LOOKING FOR TIPS ON WATER CHANGES

[KABB44423]

HOW DO YOU DO YOUR WATER CHANGE LOOKING FOR TIPS:confused: :naughty:

[Bsixxx]

go to petco buy a python water changer look at directions
:D

[rob0521]

Python at my moms house, and at my dads I use a 5 gallon bucket on my 29 and 10, and I run the gravel vac out the door for my 120 then fill it up with a garden hose.

[Wolf3101]

I use a power head and short piece of hose to fill 5 gallon buckets. My seasoned water is in 5 gal. containers and this makes it simple to know how much I'm replacing in each tank.

[fishdance]

I use a drip system now but before I used a small marker pen on the plastic corner to indicate how far to drain. Since I had so many tanks, I used to take out the same amount of water volume since most tanks were about the same sizes. ie 100L from each tank ... so when it was time to refill I could add the same neutraliser dose (one capful for example) to every tank and use multiple hoses to fill. I made a small PVC U tube with tap so I didnt have to hold the refilling hoses.

[ShadowBass]

Python.
Drain, dechlorinate, fill.

[ercnan]

Garden hose.
Drain via gravity, re-fill via pump in utility sink.

[WyldFya]

Python's are nice, but they are a waste of water.

For all my tanks I drain water with a PVC U tube with fish guard, and vinyl hose out the door, or in the tub. On the end of the tube I have a garden thread ball valve. I use a drill pump to pull the water out of the tanks, as this is MUCH faster than waiting for gravity. When refilling, for smaller tanks (less than 100 gallons), I hook up the same tube up to the sink faucet, and add dechlor. For larger and taller tanks, I use a trash can full of water, and 5 gallon buckets that get dechlorinated before dumping. I fill the buckets in the tub (tub faucets pump more water than sink faucets) and dump them into the trash can. I have a 1/4 horsepower pump in the trash can which pumps 1050 gph.

[Buckdog]

This is the setup I use for my 120gal. The whole process takes about 15-20 minutes if I do a 50% w/c.

The pump is a Lowes fountain pump left over from a project from a couple of years ago. It hangs on the side of the tank by a bent stainless steel strap.

The hose ( I chose yellow so everyone in the house knows it's for the fish) is run to a washing machine drain (or sink or whatever)

While the tank is emptying the large cooler is filling in the nearby bathtub. I throw Prime, medicine and even ice on hot days, whatever the need in there.

When the tank is down to the level I want I move the pump to the cooler, hook the hose end on the tank and fill it up.

Done.

The cooler works great because any leftover water can be let out the spigot. I will find something lighter because the cooler is cumbersome and heavy. I didnt want to use the bathtub because of possible soap contamination.

You can tell we havent remodeled the laundryroom and the bathroom yet but we
're working on it

[12 Volt Man]

the most important tip I can give is to make sure you do them every week.

no exceptions!

many of my fish are over 9 years old, with the oldest being 15 and counting.

I credit this sucess from water changes every week.

water quality is (obviously) the main killer of fish.

doing regular water changes (along with not overfeeding) ensures that this will not be a problem.

then, with some good fortune (as far as disease and injury go) your fish will live for a long long time. ;)

[Gr8KarmaSF]

be sure to match your temp.!

[KABB44423]

thanks for the tips so far keep them coming:headbang2

[Mystix212]

They way I've always done it is by using a siomple syphon, suck the crap up from the gravel, fill a 2G bucket, then repeat.

Is there any easier way to do so? I was thinking of buying a huge hose and connecting it to a powerhead and just use the hose to water plants/grass etc outside.

[TCZeli]

ok on my 55Gallin - I fill three 5 gallon buckets of water and let sit for a week (with added water conditioner). I then use a syphon to remove water from my tank into another 5 gallon bucket, and repeat 3 times. I then fill with the 3 aged-water buckets. (all buckets have heaters)

I plan on getting a 150Gallon tank and this is my plan - Long syphon to drain the water strait out of the house (neighbors yard or somthing) Then I will have 2 rubbermaid garbage cans (30 gallons each) possitioned on either side of my tank (bottom of cans will be equal height to top of tank) I will have aged water in them with submersible heaters. I will put a tap on the bottom of both cans and simply position the tap over the tank and release it to fill tank back up.

