Ok, this is my first aquarium DIY project so be kind. I'm kinda new to the aquarium thing and I've tried to do the right stuff as far as upkeep but I just get so tired of water changeouts. Without a huge expensive setup they can be very labor intensive and time-consuming. What I used to do is siphon water into a bucket and empty the bucket outside, over and over again. I thought to myself there had to be a quicker way to remove the water and I was right. With a few items I had in the garage and a quick trip to my local hardware store I made a cheap simple solution to removing the water from my tank and pumping it anywhere I wanted. Alright, here's what you'll need:
A length of PVC (should be slightly longer than the height of your aquarium)
A short length of clear plastic tubing 1/2" to 5/8" diameter
A PVC union (sized to fit your PVC diameter)
A PVC end cap
A PVC bushing (sized to step down from your PVC pipe size to you hose size, mine was 1" down to 1/2" threaded)
A nylon barb to mip adapter (should thread into your PVC bushing and fit your hose)
PVC cement
Thread sealant
Two hose clamps
A female garden hose repair piece
I know it seems like a lot but most DIYers will have the PVC pipe and the cement and thread sealant somewhere in the house. The rest you can get at any hardware store for a small price.
First let's attach the hose to our repair adapter.
Some heat will soften the hose making it easier to slip on to the adapter.
Once the adapter is on, tighten the hose clamp and step 1 is complete!
Next is getting our pipe ready.
This is how your union and bushing will go on the pipe.
Use the PVC cement on both sides of the union and mash the whole thing together.
It should look like this now.
Now we'll attach the nylon adapter
Thread sealant goes...well you know where it goes.
Now you tighten it up but be carefull not to over tighten.
Next we put the end cap on with a healthy coating of cement.
Then we drill holes in the cap to allow water flow.
Attach the other end of the hose and...
Surprise! Your done!
See, that was easy. I attach the hose from this device to a small pump that attaches to my cordless drill. I can then hook a hose to the pump and pump the water outside, to another tank, or pretty much where ever I want. Obviously you can hook the device to pretty much anything with a garden hose connection but the whole point was to make a tool to make my job easier and to make my fish happier. And isn't that what it's all about...the fish?
Oh yeah, disclaimer:
If you attempt to make this and blow yourself up, your fish up, or just get blowed up in general, it ain't my fault. On the other hand if you make this and become wealthy selling it, I will come to your house and break your kneecaps and take your money.
Until next project, Tim out!
A length of PVC (should be slightly longer than the height of your aquarium)
A short length of clear plastic tubing 1/2" to 5/8" diameter
A PVC union (sized to fit your PVC diameter)
A PVC end cap
A PVC bushing (sized to step down from your PVC pipe size to you hose size, mine was 1" down to 1/2" threaded)
A nylon barb to mip adapter (should thread into your PVC bushing and fit your hose)
PVC cement
Thread sealant
Two hose clamps
A female garden hose repair piece
I know it seems like a lot but most DIYers will have the PVC pipe and the cement and thread sealant somewhere in the house. The rest you can get at any hardware store for a small price.
First let's attach the hose to our repair adapter.
Some heat will soften the hose making it easier to slip on to the adapter.
Once the adapter is on, tighten the hose clamp and step 1 is complete!
Next is getting our pipe ready.
This is how your union and bushing will go on the pipe.
Use the PVC cement on both sides of the union and mash the whole thing together.
It should look like this now.
Now we'll attach the nylon adapter
Thread sealant goes...well you know where it goes.
Now you tighten it up but be carefull not to over tighten.
Next we put the end cap on with a healthy coating of cement.
Then we drill holes in the cap to allow water flow.
Attach the other end of the hose and...
Surprise! Your done!
See, that was easy. I attach the hose from this device to a small pump that attaches to my cordless drill. I can then hook a hose to the pump and pump the water outside, to another tank, or pretty much where ever I want. Obviously you can hook the device to pretty much anything with a garden hose connection but the whole point was to make a tool to make my job easier and to make my fish happier. And isn't that what it's all about...the fish?
Oh yeah, disclaimer:
If you attempt to make this and blow yourself up, your fish up, or just get blowed up in general, it ain't my fault. On the other hand if you make this and become wealthy selling it, I will come to your house and break your kneecaps and take your money.
Until next project, Tim out!
