water changes

[esoxlucius]

I do two water changes a week. One of them is a thorough one where substrate, glass, sump sponges etc are cleaned. The other one is a basic old water out, new conditioned temperature adjusted water in. The latter involves syphoning 'x' amount out into the drain in the back yard and then filling up from the mixer taps in the kitchen. Straightforward and easy.
To make it quicker i was toying with the idea of syphoning and filling at the same time, obviously i'd have to have water going in from the mixer taps regulated so it matches the amount syphoning out as to maintain a stable water level in my tank. Does anybody do it this way, i realise i'd have to be there watching like a hawk but in theory it's a decent way of doing a basis water change?

 

[Maritimer]

I did mine yesterday. syphon into the yard out the window, gravel vac and hook a hose on the shower head to fill. Every second week when I get down to twenty five percent i'll stick the filler hose in and let fill while I syphon out at the same time. The hoses run almost the exact amount of water with my filler just slightly faster. sometimes i'll do it at fifty percent but usually 25/30.

 

[Maritimer]

To ensure the same amount of water gets changed
I think it would actually take longer than emptying and refilling.

 

[Skalper666]

I have never done this but here here my thoughts on this idea... 1) If you did it simultaneously you would be siphoning some of your new water out, so in theory you would only be changing half of what you do now (roughly). 2) Also since the water level would be staying the same I guess you would have to time it to know when you are done... the same amount of siphoning time as you did previously plus extend it if you want to make up for #1?

 

[dan518]

seems a waste of water to me you will be syphoning out fresh tap water as well as old tank water, plus it would be hard to work out how much you have syphoned

 

[tlindsey]

I'm old school still use the bucket method, but maybe python gravel vac hoses would be something to look into.

 

[esoxlucius]

Yeah, maybe not the best idea in the world. The fact that i'd be taking out a % of good water too would mean doing a far bigger water change than usual to compensate, which would take longer, thus ensuring it wouldn't necessarily be quicker after all. Cheers guys.

 

[FreshyFresh]

Yeah, you 'd definitely be wasting some new water by doing the simultaneous method. On my 75g and one of my 55's, (On a Titan EZE double stand) I gravel vac into a big storage tote with a harbor freight tools submersible pump in it. I run a garden hose from the pump discharge to the back yard so I don't load my septic system more than I need to. Luckily, there's a sink right near these two tanks for refill, so I can do fin-level water changes on both of them in under a half hour. All I need is a 6ft hose for refill the sink is so close.

 

[FreshyFresh]

Yeah, you 'd definitely be wasting some new water by doing the simultaneous method. On my 75g and one of my 55's, (On a Titan EZE double stand) I gravel vac into a big storage tote with a harbor freight tools submersible pump in it. I run a garden hose from the pump discharge to the back yard so I don't load my septic system more than I need to. Luckily, there's a sink right near these two tanks for refill, so I can do fin-level water changes on both of them in under a half hour. All I need is a 6ft hose for refill the sink is so close.