how do you do your waterchanges

[moo.]

I start by syphoning the tank water through a hose out the door and into the garden.
As that hose is running i give the tanks a quick gravel vac into buckets just to remove any visible poo or waste.
Then i fill up a 100L rain tank with tap water, add some prime then pump that into the tank, and repeat if necessary

 

[nfored]

Python? sounds like work.

I walk over to my tank turn the ball valve on the drain, then start a pot of coffee. By the time the pot is done brewing the tank is drained.

I then Close the ball valve on the drain, open the ball valve on the combined hot/cold water line, then add prime. I then drink my cup of coffee, by the time I am done drinking my coffee the water change is done.

Work involved? open and close 2 ball valves add 25ml of prime; It takes me 1 minute of total work time. Total time involved 20 minutes, I could go drip but why risk it?

 

[Diskboy12]

python to suck out the crap and water, then python to filler up.

 

[phatallen]

Python? sounds like work.

I walk over to my tank turn the ball valve on the drain, then start a pot of coffee. By the time the pot is done brewing the tank is drained.

I then Close the ball valve on the drain, open the ball valve on the combined hot/cold water line, then add prime. I then drink my cup of coffee, by the time I am done drinking my coffee the water change is done.

Work involved? open and close 2 ball valves add 25ml of prime; It takes me 1 minute of total work time. Total time involved 20 minutes, I could go drip but why risk it?

You have the right idea there!!! i envy you with my buckets

 

[barracuda123]

siphon water out via DIY python, then fill the tank and add Prime as it fills.

same

 

[12 Volt Man]

drain tank and gravel vac using python

add 5 pumps of dechlor (enough for 50g on my 150g)

add new water using python.

its simple.

 

[honda237]

Python? sounds like work.

I walk over to my tank turn the ball valve on the drain, then start a pot of coffee. By the time the pot is done brewing the tank is drained.

I then Close the ball valve on the drain, open the ball valve on the combined hot/cold water line, then add prime. I then drink my cup of coffee, by the time I am done drinking my coffee the water change is done.

Work involved? open and close 2 ball valves add 25ml of prime; It takes me 1 minute of total work time. Total time involved 20 minutes, I could go drip but why risk it?

That would be awesome, but how do you rig that for 12 tank all around the house?

 

[Conor1148]

im so glad i found out about the python! im about to buy another tank and the guy is tossing one in for free

 

[drumz]

I use a pond pump, got it at lowes for like $40. I use 40 ft of vinyl tubing to pump it outside where I water the lawn/plants with my runoff. Then I got a sink to hose fitting adapter, and got a hose fitting to 1/2" barb where I then hook the 3/8" hose up to it. Seems to work fine for me, and you can temp control the water as you add it. I predose a cup of water with prime, and add it in incremented amounts as the tank fills.

 

[nfored]

I have been thinking about how to replicate my setup when I add more tanks, as I have done the siphon, the bucket, the water hose all of it. Broke my jaw doing a water change with a bucket about a year ago.

I think I will run plumbing in the walls like adding an extra cable jack. Or depending on the location setup a drip system, there was a post a few months back about a guy who's only filter was a drip system on all his tanks.