Hi! Introduce yourselves here. :: Hello from Mexico.

[kornygerm]

well, i was told in another forum that by using a hose and a bottle, you basically have to suck it from the hose and then let the water drop into a bucket, but its not very recomended, cause its salmonella e efective hahaha.

I did not know, filters could do that, i have to get one of those.

[SpotsMama]

I've never sucked on a syphon in my life - but I use them all the time. You just scoop water into the mouth of the syphon and hold the mouth up so the water runs down hill, then quickly put the syphon back in the water so that the vacuum created by the water running down hill pulls more water into the syphon and - presto - the syphon is running.

The rule is that the place the water is draining into has to be lower than the water itself. Gravity is what pulls the water downhill.

I would never ever put a syphon in my mouth that was going to drain dirty turtle water or gasoline. Yuck!!

[DavidY]

I was only kidding before (actually that's the way we used to siphon gas back in the days when we were poor kids with fast cars!). I always fill the hose with water either by submerging the whole thing in the tank or from the faucet in the sink, then put my thumbs over each end, position one end in the tank and the other end over the bucket below the tank and then release both ends.

[SpotsMama]

That works too.

I know you know about syphons, DavidY, but I think some folks don't so if that's the case I want to be sure they understand how easy it is - and safe. I can still remember when I didn't know about syphons and what a revelation it was to find out about them!

[steve]

Hi! Don't move a tank or aquarium that has water in it. Make sure it is empty of water, decorations, rocks and turtles.

David's method works well, just make sure the end going into the bucket is lower than the end sucking up water. And try not to have air bubbles in the tube when you are first trying to get it going.

[kornygerm]

Hi, we use use the syphon today, it worked..Took a little bit of time, but at least i didnt have to move the tank for nothing!.In the next water change, we will clean the tank.

On a funny note, my dad was helping me with that..He have not had much of interaction with my turtles before, cause as we were getting the syphon set up.Torto will get close and try to bite me(she has been doing that lately, dunno if its a good or bad thing)..So my dad is saying, i wonder if their bite is painfull.So he let torto bite him and yes it hurt him hahaha.Hes ok though and the turtle as well.

I have the tank half full right now, will be putting more water over the week.

[SpotsMama]

Good for you korny! The syphon will change your life!

Turtles have bites like steel traps! Someone on here said his turtle bit him on his finger and changed his fingerprint forever!

[DavidY]

The bigger diameter hose the faster it will siphon the water out and the stronger the suction will be. I usually use a 3/8" or 1/2" inner diameter hose.