Nano tank maintenance questions

[assasin6547]

So how do you nano owners go about doing water changes? I can't really siphon water out or put it in using a bucket or else I disturb the substrate, fish and plants.
For now, I've been using a small 3 pint glass to take the water out then replace but it is such a PITA! Even though my aquarium is only 5.5 gallons it still takes forever.

[dr3ww3rd]

I also have a 5.5 gallon. I always drain out about 50-80% of the water. When I refill the tank I put in a paper plate over part of the substrate. I then fill a 5 gallon bucket with water and use a glass to scoop water from the bucket and pour on the paper plate so it doesn't mess up the substrate or plants. Sounds complicated but it's not

[assasin6547]

How do you drain it? Does your tank have a valve/seal/hole?

[sarahspins]

On my smallest tanks I drain water with airline tubing... it's slow, but everything else drains way too fast.

[hlaalu]

I drain it with regular 1/2 inch tubing into a bucket, and when pouring water back in I pour it slowly over my hand.

[assasin6547]

Wait I don't get it... How do you get the water to flow down?

[pwolfe]

create a syphon

[Barbgirl]

Very carefully. Hehe

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[Jarek Strzechowski]

+1 on the airline tubing. Pouring in clean water I just disperse it with my hand and pour slowly.

[stanzzzz]

+1 on airline tubing as well, I suck the water into bucket n then replace it with new water, I don't use hands as my plant have a good grip on soil, there is a driftwood on my bowl so put the water onto my driftwood n it acts like a hand .

[mistahoo]

Originally Posted by stanzzzz

+1 on airline tubing as well, I suck the water into bucket n then replace it with new water, I don't use hands as my plant have a good grip on soil, there is a driftwood on my bowl so put the water onto my driftwood n it acts like a hand .

+2 airline tubing. Just stick one end into the tank and suck the other. Make sure your the end outside the tank is lower than the one in the tank so it will create a siphon. Take your mouth off fast or you'll be tasting some nasty water!

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[Bluek24a4]

On my 5.5 nanos I use air line tubing to simultaneously drip in water from one bucket and another tube to drip out tank water into another bucket.

[Bananariot]

K so you have to create a siphon like everyone one has said.

What is important is that the end of the tube NOT in ur tank has to be lower than the aquarium ur draining from.
Say ur aquarium is at about 4 ft off the ground, you have to make sure the other end of the end of the pipe not in the water is like at the 3 ft level.

Sometimes if ur lucky enough the water will push itself all the way through the tube. Most times you have to suck the end to get the air out. Personally I use a mini syringe.

The perks of having parents that work in the medical field.

[aznartist34]

Fill the tubing with water and hold both ends closed with your thumbs or fingers. Place one end into the tank and the other end outside the tank into a container making sure that the outflow end is lower than the inflow end. Gravity will take care of the rest. Still can't believe people suck out water with their mouths when it's that simple.

[DefStatic]

How often are people doing this?