How to syphon water from the upstairs bath to a huge aquarium down stairs?

Question

ok so I live in a flat and have no running water down stairs in the lobby where my huge aquarium for my terrapins is.

I am hoping to fill it by syphoning water from the bath. I will need to do regular water changes and its a lot of water so I need to find the best way.

There are no taps suitable to attach a hose to and plus I would like to get the water the right temerature before it gets to the tank so I don't have to take my turtles out and stress them.

I have a length of garden hose, and sucking it doesn't work lol.

I tried to fill the tube with water in the bath to start it off to and that wont work.

Has anyone any ideas how to do rhis, is there anything I can do to start it off?

Answer 1

Pet stores sell syphons specifically for cleaning aquariums - I used to have one.  It may be a lengthy process, but it doesn't sound like you have many options, other than perhaps running a hose inside from an outside spigot, if you have one.  Either way, if you would like to temper the water first, you'll need to let it sit in containers.  The biggest ones I can think of would be a couple of five-gallon buckets (or if you're short on space, you could consider the slightly smaller but collapsible water jugs used for camping).  Make sure you keep the syphon and the buckets clean and strictly for this use so nothing is contaminated.

Answer 2

Put a nozzle on the end of the hose, lock it open. slowly put the entire hose under water, the hose should slowly fill with water, Once the entire hose is filled shut the nozzle. Keep one end under the water and then stretch the hose down stairs into your fish tank, open the nozzle. The water will flow!!!!!!.

Answer 3

Why don't do you get an electric water pump?

Answer 4

Try putting a nozzle on the end of the hose and filling the hose using the pressure from the tap in the tub while the hose is in the tub with the nozzle open. This will cause alot of bubbles. When the bubbles stop close the end of the nozzle and put the open end of the hose under the water. Then take the nozzle end downstairs and open the nozzle. You will have a great stream of water to use. Just remember to have someone upstairs making sure that the end of the hose stays under the water. Good Luck!

Answer 5

Most auto and marine supply stores sell a small pump with garden hose connections for under $20.00.  It is powered by an ordinary 3/8" power drill.  You will, of course, require a 2nd, short length of garden hose such as you might salvage from an old washing machine.

That said, I note two other concerns.  First, if you are going to siphon the water from your bathtub for your aquatic friends, you will need to take great care to ensure all soap and cleaning product residues have been cleaned from the tub surfaces.  They can be deadly to critters.

Secondly, before you get this large quantity of water siphoned to an area of your home where there is no running water (and presumably no drains) you may wish to give some careful consideration to how you are going to dispose of said water -- and to what may be damaged should the aquarium leak or burst.  Around these parts, landlords and other tenants would definitely hold you responsible for all damage caused by such a flood.