My new, easier way to do water changes

[Slim2634]

I'm sick of siphoning water out with a little hose and then having to run a house from my garage and all the way into my basement. I told my buddy this and he hooked me up with a cheap, efficient way to quickly do water changes. Like the bucket sink he made?

The faucet that flows into the bucket is to check to see if the temperature is good. The red and blue valves are to adjust temperature (not to mention a cheap way). The valve above the bucket faucet is to allow the water to flow to the tank after the temperature is alright. I use a cut off piece of 5/8" hose to drain and siphon into the bucket "sink." I did a 50 gallon water change and siphoned the bottom in about 15 minutes. Feel free to ask questions. Its obviously not an automatic system but it makes my life SO much easier.

 

[brich999]

Kinda complicated, I would have just done a drip system with all that plumbing

 

[BayArea_510]

lol might as well did drip but your idea is still clever

 

[Slim2634]

lol might as well did drip but your idea is still clever

I didn't want to hook an RO up and my buddy had most of the plumbing laying around. I'm not real sure how to do a drip system. Any good diagrams? I'm curious.

 

[KaiserSousay]

Gotta admit, I like it.
Looks like one of those projects that grow out of a bit of time on your hands and a bunch of pipe/fittings speaking in your head.
Probably not the way I would have done it, but I`ve done a bunch of things that when done, I stood back and thought...
Huh....
Only thing I would have done different for sure, is use a laundry sink instead of the bucket.
Just more uses for a full size sink.
That is an easy adjustment you could make the next time the DIY gremmies start whispering to you.

 

[Slim2634]

Ya my buddy came up with the idea. A new laundry sink is about 80 bucks. This whole thing was like thirty dollars. The plumbing really isn't that complicated. Just looks that way. I didn't need a full size sink since I have a laundry sink in my garage. The bucket is basically a large funnel for my drain. I told him that I just wanted a way to do water changes without dragging a hose through my house and this is how he did it. I personally love it. Works great and I can leave it filling up while working on other things on the tank.

 

[bbortko]

any red neck buddies mistake it for a urinal yet?

 

[itsfritzymalone]

hmmm kinda complex, but amazing job on it. complex but clever.

 

[Slim2634]

any red neck buddies mistake it for a urinal yet?

Lol nope but only a few people are allowed back there. You never know I might be working on the tank and be too lazy to walk to the toilet one day.

 

[Redearsunfish]

Cool. i like it.