# Easier water change - Will this work?



## PedroB (26 Jun 2014)

Hello everyone.

My tank will be placed near a windows which opens into the garden. I was thinking about fitting the filter hose with garden connectors to have the external filter assist me with the water changes.

As per the rough scheme I drew:




 

1 - To empty the tank I would detach  2 and attach 1 to 3, leaving the filter to pump the water outside into the garden (that's a way to even save water and recycle some of the excess nutrients which would go to waste)

2 - Connect 3 to 2 and connect the hose to the tap (I know we should let the water rest but I prefer to use dechlorinators to be safe) until the tank is full again.

3 - Connect 1 and 2 back again for normal circulation.

2 and 3 have check valves to prevent water from coming in the opposite direction when the connectors are detached.

My major question is if this system would be water tight. 

What do you think?


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## ian_m (26 Jun 2014)

Would work but bit of a faff changing connector and only changes water rather than if using a gravel vacuum (or similar) which removes settled detritus from the tank.

My only suggestion would be to permanently fit a T piece in the pipe so that you don't faff undoing connectors with water in them. You would be surprised the amount of water stored in pipe length beyond closed valve. You just plug hose pipe into T piece, open valve on T piece to let water out. To put water in, connect hose to tap, close valve to filter (or else you will put un dechlorinated water into your filter, promptly killing all the bacteria) and open T piece valve and open tap.

Issues with this are (been there done that...) is the tap water pushes all the crud that has collected in the filter outlet pipe into the tank, so tank is not exactly clear after water change and you have to watch the tank as when full you have to rush to turn off tap. Also another point of failure/leak in the closed loop of external filter. Mine try at T piece had issues of leaking valve, which was one of the reasons I gave up.

This is what I use.
http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/water-change-heater-project.25877/#post-270484


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## PedroB (26 Jun 2014)

I'm not putting the tap water through the filter, at the moment of filling up the filter is turned off, the dechlorinator is added and the filter turned on after 10 minutes.

These are quick release connectors, you just pull the and they disconnect.
As for rushing out, it's not necessary since the connector at the end of the hose has a stop valve, so when it disconnects the water stops flowing.

The T piece is a nice suggestion 

Here's a crude animation of the process:


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## tam (26 Jun 2014)

Would you need to use the filter at all - presuming the tank is high enough can't you just use a syphon like normal but aim it out the window? Might be an idea to have a water butt positioned just outside to fill up and then you can use the water on the garden when you want.


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## PedroB (26 Jun 2014)

I could, it just makes siphoning easier since the window opening is quite high. Other than that I don't have a 60+ litre container for the water, I'd have to either buy one or waste the water.


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## ian_m (26 Jun 2014)

One thing I tried was gravel cleaner (from Ebay Hong Kong, couple of quid) connected to JBL U750 pump and length of hose pipe out the window onto the lawn. That way you get to remove detritus from in the tank and water the lawn.

Changed that now, to gravel cleaner syphoning into yellow 40litre bucket and JBL U750 pump to length of hose pipe to lawn. Reason for this is you can see in the yellow bucket anything you shouldn't have sucked out the tank eg fish fry (whoops ).


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## PedroB (26 Jun 2014)

Haha, it's better to take the extra step than to go "Honey I shrunk the kids" with the fry


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## freelanderuk (26 Jun 2014)

you will be surprised how much water will exit the pipes when you have disconnected  the quick release couplings and trying to get drain pipe on , i have just bought one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111378732870?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 to connect my pipe to and drain and refill straight from the tap


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## PedroB (26 Jun 2014)

Sorry, I didn't get how to use the venturi pipe.

EDIT: got it! I think I might use the venturi pipe if I manage to find one. Thank you!


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## freelanderuk (26 Jun 2014)

its the same principle as the python water changer

https://www.google.co.uk/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=coSdU-TcG4zY8gfd6oD4DA&gws_rd=ssl#q=python+water+changer


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## NattyAntlers (27 Jun 2014)

Are those types of hose connectors (Hozelock etc) water tight? They always seem to drip a bit when I have used them in the garden.

For some reason I prefer this You Tube water change advise, Mmmmmm blue gravel.....


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## Frenchi (2 Jul 2014)

I use a 2500 ltr per hour pond pump straight out of the window into a water butt it takes about 60 seconds to remove 100 litre. Then I reverse this drop the pump into my buckets and fill the tank back up  


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