I read all over these forums of people just adding water to there tanks strait from the tap?!?!?!? Tap water contains chlorine which kills beneficial bacteria. Even if you place water conditioner in the tank immediatly after filling it, your bacteria colony will take a huge hit. Am I missing something that noone seems to worry about this? Water should sit for atleast a day.

[soggysandwich]

I read all over these forums of people just adding water to there tanks strait from the tap?!?!?!? Tap water contains chlorine which kills beneficial bacteria. Even if you place water conditioner in the tank immediatly after filling it, your bacteria colony will take a huge hit. Am I missing something that noone seems to worry about this? Water should sit for atleast a day.

this is not true for everyone it depends where you live. i have never used water conditioner and i have never had a problem with chlorine. when i do water changes for my 75 i use a 5 gallon bucket take out 20gallons using the bucket and syphon. then i fill up the bucket using a sink in my laundry room and fill up the tank. for my 20 i use the same process but i use a 1 gallon container and only take 4 gallons out. and then for my feeder tank i do the same thing as the 20 but only take out a gallon (its only 5 gallons)

oh and i tried using a python but my sink is too old and it cant take the pressure when i turn off the hose part and the sink it still going. water starts to spray out of the part were the faucet meets the sink. (big mess + wet room)

[Dr Joe]

ok on my 55Gallin - I fill three 5 gallon buckets of water and let sit for a week (with added water conditioner). I then use a syphon to remove water from my tank into another 5 gallon bucket, and repeat 3 times. I then fill with the 3 aged-water buckets. (all buckets have heaters)

I plan on getting a 150Gallon tank and this is my plan - Long syphon to drain the water strait out of the house (neighbors yard or somthing) Then I will have 2 rubbermaid garbage cans (30 gallons each) possitioned on either side of my tank (bottom of cans will be equal height to top of tank) I will have aged water in them with submersible heaters. I will put a tap on the bottom of both cans and simply position the tap over the tank and release it to fill tank back up.

I read all over these forums of people just adding water to there tanks strait from the tap?!?!?!? Tap water contains chlorine which kills beneficial bacteria. Even if you place water conditioner in the tank immediatly after filling it, your bacteria colony will take a huge hit. Am I missing something that noone seems to worry about this? Water should sit for atleast a day.

Your idea for the reintroduction of water is convenient...just remember with the tank you'll have over 3/4 of a ton of water on the stand.

Your right on two counts with tap water, it is detrimental to the bacteria colony and you should let treated water set for a period of time (an hour is fine especially if aerated). The thinking behind dumping it straight into the tank is its easy and they can't see the effects...bacteria colonies rebuild quickly if you have a substantial media area and some de-chlorinationg agents say they work instantly, which translates in some peoples minds to no effect on the tanl or its inhabitants. But it just doesn't work that way.

You also have gill burn, eye problems, lateral line erosion, hole in head syndrom and reduced slime coat.

Oh and I use treated and stored (same day usually) water with pumps to remove and replace water. Pumps are cleaned between use in each tank.

Dr Joe

.

[theanimalman]

I don't think Python hoses are really made to be able to withstand the pressure of leaving your tap on and closing the valve on the hose. The water pressure from the tap will almost always be too much. Just turn the tap on and off as you need to siphon and then fill.
I started out using buckets. I had alot of small tanks.
After getting a few big tanks I now use a Python hose. Just siphon the water out into a utility sink. Then ad water back to the tank from the same sink using the tap. I've never treated my water and have never had any problems.

[TCZeli]

"Your idea for the reintroduction of water is convenient...just remember with the tank you'll have over 3/4 of a ton of water on the stand."

Yea I have thought of that and was planning on using separate structures to hold the cans. Perhaps It would be easier just to put them on the ground and use pumps, we'll see.....

