Larger tank owners. How do you handle a water change. Any tips or tricks?

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stymie

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 5, 2011
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Philadelphia, PA
Just curious how some of you guys/gals handle large water changes. I have a 180G with gravel bottom. I do at least a 50 gallon change each week and on most weeks I do two.

In the beginning, I used a gravel siphon and 6 - 5 gallon buckets. I would line them up by the tank, fill them, empty them in the basement bath and start again. When finished, I would re-fill the buckets with tap water, treat them each with Prime and empty back to tank. This method worked well, but my back was not happy afterwards. Oh...almost forgot, the Mrs wasn't too happy about the condition of the bath afterwards either. I might have been a little messy with my dumping skills.

I then got a little smarter and attached the siphon to a garden hose and drained the tank to my back yard. When finished, I would attach the hose to utility tub about 35 feet away from the tank and fill it back up. I mixed the appropriate amount of Prime in a 5 gallon bucket of water and added it to the tank as it continued to fill. This method worked much better, but the gravel siphon didn't have as much suction(I assume this was due to distance) and I wasn't crazy about dragging 50 feet of garden hose through my house.

I've read some of the threads on water changes and some people seem to like the Python, but I'm not sure it would work for me -given my distance from a faucet and tank size. I also see some people have hooked a hose to a power head, but they seem to be more interested in draining and filling quickly - not cleaning the gravel. (I've got Oscars and a big Pleco. I need to clean the gravel.) I've also read a couple of posts about a drip system, but I'm not familiar with them. (I need to research.)

I'm kicking around a couple of ideas that involve 50 gallon plastic drums and using the old water for my lawn and garden, but would like to get some input from people in similar situations. I'm guessing someone has a better solution.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Your input is apprectiated.

Cheers.
 
I use the python on my 240, takes a little while but does the job. Also i think they did sell pretty long hoses for it
 
I do a 60g water change once per week on my 150g using a python.

its great. I leave the tap running while I vaccum the gravel, then once its all vaccumed I shut the tap off to save water and let gravity drain the rest.

then I add dechlor to the tank and fill with the python.

a 90 year old person could do it. its easy with no labour at all.
 
12 Volt Man said:
I do a 60g water change once per week on my 150g using a python.

its great. I leave the tap running while I vaccum the gravel, then once its all vaccumed I shut the tap off to save water and let gravity drain the rest.

then I add dechlor to the tank and fill with the python.

a 90 year old person could do it. its easy with no labour at all.
Click to expand...

+1, that's what I do but I just gravity feed and have plenty of suction because I put the end of the hose downstairs and out the front door. I think my python is 50ft


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python is a great investment. i use to rock the 5 gallon buckets and the siphon. I use to have to haul the fresh water down the stairs as well. Python made my life much easier. I use it to start suction and let it slowly drain 100 gallons. Than i use it fill up the tank. No labor at all. I dont like wasting water to make it siphon faster. I just wait it out. It takes a half hour bc my sink is basically level with my tank
 
My 450 gallon is set up outside in the garage and I cannot use a python connected to the upstairs kitchen faucet cuz the multi garden hose adapter does not work with it. I use to use 4 x 60 gallon barrels and pre heat the water and age it then i use a pump to pump the water out of tank then refill but I recently found out my multi adapter works with my washroom sink faucet. What I do now is I use the same method with the pump and pump water out to the yard then I connect a python to the garden hose outlet and have the water running while siphoning/vacuum the substrate. Then I refill with a 50ft python connected to my upstairs washroom sink faucet to set the water temp right as the garden hose water is too cold.


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J.Lake - thank you .

Off topic - I read your offer to help the member who was thinking about killing his fish. I couldn't help but think you were one of the few who got what he was saying. Everyone is quick to pass judgment. Few are quick to help. You are a stand up guy in my book. My hat is off to you.
 
stymie said:
Thank you . Off topic - I read your offer to help the member who was thinking about killing his fish. I couldn't help but think you were one of the few who got what he was saying. Everyone is quick to pass judgment. Few are quick to help. You are a stand up guy in my book. My hat is off to you.
Click to expand...


Ppl just quick to Judge cuz they haven't been through what he's going through. I admit I killed a couple of oversized monsters that absolutely nobody wanted when I shut down my tanks. I didn't like it but had no choice...Also we live in Canada so setting it free out it the wild isn't an option as its way too cold to live in our rivers. When u have no choice u gotta do what u gotta do. Even city SPCA puts down old unwanted dogs/cats all the time. That's how life is. But his thought of the profit reason is dumb I think. That's not a good excuse to kill any animal.


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