# powered pump for siphoning water changes?



## 1uke (6 Dec 2009)

Just done a routine water change and filter/tank clean and it took me 2-3 hours  
I'm after a way to cut this time by half.
I have a 250ltr planted tank with a tetratec ex1200 which works well but the hoses etc need cleaning every 2 weeks otherwise the filter slows right down. I would like to do a 50% water change every weekend to keep my Discus happy but its just such hard work using a bucket. Does anyone know of a powered external pump I can connect a hose to ither end to siphon water out and in to the tank, Ideally something I can DIY my gravel cleaner to 1 end. The pump can't be to noisey and adjustable flow rate would be nice plus obviously plugs into mains somehow.


----------



## Dolly Sprint 16v (6 Dec 2009)

1uke said:
			
		

> Just done a routine water change and filter/tank clean and it took me 2-3 hours
> I'm after a way to cut this time by half.
> I have a 250ltr planted tank with a tetratec ex1200 which works well but the hoses etc need cleaning every 2 weeks otherwise the filter slows right down. I would like to do a 50% water change every weekend to keep my Discus happy but its just such hard work using a bucket. Does anyone know of a powered external pump I can connect a hose to ither end to siphon water out and in to the tank, Ideally something I can DIY my gravel cleaner to 1 end. The pump can't be to noisey and adjustable flow rate would be nice plus obviously plugs into mains somehow.



Luke

Why dont you fit an isolation joint on the returning water pipe. When its water change day switch the filter unit off, switch the taps off, undo the joint so you have two halves, attached another half joint with has a piece of hose pipe attached - so one end of the hose its attached the joint and the other end is in the sink, switch your filter on and the filter unit remove the water. See attached picy.

I undo the circled joint and attached my hose pipe joint +joint.










I remove 100ltr of water in under 10 mins approx. as for refilling reconnect the joints by the filter unit, attached the hozelock connection to the tap and the half joint goes into the tank.

Regards
paul.


----------



## paul.in.kendal (6 Dec 2009)

I've got a 200+ litre tank, and I've just done 2x50% water changes in under an hour, using London Dragon's DIY water changer, which you can find in the List of DIY Projects thread in this section.  I use a Maxi-Jet 1000 for this, and it's a breeze.


----------



## 1uke (6 Dec 2009)

Thanks for the quick replys!!

Flyfisherman Your way looks good but I wanted to rinse the filter sponges etc of using the old water from the tank, and your way would make that hard...?? Plus I wanted to try attach a gravel cleaner to one end to clean the gravel around the tank. Cleaver idea though.


----------



## Dolly Sprint 16v (6 Dec 2009)

1uke said:
			
		

> Thanks for the quick replys!!
> 
> Flyfisherman Your way looks good but I wanted to rinse the filter sponges etc of using the old water from the tank, and your way would make that hard...??




When I clean my filter media I have two 25 litre plastic tubs which I fill first still using my method, once my tubs are full the rest of the water goes away via the plug hole. Then whilst the tanks refilling I clean the filter unit out with the 50ltr of saved water. During the summer I use my method for filling 6 x 25 ltr tubs for watering the garden.

Regards
Paul.


----------



## Kevina (11 Dec 2009)

Hi Flyfisherman, sorry to but into this post, but I am going to try this method of changing water and was just wondering where you got the clips to attatch to the inside of your cabinet. The ones that the pipes are secured into.
Regards Kev.


----------

