Water change tips

[bigcichntwisted]

I have a 75 gallon mainly Bichir brackish tank, however, I only have 2 5 gallon buckets to do water changes with along with a normal siphon. If I want to do a major change I need to go back and forth and wait an hour or more each time for the water to be prepared to be put into the tank.

Is there an easier way to do this? I could use a garbage can but it seems like it'd be way too heavy to lug around back and forth. Please halp.

KISS water changes as done in your LFS. This method was previously used w/ multiple 75-150gl's, now (1) 220.

32 gal. round Rubber Maid commercial trash can, round commercial cause 25-30 gal.'s of water is of course VERY HEAVY (careful if you buy a can, most are being made w/ a anti-bac, scented liner's, smell b4 you buy) (1) 5 wheel non-marring caster dolly for bttm of can (1) reg. 5 ft. siphon/vacuum (1) utility/mag like pump big enough for your max hd run bck into tank (1) 8 ft. 5/8 id flex hose, you may need something different depending on pump & hd run into tank (1) 5 gal bucket

Trash can (TC) on wheels filled w/ siphoned/vacuumed water from tank using 5 ft. siphon/vacuum, used for plants, lawn, or siphoned/drained into bath tub for disposal (DO NOT drain water w/ sand or small gravel into tub). 5 gal bucket filled w/ water poured into TC & "conditioned" to "need" (I don't trust garden hoses to many neg.'s, google if you don't know the dangers already) TC wheeled to tank, water pumped bck into tank. Total cost in $ under $100, time involved in water change avg. each 32 gal TC of water siphoned/vacuumed & replaced 30-45 min.'s. Degree of difficulty scale of 1-10, 3. If you have carpet, TC w/ wheels won't wrk well, you may need to bring the water from a sink or tub to your TC in front of tank for conditioning & to be pumped bck into tank (take $35 off total price for no dolly). Hope this helps someone, someday, wish it did me sooner, better late than never.

 

[bigcichntwisted]

I don't think we have those down here lol but I'll definately go check it out.

Just in case http://www.bigalsonline.com/, cause no we don't have them dwn here.

 

[bigcichntwisted]

wait an hour or more each time for the water to be prepared to be put into the tank.

Just curious, what is the hr. or more wait for?

 

[rba718]

KISS water changes as done in your LFS. This method was previously used w/ multiple 75-150gl's, now (1) 220.

32 gal. round Rubber Maid commercial trash can, round commercial cause 25-30 gal.'s of water is of course VERY HEAVY (careful if you buy a can, most are being made w/ a anti-bac, scented liner's, smell b4 you buy) (1) 5 wheel non-marring caster dolly for bttm of can (1) reg. 5 ft. siphon/vacuum (1) utility/mag like pump big enough for your max hd run bck into tank (1) 8 ft. 5/8 id flex hose, you may need something different depending on pump & hd run into tank (1) 5 gal bucket

Trash can (TC) on wheels filled w/ siphoned/vacuumed water from tank using 5 ft. siphon/vacuum, used for plants, lawn, or siphoned/drained into bath tub for disposal (DO NOT drain water w/ sand or small gravel into tub). 5 gal bucket filled w/ water poured into TC & "conditioned" to "need" (I don't trust garden hoses to many neg.'s, google if you don't know the dangers already) TC wheeled to tank, water pumped bck into tank. Total cost in $ under $100, time involved in water change avg. each 32 gal TC of water siphoned/vacuumed & replaced 30-45 min.'s. Degree of difficulty scale of 1-10, 3. If you have carpet, TC w/ wheels won't wrk well, you may need to bring the water from a sink or tub to your TC in front of tank for conditioning & to be pumped bck into tank (take $35 off total price for no dolly). Hope this helps someone, someday, wish it did me sooner, better late than never.

I'm probably going to end up trying it that way, I have tile in my house but my room has carpeting and since my room was once the garage of the house there's a large step to get into my room so I might need a larger hose to get water in and out through the door. Thanks btw.

 

[rba718]

wait an hour or more each time for the water to be prepared to be put into the tank.

Just curious, what is the hr. or more wait for?

Well I figured it'd at least take an hour for the AquaSafe chemical to completely rid the water of any chlorine or harmful bacteria that might harm the fish. That also goes for the PH buffer to fully take affect. Or am I just being overly cautious?

 

[pcfriedrich]

KISS water changes as done in your LFS. This method was previously used w/ multiple 75-150gl's, now (1) 220.

