# How to empty a 55 gallon?



## alysalouise (Mar 15, 2011)

So a few months ago like beginning of summerish, I was emptying out my salt water tank, and i ran the syphon hose out my window from my tank, and spent most of my day downstairs, forgtting about my tank, and the fact that the spyhon didnt reach the last 3-4 inchs of water unless im holding it straight down to it
So when i finally remembered, i went up there to check on it, and well it was above the water level, so i was to late, now im trying to figure out how to get those last few inches out?
Its up on a dinning room table, so its pretty high up there, so i dont want to take the chances of tipping it off the edge of the table onto my bed then onto my floor, and that would still leave me at the problem of taking the last bit of water out,plus its still full of crushed coral and sand



Any tips?

I want to leave the sand in there, cause im setting it back up as fresh water, downstairs this time, when my dad finishes building my stand and can get it over to my moms house for me


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

Could you shove the syphon down into the crushed coral and sand and drain into five gallon( bucket(s) ?
You will lose a little sand, but most will need to be scooped out with plastic cup, or small rubber/plastic dust pan.
May have to suck on the end of syphon to get water started, or talk someone else into doin it .
If tank is no larger than 20 gallons,, I would just scoop out the coral/sand, (all of it) and then get help to carry the tank to tub and pour out the water.
Three or four inches/ of water should not put much of a strain on tank seals for smaller tanks.
If tank is full , or larger,,then I would not try and move it until only two or three inches of water remained.


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## alysalouise (Mar 15, 2011)

1077 said:


> Could you shove the syphon down into the crushed coral and sand and drain into five gallon( bucket(s) ?
> You will lose a little sand, but most will need to be scooped out with plastic cup, or small rubber/plastic dust pan.
> May have to suck on the end of syphon to get water started, or talk someone else into doin it .
> If tank is no larger than 20 gallons,, I would just scoop out the coral/sand, (all of it) and then get help to carry the tank to tub and pour out the water.
> ...


Lol i cant figure out how to get it going with sucking on the end without a mouth full of nasty fish water, makes me gag thinking of the fact that they peed and pooed in it lol
It is a 55 gallon, I am thinking since the gap from the edge of the table to my bed is maybe a foot wide, that i might be able to slide it over onto the bed, then from there slide it so its sitting on the ground and bed, so all the water is on one end, and makes it easier to cup the water, cause i just checked and I was way off, the water left is maybe an inch deep

I sadly have no buckets here
Sucks, makes every waterchange take longer, i have to use 1 gallon milk jugs


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## AbbeysDad (Mar 28, 2011)

You need to get some buckets - since your moving it and switching from salt to fresh water, the sand has to come out and get cleaned. a 55g tank is enough to move by itself - the substrate needs to come out.
You can get an inexpensive siphon with a ball or such allowing you to pump to start a siphon.


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## woaussie (Aug 15, 2009)

If you do not want a full mouth of water first use at least 1/2 ID clear hose. Second blow thru the hose first and in the same breath suck on it and you will be able to see the water coming thru the hose in time to put the end in a bucket or what ever this way you keep from getting a mouth full of water. Really woeks good siphoning gas.
Another good tool is go to most any auto parts store and buy a super siphon. I got all mine thru Amazon shopping. It comes with usally a 6 foot hose. The siphon end work it up and down pretty fast this will start the siphon. You will not believe how fast it will remove water about approx 2 gallons a minute. They usally run about $10.00 to $13.00 for one. I have 3 of them. One of them I have 20 foot length of hose on it this way I drain it out the front door into the flower beds. These really work. You may have to use the regular hose method seeings the water is so low. The super siphon would not work because the water is to low to start it.


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## alysalouise (Mar 15, 2011)

woaussie said:


> If you do not want a full mouth of water first use at least 1/2 ID clear hose. Second blow thru the hose first and in the same breath suck on it and you will be able to see the water coming thru the hose in time to put the end in a bucket or what ever this way you keep from getting a mouth full of water. Really woeks good siphoning gas.
> Another good tool is go to most any auto parts store and buy a super siphon. I got all mine thru Amazon shopping. It comes with usally a 6 foot hose. The siphon end work it up and down pretty fast this will start the siphon. You will not believe how fast it will remove water about approx 2 gallons a minute. They usally run about $10.00 to $13.00 for one. I have 3 of them. One of them I have 20 foot length of hose on it this way I drain it out the front door into the flower beds. These really work. You may have to use the regular hose method seeings the water is so low. The super siphon would not work because the water is to low to start it.


 
I have a syphon, no need to buy another one


And i dont think i really need to get some buckets since there isnt that much water, and if its that big of an issue to clean the sand again, then i can put it in my big bowl i used to clean it out in last time


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## Lynxinater (Oct 13, 2011)

Is your syphon clear? If so you don't have to suck on it until the water reaches your mouth... just enough to where gravity will do the work for you...


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## alysalouise (Mar 15, 2011)

Lynxinater said:


> Is your syphon clear? If so you don't have to suck on it until the water reaches your mouth... just enough to where gravity will do the work for you...


 Ya its clear. And I Have tried the whole gravity trick, and it just doesnt work for me


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## ladayen (Jun 21, 2011)

What Abbey was saying is you need to remove the sand from the tank before you move it anyhow, or else you put substantial strain on it and may break it. Once the sand and everything is out you may be able to fit the hose under the water.


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## AbbeysDad (Mar 28, 2011)

You might take your siphon hose to the sink, fill the hose with water and put your thumbs over each end with both ends held up. Carefully put one end into the tank, then lower the other end to your bucket/pail. (I do this with a garden hose in the spring to remove the brown water from the pool cover) 

And yes, you don't want to move a tank with the substrate in it - you increase the risk of breaking the glass, not to mention the extra weight of wet gravel/sand - the empty tank is more than enough to manage for mere mortals.


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## Mikaila31 (Dec 18, 2008)

Yeah you need to remove the substrate to move it. Average substrate in a 55 is gonna weigh around 100lbs give or take. Also I would greatly question if the sand is suitable for FW. The crushed coral defiantly isn't unless you want a rift tank. If the sand is actual marine sand its likely to screw up your pH.


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## alysalouise (Mar 15, 2011)

Mikaila31 said:


> Yeah you need to remove the substrate to move it. Average substrate in a 55 is gonna weigh around 100lbs give or take. Also I would greatly question if the sand is suitable for FW. The crushed coral defiantly isn't unless you want a rift tank. If the sand is actual marine sand its likely to screw up your pH.


Its just plain black sand and white sand, not the live sand
I'll figure out everything next week, Didnt get to it today, and am planning on being gone for the weekend so ya lol


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