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Water changes - simpler way?

pollyandpear

pollyandpear

Member
Joined
16 Jan 2023
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291
Location
London
Before I sell my 160l tank, I want to make sure it's not as unmanagble as I think.

My biggest issue was water changes. They were laborious.

If I needed to do a 50% water change that meant emptying 8 buckets with a siphon, and then filling up 8.

It took ages and honestly put me off.

So my question is:

1. Is there an easier way of doing water changes, and if so what (not too pricey) equipment would you recommend.

2. Is there an easier way of filling the tank back up? I mean it would be great if I could almost just attach a pipe from my tap straight into tank, but I assume the temp would be difficult to manage and also how would you treat the water. Would you add dechlorinator to the say 50% full tank before, and would you dose for the 50% water you were adding or the 100% value once the water was added.

Hope this makes sense.
 
Are Python style water changers are available over there? There's a little thing on the faucet attachment that you pull down that can divert the water into the tank and for draining the tank. I'd set the temperature first before diverting the water and dose the dechlorinator all at once before filling.


As for reducing the cost, some people will buy the components and purchase the tubing/hose separately from a hardware store (or plastics/rubber store if available).
 
I just attach a small power head (had some type of maxijet clone laying around) with an intake guard made of plastic knitting to some pvc and pump the water out the tank into my outdoor garden. I do 50% weekly water changes on my 180 gallon this way.

If I would have to do it again I would get one of the smaller Jebao DC pumps just to control how much I would need to pump.
 
pollyandpear said:
Before I sell my 160l tank, I want to make sure it's not as unmanagble as I think.

My biggest issue was water changes. They were laborious.

If I needed to do a 50% water change that meant emptying 8 buckets with a siphon, and then filling up 8.

It took ages and honestly put me off.

So my question is:

1. Is there an easier way of doing water changes, and if so what (not too pricey) equipment would you recommend.

2. Is there an easier way of filling the tank back up? I mean it would be great if I could almost just attach a pipe from my tap straight into tank, but I assume the temp would be difficult to manage and also how would you treat the water. Would you add dechlorinator to the say 50% full tank before, and would you dose for the 50% water you were adding or the 100% value once the water was added.

Hope this makes sense.
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By a garden hose long enough to drain , i connected oase biomaster inlet to the hose to drain it once done. I run the water in the kitchen or bathroom and put bucket underneath, connect the hose to water pump or you can directly attach to you sink tap ( have to buy connector for that) to fill .
 
I use garden hose with a little mesh bag attached to the end, so I do not suck up baby shrimps... I built a couple of trolleys for 60l water tubs (just a piece of board and 4 castor wheels) and can easily push them around - in the summer I use aquarium to water stuff in the garden, so I do not drain the tank outside straight away. I store RO water in a large blue plastic barrel I got on ebay - I keep it under the stairs in a cupboard. I 3d printed an attachment to it and added a float valve, so it fills itself up when I pump the water out to the tank. I also made a showerhead type attachment to fill the tank back up (just a bent&pierced piece of pex pipe that I attach to the end of garden hose which is connected to a pump sitting in the barrel). I change around 100l every week - takes 15 min to just replace the water and clean the filters. Trimming the plants takes longer...
 
pollyandpear said:
Is there an easier way of filling the tank back up? I mean it would be great if I could almost just attach a pipe from my tap straight into tank, but I assume the temp would be difficult to manage and also how would you treat the water. Would you add dechlorinator to the say 50% full tank before, and would you dose for the 50% water you were adding or the 100% value once the water was added.
Click to expand...
This is the way I used to do it before I used RO water. Garden hose attached straight onto the kitchen mixer. The temperature doesn’t have to be exact unless you’re keeping super sensitive species. Dose dechlorinator before for a 100 percent of the tank volume.

For emptying the tank I just use a garden hose siphoning directly into the garden. Doesn’t take long at all and no lifting required.
 
I bought a Python knock off from Amazon. The main part of the unit attaches directly to my kitchen mixer tap (so I can set the temperature), then the hose runs all the way through my dining room to the tank and there is a gravel vac on the end, along with an on/off tap.

If you set it to drain the tank, you turn the kitchen tap on, the water pressure creates suction and the tank is drained directly into the kitchen sink. To fill, just reverse the tap on the unit and it will fill the tank. It's super, super easy and I can do a water change in a short time without spilling a drop. No buckets to carry, just a roll of tubing.
 
Is it ok to use the kitchen mixer tap to get the correct temperature if your hot water is from a copper cistern/hot water tank with immersion heater?
I know its ok to do this if you have a gas combi boiler.
 
Depends on what fish you are keeping and how many plants you might have, but imho once in a settled state you can greatly ease off on the water changes. Works with small fish, deep substrate and lots of plants.
 
Malarky said:
Depends on what fish you are keeping and how many plants you might have, but imho once in a settled state you can greatly ease off on the water changes. Works with small fish, deep substrate and lots of plants.
Click to expand...
👍
With the proviso that you are adding minimal ferts
 
seedoubleyou said:
Took me a while to scroll through. But just for you.
Click to expand...
Just as a side, I did watch that video and extended it out to others he made. There are some beautiful aquariums, and the guy is just so 'into it'. You can't see from the still below, but the fish activity and the plants show his dedication and care.

Screenshot 2024-02-09 at 23.25.37.png
 
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