A stupid question for mini-monster keepers...

[jclyde13]

How do you do water changes on tanks that are <10 gallons? I just set up a new 3-3.5 gallon tank last night and was wondering how I am going to do water changes on it, since I have never had a tank that small before other than my 2 gallon (but for the 2 gallon I just use a plastic cup to remove the water). Do they make siphons small enough to use on smaller tanks, or do you just have to do everything completely manually?

 

[jclyde13]

bump

 

[jclyde13]

Come on, such a simple question and no one out of the 21 viewers has been able to give any kind of advise...

 

[iloveoscars702]

plastic cup... take water out, put water in. or get some vinyl tubing so you can use to clean the gravel as well.

 

[GEO QUEEN]

what i actually use is an extra tube that came with my camel bak when i bought it. It works wonderfully.

 

[joel.uejio]

siphon into and out of a bucket -- bucket on floor to siphon out, bucket on a ladder or tall counter to siphon in.

 

[L!$A]

I just use a jug for my 5g&7g and i always move around the sand to be sure nothing nasty is sticking around.. you could just use a normal siphon that you use on your larger tanks, just keep the water on low pressure so it doesn't pull too much water out too fast. It would take you 5 mins versus 15 mins going back and forth with a jug either way is a good way of cleaning

 

[polish]

I just use a cup on my 5g.

I wish it was that easy for the bigger tanks.

 

[jclyde13]

I just use a jug for my 5g&7g and i always move around the sand to be sure nothing nasty is sticking around.. you could just use a normal siphon that you use on your larger tanks, just keep the water on low pressure so it doesn't pull too much water out too fast. It would take you 5 mins versus 15 mins going back and forth with a jug either way is a good way of cleaning

I don't have a python, I just use a regular siphon on my 220 gallon, and it is way to big to use on my smaller tanks (it's about 24-30" long, not counting the tubing). I guess I'll just have to keep using the cup/jug method. The only thing I don't like about using a cup or a jug is that it makes it more difficult to get all of the poop out of the tank, but I don't think there are any siphons that are small enough to work for my tank (it is only 14" x 7.5" x 9").

Thanks for the replies everyone.

 

[Chris-Chicago]

On our 5 gal, we use two old milk jugs. Let water stand under counter in the milk jug, then siphon tank water into empty milk jug, then pour in fresh water into tank. Seems to work well. Haven't tried the python yet, but was considering supporting the LFS and getting one this weekend....