Water changes?

[Ajohnson2882]

With changing the water in larger aquariums, Do any of you guys connect a hose straight to your faucet and run it straight to your tank and refill it? Obviously add chemicals to treat the tap water but I was just curious as I've thought about doing this myself. I've got a 125G and syphon the water through a hose I've got into a basement sump drain when I'm taking water out for weekly water changes but when I refill it i've got to do the 5G bucket method.. and just a simple 25% WC is 5-6 Full buckets full, and I've got to go up and down a set of stairs each time as I've got the tank located in my basement.

As of now, it's really not that big of a deal as I do 25% each week and I'm okay with doing the 5G bucket method, however if I was able to just hook up my hose to my faucet upstairs and run the water straight into my tank to refill it that would work quite a bit better, and faster. For those of you who do water changes like this, how do you go about adding the chemicals to treat the tap water? Just slowly add it as you refill your tank, or all at once and then refill the tank? or vice-versa? I'd imagine adding it slowly as you refill your tank would be the best option but I'm not forsure.

I just want to ensure my fish's safety, So before I even consider doing water changes like this I wanted to ask for your guy's thoughts/opinions. Thanks in advance!

 

[Pbass265]

I do 50% changes with water from the hose. I put dechlorinator in as I fill it up and match what I am replacing. A lot of people say to treat the whole tank but I never have and have always been fine. Just make sure the water temp is close. I usually have to dump a few buckets of warm water in as well when it gets cold out to keep the fish from going into shock.

 

[Drstrangelove]

I used to use buckets but it was getting much when I had a number of tanks. So, I started running a hose while dosing out the chlorine. It worked fine for me.

I had a trick for the water temp. I took a bucket out and kept it handy and then matched the temp of the hose to the bucket as it filled the tank. Then I'd put left hand in the bucket and right hand in the tank to make sure they were very close. I could have used a thermometer of course!

 

[jakeca77]

Yup do it all the time. I just put the hose on so it trickles in. I fill a 5 gallon up with warm water with dechlorinator and just add it as it fills...

 

[boldtogether]

Straight from the hose to the tank.
I do however, use a potable water hose and I never leave the hose outside in the sun and I always drain the water out before I store it.

 

[aldiaz33]

I installed a hot/cold water spigot in my backyard and I fill up with a hose. It's a pretty cool little device...see pic below:

I use Seachem Safe (the powder form of prime) and I treat the entire volume of the tank, not just the water I am replacing. I bought the 1kg (2.2lbs container) for $30 and it treats 200,000 gallons. That's not a typo...1Teaspon treats 250 gallons. It's a lot more concentrated than the liquid version.

 

[PDRed302]

I fill mine up directly with water form the kitchen sink (temperature matched by hand) with my python and treat for total volume of tank with prime.

 

[Full Metal Gundam]

I installed a hot/cold water spigot in my backyard and I fill up with a hose. It's a pretty cool little device...see pic below:

I use Seachem Safe (the powder form of prime) and I treat the entire volume of the tank, not just the water I am replacing. I bought the 1kg (2.2lbs container) for $30 and it treats 200,000 gallons. That's not a typo...1Teaspon treats 250 gallons. It's a lot more concentrated than the liquid version.

View attachment 843501

Where did you buy the Seachem Safe?


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[Atfownz]

I do a 50% weekly wc. I drain the water with a syphon attached to a long hose to my kitchen drainer. After, I use the typical bucket method and treat the water with PRIME based on the nitrate level. I want to buy a new tool to put water into my tank rather than the traditional bucket method. But I do get a quick exercise of my upper body. LOL

Rule of thumb: It is always better going with colder than hotter water.

 

[Calihawk]

Yup thats how its done...and I dont use any water treatment hardly ever. Maybe a bit of Prime or whatever brand (even the pond dechlorinator, same damn thing) chems, a few drops a month. Just like we don't need a fresh O2 tank to breathe everyday, they don't need pristine, treated water. Hell, some of us even add toxins to our lungs.