Please disregard my question as about getting a faucet that can connect directly to the garden hose I see I can purchase an adapter.
Do I need a new faucet in order to use this aqueon water changer?
- Thread starter Irecruitfish
- Start date
It may get old. Here's why I say that and I'm on a well myself. There may be differences in pressure, etc. between my home and yours but they'll be close.
I have a 106G grow out tank that I make regular large water changes to. 12" down from the water line is roughly a 70% WC and each inch takes about 90 seconds to fill with a 100' x 3/4" hose. Let's dork w/ those numbers for a second to illustrate something like what you'll be doing...
In the above example for me to change @ 75G it takes 20 minutes to drain and 18 minutes to fill.
If you did a 75% WC on a 210 w/ similar parameters and similar equipment note:
Drain time est @ 42 minutes
Fill time est @ 38 minutes
That's an hour and 20 minutes of water running and it doesn't count the time messing around in the middle w/ hoses, set up and the like. You may find over time that minimizing maintenance time allows you to enjoy the tank just that much more.
It's also time enough to get wildly distracted by something completely different and well away from the tank. The importance of knowing how long it takes for your tank to fill (and how long to set your alarm for) are critical pieces of info.
If you were to rely on that python for WC's note that a similar 75% WC would likely take something closer to 3 hours (ballpark).
Yeehaw.
Definitely getting a new faucet with a 3/4" adapter for a hose as you mentioned...will work on the pvc attachment you recommended. But how are you draining the tank water with this particular setup?
By the way since you're on well water do you use something like Seachem prime? I've been reading it's not necessary in our case.
Noop. I don't use anything in my tanks, typically. When I do it's more often than not something that others might tell you makes me feel good but doesn't accomplish anything (like melafix). If there were anything on my system that might make it slightly different than some others it's that I have a water conditioner and I don't bypass it for WC's. I also have some fairly serious UV sterilization going on in most of my tanks that in my view minimizes the potential impact a stressed fish might introduce... which is to say I rarely know if my fish have an issue w/ anything aside from attitude in the tanks.
So I was doing some research and came across a video that showed someone who would fill up their bathtub with a 55 gallon tote and using this pump to pump the water directly to their tank.
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Looks like he uses a 1-in hose but that can become constantly I'd rather use a 3/4 in contractor hose like you mentioned. What are your thoughts on this? This seems more ideal that way I don't have to replace the faucet in the laundry room.
I'd bet a nickel that person is doing it that way because they have to. If the options were swapping the faucet vs a tote in the tub I'd go the faucet route instantly.
This is the natural progression...
- Set up the tank and enjoy it
- Do a few WC's and then decide that it's kind of a hassle. "I'll catch it next week".
- NO3 levels bump up and you get an algae outbreak that your oto's can't get ahead of.
- You install a UV sterilizer to bake the spores as they travel through your filter but...
- You notice that the algae grows like crazy in the tank and the UV doesn't matter because not all spores go through your filter
- You decide this is a hassle and the tank gets shut down for a bit.
If you haven't swapped a faucet before note that it's pretty easy and takes less time and money than buying a tote and filling the tub a time or two. If you have mad skills w/ sheetrock and shark bites you can install a bar sink right next to that tank and surprise yourself at how convenient everything can be but until any of that's been done the 3/4" hose, an adapter and a suitable faucet are your good buddies.
You asked about draining. Walk through these steps in your mind to see how it should work:
1) Hook up the hose to the faucet via adapter and hook your home fab'd U-shaped fitting to the tank.
2) Turn on the faucet and listen closely. You're listening for the sound of the water pressure in the hose to change and it will. It takes about 1.75 gallons of water to fill a 100' 3/4" garden hose so it might take a minute or so.
3) Once you hear the sound change shut off the faucet and kink the hose in your hand so no air gets in or water gets out.
4) Unscrew the hose from the faucet and either walk the end of the hose to a spot outdoor or maybe even just to a shower stall. Lay it down as low as you can and unkink the hose. The water will flow from your tank to wherever you've chosen to drain as long as the tank is above the level you're draining to.
If that doesn't make sense you can bet there are several here that likely use a similar method and they can probably articulate it better than I though I'd happily take another stab at it if you like.
It is very simple to just add an extra faucet under the counter in your bathroom or kitchen, or right next to the washing machine valves in the laundry room. You can just use the cold water line or you can do both hot and cold if your water heater has enough capacity to cover a typical water change. I love the idea of a hose reel, if you have the room for it.
Ideally, you'd have this hose devoted to this purpose; that way you can buy a few sets of male and female hose ends, cut the hose to the exact length required and install the threaded ends. As TB stated, excess length is not desired. Buy a nice long hose, 50' or 100', and then make up pieces to the exact lengths you need for various purposes.
Draining water outside in extreme cold? Hah! Unfortunately, this is my specialty!
If you're on a well, you should be able to do this since you're likely rural enough to have the space outdoors. Just make sure you dump it far enough from your house, preferably on a downslope, so that you don't get an unwanted skating rink in your yard.
I don't rely upon siphon action to remove water to the outdoors because I need to dump it a fair distance away from the house, and because almost all my tanks are below grade in the basement. My waste water gets pumped outside, giving me a bit more flexibility as to where it goes.
Ideally, you'd have this hose devoted to this purpose; that way you can buy a few sets of male and female hose ends, cut the hose to the exact length required and install the threaded ends. As TB stated, excess length is not desired. Buy a nice long hose, 50' or 100', and then make up pieces to the exact lengths you need for various purposes.
Draining water outside in extreme cold? Hah! Unfortunately, this is my specialty!
If you're on a well, you should be able to do this since you're likely rural enough to have the space outdoors. Just make sure you dump it far enough from your house, preferably on a downslope, so that you don't get an unwanted skating rink in your yard.I don't rely upon siphon action to remove water to the outdoors because I need to dump it a fair distance away from the house, and because almost all my tanks are below grade in the basement. My waste water gets pumped outside, giving me a bit more flexibility as to where it goes.
You certainly painted a clear picture and explained things perfectly! Thanks for this. Headed over to home Depot to look for a suitable faucet. Wife ideally wants a pull out faucet which she has now for laundry sink.
I now understand how you drain the tank using the hose method. Thanks again
It is very simple to just add an extra faucet under the counter in your bathroom or kitchen, or right next to the washing machine valves in the laundry room. You can just use the cold water line or you can do both hot and cold if your water heater has enough capacity to cover a typical water change. I love the idea of a hose reel, if you have the room for it.
Ideally, you'd have this hose devoted to this purpose; that way you can buy a few sets of male and female hose ends, cut the hose to the exact length required and install the threaded ends. As TB stated, excess length is not desired. Buy a nice long hose, 50' or 100', and then make up pieces to the exact lengths you need for various purposes.
Draining water outside in extreme cold? Hah! Unfortunately, this is my specialty!
I don't rely upon siphon action to remove water to the outdoors because I need to dump it a fair distance away from the house, and because almost all my tanks are below grade in the basement. My waste water gets pumped outside, giving me a bit more flexibility as to where it goes.
I'll need to look into this as well...a new faucet just for this purpose would be ideal.
dumping outdoors will be a breeze I'm on a hill and have 5 acres.