As far as the water being aerated, I was planning on putting a air stone in each just because it seemed like to much water to just be sitting still, but if it will shorten the treatment time from 24 hours to 1 hour then I am deff on bored. I knew aerating made the process faster but I had no idea it was that much faster, thanks for the tip:cheers:

[Nic]

one very important tip when refilling don't let temp hit 100 this kills moba fronts very quickly

[TCZeli]

yea I will have thermometers in them as well. All I need now is a filter and Ill have a rubbermaid fish tank lol

[CHOMPERS]

I don't think... ...Python ... ...I've never treated my water and have never had any problems.

:wall: :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall:

Did you even read Dr. Joes post?

You are encouraging others to follow your bad habits.

[danny]

btw the tank warter is great for your vegie plot, it turns all you vegetables into MONSTERS:headbang2

[KABB44423]

Your idea for the reintroduction of water is convenient...just remember with the tank you'll have over 3/4 of a ton of water on the stand.

Your right on two counts with tap water, it is detrimental to the bacteria colony and you should let treated water set for a period of time (an hour is fine especially if aerated). The thinking behind dumping it straight into the tank is its easy and they can't see the effects...bacteria colonies rebuild quickly if you have a substantial media area and some de-chlorinationg agents say they work instantly, which translates in some peoples minds to no effect on the tanl or its inhabitants. But it just doesn't work that way.

You also have gill burn, eye problems, lateral line erosion, hole in head syndrom and reduced slime coat.

Oh and I use treated and stored (same day usually) water with pumps to remove and replace water. Pumps are cleaned between use in each tank.

Dr Joe

.
so from what you guys are saying the Python is just really not the thing 2 use because i cant add declo and let the water sit so in all the Python kills my beni bact?:confused:

[Dr Joe]

Pythons don't kill fish...Chlorine does.

Some of the bacteria if you have a large bio-media area...unless you put the python next to the intake for your filter while it's running.

Declor works instantly...on contact.

If you want an example, half-fill a 100g+ tank with water, put in 1/4 cup of milk and then fill it up, while watching the milk...does it mix with all the new water before the new water could get to the fish? Nope, it swirls around slowly dissipating into the water.

Dechlor is a wonderful thing...not magic, we need to give it a chance to work.

Oh, and putting chlorinated water into the tank and trusting it to dilute just makes the chlorine more effective as a pollutant.

Yes alot of the time you seem to get away with it...but you really don't.

I'm not criticizing anyone here, we're all here for our fish , at least that's what I like to think :D.

Facts is facts.

Dr Joe

.

[KABB44423]

Pythons don't kill fish...Chlorine does.

Some of the bacteria if you have a large bio-media area...unless you put the python next to the intake for your filter while it's running.

Declor works instantly...on contact.

If you want an example, half-fill a 100g+ tank with water, put in 1/4 cup of milk and then fill it up, while watching the milk...does it mix with all the new water before the new water could get to the fish? Nope, it swirls around slowly dissipating into the water.

Dechlor is a wonderful thing...not magic, we need to give it a chance to work.

Oh, and putting chlorinated water into the tank and trusting it to dilute just makes the chlorine more effective as a pollutant.

Yes alot of the time you seem to get away with it...but you really don't.

I'm not criticizing anyone here, we're all here for our fish , at least that's what I like to think :D.

Facts is facts.

Dr Joe

.thats right:D im here to learn by all means i want my fish happy

[KABB44423]

i like ur way better Dr just fill up the bucket add de chlo let sit for a hour or so and add to the tank that seem easy:naughty: :headbang2

[CHOMPERS]

Actually, if you add the dechlor to your bucket and then fill it, it will be done before you get it to the tank.

If you use a barrel and pump, it will be done by the time the water reaches the other end of your hose. (The pump and hose turbulence helps mix the water.)

[KABB44423]

Actually, if you add the dechlor to your bucket and then fill it, it will be done before you get it to the tank.

If you use a barrel and pump, it will be done by the time the water reaches the other end of your hose. (The pump and hose turbulence helps mix the water.):headbang2 you allways seem to come up with some goooooooood s#!t:headbang2i love this site thanks guys and gals