32 gal. round Rubber Maid commercial trash can, round commercial cause 25-30 gal.'s of water is of course VERY HEAVY (careful if you buy a can, most are being made w/ a anti-bac, scented liner's, smell b4 you buy) (1) 5 wheel non-marring caster dolly for bttm of can (1) reg. 5 ft. siphon/vacuum (1) utility/mag like pump big enough for your max hd run bck into tank (1) 8 ft. 5/8 id flex hose, you may need something different depending on pump & hd run into tank (1) 5 gal bucket

Trash can (TC) on wheels filled w/ siphoned/vacuumed water from tank using 5 ft. siphon/vacuum, used for plants, lawn, or siphoned/drained into bath tub for disposal (DO NOT drain water w/ sand or small gravel into tub). 5 gal bucket filled w/ water poured into TC & "conditioned" to "need" (I don't trust garden hoses to many neg.'s, google if you don't know the dangers already) TC wheeled to tank, water pumped bck into tank. Total cost in $ under $100, time involved in water change avg. each 32 gal TC of water siphoned/vacuumed & replaced 30-45 min.'s. Degree of difficulty scale of 1-10, 3. If you have carpet, TC w/ wheels won't wrk well, you may need to bring the water from a sink or tub to your TC in front of tank for conditioning & to be pumped bck into tank (take $35 off total price for no dolly). Hope this helps someone, someday, wish it did me sooner, better late than never.

that sounds overly complicated and messy/heavy compared to a $50 python.

 

[bigcichntwisted]

wait an hour or more each time for the water to be prepared to be put into the tank.

Well I figured it'd at least take an hour for the AquaSafe chemical to completely rid the water of any chlorine or harmful bacteria that might harm the fish. That also goes for the PH buffer to fully take affect. Or am I just being overly cautious?

You do have the people that swear by using a python & so they're (users & the seller/manf) counting on the instant effect of adding the tap water & the conditioners to wrk for them. I would encourage you to use your test kits & test your water b4 you condition it & then test it after (which is an old OCD habit of mine) & see what results you get. It should be instant change that takes place, but you also have other people that like to let their water "cure" or off gas for 24 hr.'s just to be sure. Use your science & see what results you feel comfortable w/. As far as harmful bacteria, that is what chlorine is used for to keep us safe, so the chlorine has killed the harmful bacteria in the water column b4 we use it. Your test kit will tell you instantly what your PH buffer has accomplished, as long as you know what your PH is out of your tap. We should always be chking our water source cause it is constantly changing in most parts of our country (aside from most well water) what we need in buffering 1 wk we may not need the next & depending on the season municipal chlorine use can change dramatically. Where I live when it rains heavy in the spring the water dept spikes the chlorine levels in anticipation of an abundance of "harmful" bac & waste run off. Testing our tap constantly is the only defense against the fluctuations that I have found & takes the guess wrk out so you don't have to "figure" instead you can know & have piece of mind.

 

[bigcichntwisted]

that sounds overly complicated and messy/heavy compared to a $50 python.

Maybe so, not for me, to each his own, it's all good.

 

[rba718]

You do have the people that swear by using a python & so they're (users & the seller/manf) counting on the instant effect of adding the tap water & the conditioners to wrk for them. I would encourage you to use your test kits & test your water b4 you condition it & then test it after (which is an old OCD habit of mine) & see what results you get. It should be instant change that takes place, but you also have other people that like to let their water "cure" or off gas for 24 hr.'s just to be sure. Use your science & see what results you feel comfortable w/. As far as harmful bacteria, that is what chlorine is used for to keep us safe, so the chlorine has killed the harmful bacteria in the water column b4 we use it. Your test kit will tell you instantly what your PH buffer has accomplished, as long as you know what your PH is out of your tap. We should always be chking our water source cause it is constantly changing in most parts of our country (aside from most well water) what we need in buffering 1 wk we may not need the next & depending on the season municipal chlorine use can change dramatically. Where I live when it rains heavy in the spring the water dept spikes the chlorine levels in anticipation of an abundance of "harmful" bac & waste run off. Testing our tap constantly is the only defense against the fluctuations that I have found & takes the guess wrk out so you don't have to "figure" instead you can know & have piece of mind.

Wow you seem to really know what you're doing, I had no idea it could be that complicated! I do do water checks on incoming water into my tank and it's always fine but it's good to be safe and check anyway I believe. I might adjust my routine a bit and see the results but not too much, I've been doing it this specific way for a while now, I don't want to disturb the flow. Anyway, thanks for the advice, it was really helpful!

 

[bigcichntwisted]

Wow you seem to really know what you're doing, I had no idea it could be that complicated! I do do water checks on incoming water into my tank and it's always fine but it's good to be safe and check anyway I believe. I might adjust my routine a bit and see the results but not too much, I've been doing it this specific way for a while now, I don't want to disturb the flow. Anyway, thanks for the advice, it was really helpful!

It all seems complicated to me in the begining, but threw time not so much. Thank you for your kind word's & yes what ever wrks for you is most important. It's all good. Cheers mate.