# Bucket-less Water Changes



## Christos Ioannou (28 Jan 2015)

In my previous setup I struggled with buckets and hoses to make the necessary water changes. Such was the struggling that it finally got the best of me and so I did not follow the necessary WC regime I should. Not to forget the foul taste of aquarium water too 

I knew of the python water changer system that was advertised to make life much easier. But I did not want to spend that money. Educated from various resources in the internet, here’s what I ended up doing. Materials used are readily available in any home depot.

_This idea worked because the tank sits at a higher level than a nearby water faucet which is 3 - 4 meters away from the tank._
_


 
_​*Bill of materials
*
1. Quick-fit tap connector


 
This part connects to the nearby faucet. Top part is threaded, and has both male and female threads.​
2. Y-faucet connector



This part has taps on each leg. You can open and close the taps to achieve the suction effect and start draining the tank. Then you can adjust those to refill the tank. This part screws in to the quick-fit tap connector.​3. Hose, to the desired length.



This needs to connect to output of *B-tap*, on *Y-faucet connector *​4. Two Plastic clamps



Used to securely clamp the hose on tank rim / hood​*Process
*
*Step 1* Connect the *Quick-fit tap connector (1) *to the nearby faucet, and the *Y-faucet connector (2) *to the *Quick-fit tap connector (1)*. Then, attach *hose (3)* to* B-tap of Y-faucet connector (2). *Secure the other end of the *hose (3)* on tank rim / hood with the *plastic clamps (4)*. Hose should be submerged to desired depth. This needs to sit ABOVE the height of the nearby faucet.

*Step 2* To prime the process, turn *OFF tap-A*, turn *ON tap-B*. Now, *gently turn on* the water faucet. *[tap-A:OFF, tap-B:ON, faucet:ON] *Do not turn water faucet to full open, only a bit. This will force water in the tank. You will be seeing air bubbles pushed out of the hose. When no more bubbles come out of the hose (does not take long), it means that the hose this is now full with water, so you proceed to step3.

*Step 3 Turn off *water faucet. Turn *ON tap-A *and watch the tank being drained! *[tap-A:ON, tap-B:ON, faucet:OFF] *This is caused from the suction created in the full hose, due to the gravity. That's why your tank should sit above the water faucet for this to work.

*Step 4* You can freely move the water hose in the tank to collect debris. You can also pause the draining by simply shutting off *tap-B*. To resume, simply reopen *tap-B*.

*Step 5* Draining will stop when the hose end is above the water surface OR when you manually stop it (see 4 above)

*Step 6* To *refill the tank, turn off tap-A, turn on tap-B, turn on water faucet [tap-A:OFF, tap-B:ON, faucet:ON]  
*
*Step 7* Once tank is refilled, turn off water faucet. *[tap-A:ON, tap-B:ON, faucet:OFF]*. Start rolling hose (making sure you are holding its open end higher than water faucet level) until all water is drained from the hose. 

*Step 8* Disconnect equipment.

9. Done, hopefully 0 spills on the floor.

Hope someone finds this useful!


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## allan angus (28 Jan 2015)

great step by step thanks  for any americans looking at this try typing 'water bed fill empty kit' into amozan its around the 5 to 6 dollar mark ! but i cant find a supplyer in the uk


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## NathanG (31 Dec 2015)

allan angus said:


> great step by step thanks  for any americans looking at this try typing 'water bed fill empty kit' into amozan its around the 5 to 6 dollar mark ! but i cant find a supplyer in the uk



I'm considering one of these as the aqueon one i got from amazon leaks like hell and doesn't screw on using a hozelock tap adapter. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Waterbed-...836990?hash=item3ab7727dbe:g:h50AAOSwt6ZWVgGI


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## freelanderuk (16 Jan 2016)

NathanG said:


> I'm considering one of these as the aqueon one i got from amazon leaks like hell and doesn't screw on using a hozelock tap adapter. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Waterbed-...836990?hash=item3ab7727dbe:g:h50AAOSwt6ZWVgGI


I have used one of these from eBay and it's a lot slower draining than the aqueon ,would be OK for a small tank but on my 5ft it took quite a while so I went back to the aqueon, I use white ptfe plumbers tape on the aqueon joints to help with the leaks


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## NathanG (16 Jan 2016)

freelanderuk said:


> I have used one of these from eBay and it's a lot slower draining than the aqueon ,would be OK for a small tank but on my 5ft it took quite a while so I went back to the aqueon, I use white ptfe plumbers tape on the aqueon joints to help with the leaks



I considered ptfe but i get a major leaking spray from the 360 twisty joint that cant be taped. I've just scrapped it and drain out my window then fill via a hozelock tap adapter.


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