# Wheelie bin for water changes



## zebradanio (5 Jun 2013)

I was thinking about buying a 140 litre wheelie bin for water changes , they,re made from polypropylene so safe for aquariums toxicity wise and leak safe for keeping in the front room overnight , anyone else use one of these or any other ideas for water storage, what does anyone else use ?


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (5 Jun 2013)

ORRRRRRR, just ring your local council on collection day evening and report your bin as lost/stolen.

and boom, nice free spanking new wheelie bin.

But ..


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## ian_m (5 Jun 2013)

I use this in the lounge...
Water change heater project. | UK Aquatic Plant Society


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## zebradanio (6 Jun 2013)

Wow that's some set up , I,m liking the blue barrel .
I found a website selling them for £30 ish including delivery which is £10 cheaper than a wheelie bin .
I,ll use an aquarium heater and leave it overnight and I,ve already got the same eheim pump and a hosepipe . 
Thx for your help


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## ian_m (6 Jun 2013)

Had to do this as my house hot water is ion-exchange softened thus not suitable for fish tanks. Previously used kettles and pans of water into 40l tubs in kitchen then pumped into lounge tank.

Got my butt from http://www.ampulla.co.uk not the cheapest, but at least brand new, clean and suitable for fish. Works well, it fills and heats water whilst I am replanting and syphoning 50% of tank water onto front lawn.

However....................if I was doing it again....
- Use 6 off 500W metal aquarium heaters (3000W total). These are allowed to run dry, thus no need for float valve and relay. No need to drill big holes in bottom of container either. Just dunk in and leave.
- Not bother with the ball valve arrangement, issues here are
-  Ball and valve in the tank gets tangled with the drain pump piping and wiring.​- When tank is full you end up with a length of hose pipe pressurised at mains water pressure that you somehow have to depressurise, drain and empty. What ends up happening is:​- You go to to kitchen to turn off the water.​- You return to the butt, press ball valve down to release the pressure in the hose pipe.​- You unclip the hose at butt end.​- Walk it back to kitchen.​- Unhook kitchen end of hose.​- Drain hose into sink.​- Use a mains operated valve (eg a cheap washing machine water valve) under the sink, operated off a float valve in the butt.​- You run hose from butt to kitchen.​- You run wire from butt float valve to kitchen valve.​- Kitchen valve opens, water enters butt.​- Butt fills, float valve closes valve in kitchen.​- Just reel back the hose pipe to kitchen as not pressured.​


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## zebradanio (6 Jun 2013)

We're you a plumber in a past live ? 
is there a reason u need to do everything in an hour , would it be easier and cheaper to fill the barrel the day before and use 1 heater overnight ?


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## ian_m (6 Jun 2013)

zebradanio said:


> We're you a plumber in a past live ?


Nope, just done sufficient DIY to be able to make things like this.


zebradanio said:


> is there a reason u need to do everything in an hour , would it be easier and cheaper to fill the barrel the day before and use 1 heater overnight ?


With having a full time job, married, kids etc, I don't really get too much spare time, so anything to save time and effort helps.


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## Andy Thurston (6 Jun 2013)

Water Changes - How do you do yours? | UK Aquatic Plant Society

Do this theres no need for wheely bin or water butt getting in the way


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## Fran (22 Jun 2013)

Love Ian-m's set up. However I bought  a couple of cheap 80 litre black plastic bins. Put them in the downstairs bathroom and fill them up from my cold water kitchen tap via a hose. (have water softner on hot taps!!). Then throw in a couple of 300w heaters and a couple of small cheap circulation pumps to circulate the water. Takes a few hours for water to reach 24 degrees so sometimes set up over night on a timer so water is ready the next morning. Then pump to tank in the living room.Works well for me. Just make sure any bins you use are strong enough!! Simples.


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## ian_m (22 Jun 2013)

Do bare in mind some people change their water, probably not 50% though, straight from the cold tap into tank. Yes temperature seriously drops, my case to less than 16'C and their fish are ok. My fish were clearly not happy with cold tap water, which is why I use my butt!!!!


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