LOOKING FOR TIPS ON WATER CHANGES

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
be sure to match your temp.!
 
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.
 
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.
 
TCZeli;968829; said:
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)
 
TCZeli;968829; said:
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

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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.
 
"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:
 
one very important tip when refilling don't let temp hit 100 this kills moba fronts very quickly
 
yea I will have thermometers in them as well. All I need now is a filter and Ill have a rubbermaid fish tank lol
 
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