similar to Mary's. I have used a hose in the past, but this did get messy with three kids around. So for me its the bucket method. None of my tanks are on the floor but i do still have some difficulty getting the last of the water out of my lower shelf tanks for a full water change. Luckily the lowest tanks are the smaller tanks, and I usually have my boyfriend help me take the mostly empty tank to the bathtub and dump the remaining water. Without help though, a tank that large would be hard to do that way.

 

[daniellog]

Bucket + Gravel cleaner = Piece of Piss.

 

[deliriah]

Bucket + Gravel cleaner = Piece of Piss.

Umm ok??? I guess.

 

[Ken Worthington]

Ahem, I believe the term, "piece of p*ss" (whilst lacking in eloquence it may be), might refer to the apparent ease of the aformentioned task. :lol:

However, if this 'almost-Shakespearian' term might refer to urine, I am gravely concerned with regards to it's effect on the Nitrogen cycle present within :lol::lol:

 

[ghogg]

I use a gravel siphon and a rubbermaid bin to remove the water from my tank. One nearly full bin is around 20-25% of the tank so its perfect for the normal water changes. The removed water goes down the toilet. Then I use a large jug to refill, with the kitchen sink about 10 feet from the tank.

 

[daniellog]

It means easy basically, should of probably explained that to non british members!

Just get a bucket and a pipe/gravel cleaner, fill the sink up and suck the water from the sink till the pipe is full of water then drop the other end into a bucket. Its as if you were stealing petrol from a car but with water