Creating suction without a python?

[Shanny]

Hi Everyone,

I'm a newbie to the hobby. I am in week 7 of a fish-in cycle of a 37g. I am sick of hauling buckets! lol

I was going to get a python but have recently discovered that my water quality isn't good enough to put straight into the tank. I have to let it sit for a day. (Yes I used decholrinator in both methods). My fish got ich when I started using temp matched water that didn't sit for the day. That was the only different thing I did.

So I want a system that will suck the water out of the tank into the bath tub (about 20 feet away) and pump the new water into the tank from buckets that sit in the tub. I was thinking of using a vaccum pump but as the water would go through the pump I worry about oil contamination.

Does anyone have or know of another system other than a python?

Thanks for any advice!
Shanny

 

[meegosh]

Buy a small pump either for a fountain or a pond. I got some pumps for $20 that I used on my autodosers. They would probably be strong enough to move water from a bucket up to a tank.

You could also get a hand pump - ones you use to siphon gas out of gas tanks. It just has a part you squeeze a couple times to get the siphon going.

 

[Slade]

I use a gravel cleaner siphon that I attach to a garden hose to drain into the bathtub. I tried a pump once, but it sucked my gravel through the pump into the hose & it was a mess. If you use a pump, get a weak one, otherwise just let gravity do it. Some canister filters have a drain outlet to attach a hose to for quick water changes, but I prefer to vacuum at the same time.