Got the pump in the pond section. Don't remember exact size, but they have different ones to fit your budget. Hooked up to a normal hose fitting.
Innovative and efficient ways for large volume water change
- Thread starter ESOX
- Start date
i wanna set up one of these systems. with like a drain and a standing barrel to fill. i have a quick question on a drip system...so once you set it up you dont have to do water changes anymore?
water changes
I use a cheap 2.99 walmart hose and hook up to a 250gph pump to the bathtub. To add water I have another cheap hose hooked up to the water heater where I mix to tank temp and have one of those $20 water filters with a carbon filter and hook on the side of the tank till full. I also have my tank marked on the side for 10% 30% and 50% wc so takes out the guess work.
vacuuming
I have a 10g tank on a chair with a pond plant basket that fits perfectly on the lip of the tank. I fill it with floss aand use a gravel vacuum that ziptied to the basket so I can take as long as I need to clean the gravel and rocks and wont throw off the percentage of my wc. I use the wc pump to put the water back. Its works out pretty good except for when my little guy want to help daddy
I use a cheap 2.99 walmart hose and hook up to a 250gph pump to the bathtub. To add water I have another cheap hose hooked up to the water heater where I mix to tank temp and have one of those $20 water filters with a carbon filter and hook on the side of the tank till full. I also have my tank marked on the side for 10% 30% and 50% wc so takes out the guess work.
vacuuming
I have a 10g tank on a chair with a pond plant basket that fits perfectly on the lip of the tank. I fill it with floss aand use a gravel vacuum that ziptied to the basket so I can take as long as I need to clean the gravel and rocks and wont throw off the percentage of my wc. I use the wc pump to put the water back. Its works out pretty good except for when my little guy want to help daddy
I put a t inline of my blue line with a hose spicut and a ball valve.To do a w/c I hook up a garden hose to the spicut and turn the ball valve in and 1700 gph comes through the hose to the garden.The plants love me for this.
These are all great ideas. I have a 720 gal tank and together with the stand it's about 7 1/2 ft tall and water changes are a pain to say the least.
Right now I'm just using long vinyl tubing (1" inside dia) siphoning to a drain or out the window. It does the job, not super fast or anything but it drains pretty decent. I am thinking about adding a pump to the draining portion but wondering if it's worth the effort.....probably is when I'm pulling 250 gallons out at a time.
To refill I have a flow diverter valve off the shower head in my guest bathroom. Looks like a "Y" with a little valve handle on it. When I want to use it to fill up the tank I hook up a garden hose (got an adaper->pipe thread to garden hose thread) to the diverter and run the shower (usally the bath faucet actually) til I get the temp I want and then turn the valve handle thus diverting the water from the shower head to the garden hose going to my tank. Once again, certainly not the fastest but it does the job.
Lots of good info here so far, keep it coming!
Right now I'm just using long vinyl tubing (1" inside dia) siphoning to a drain or out the window. It does the job, not super fast or anything but it drains pretty decent. I am thinking about adding a pump to the draining portion but wondering if it's worth the effort.....probably is when I'm pulling 250 gallons out at a time.
To refill I have a flow diverter valve off the shower head in my guest bathroom. Looks like a "Y" with a little valve handle on it. When I want to use it to fill up the tank I hook up a garden hose (got an adaper->pipe thread to garden hose thread) to the diverter and run the shower (usally the bath faucet actually) til I get the temp I want and then turn the valve handle thus diverting the water from the shower head to the garden hose going to my tank. Once again, certainly not the fastest but it does the job.
Lots of good info here so far, keep it coming!
I have found a pretty quick method....I use a long hose and put one end in tank and the other all the way downstairs in the basement in the sink. To fill I hook the hose up and fill all tanks at once. It's no python or pump but it beats the hell out of buckets!....
