Diy Water Change Kit

[Stephan]

I saw where u can buy a water change kit but I see it's expensive and basically a gravel vac with a sink adapter and a larger hose. Has anyone successfully made their own who would like to share some pointers. I guess a very important piece will be getting the right size tubing from home depot. Wonder if anyone has had any success making their own siphon part? Also I have a pwerhead from an unused undergravel filter. Wonder if I can use that to create a power vac(but woould that suck up my gravel?) looking to do it right but also as cheaply as possible with doing it right.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

At Home Depot:

I bought:

Item A

Item B

Item C

Total less that $18.

Item D
Any other length of tubing approximately 5/8-3/4in. diameter... (with or without gravel vac attachment.)

To remove water:
Turn off heater and filter. Afix Item A to Item D. Use hose clamp to tighten. Place in tank, and fill with tank water. Connect Item B with Item A, while Item D is still submerged. Hold thumb over end of Item D, while you lower Item B into bucket (just for possible leaks) - other end of Item B is in sink or out the window/door to the garden. Remove thumb and water is being removed from the tank - siphon created!


To refill:

Disconnect Item B from Items A&D. Set aside Items A&D for later use. Drain Item B of all water.

Disconnect aerator from sink faucet (set aside to replace later). Connect Item C to faucet. Temp match water coming out of faucet to tank. Add dechlorinator directly to tank. Turn off water - connect Item B to Item C (on faucet). Place other end of Item B into tank. Turn water on. When proper level is reached turn off water. Take end of Item B out of tank, and place in bucket. DIsconnect Item B from faucet. Drain all water from Item B. Replace aerator on faucet. Water change complete. Turn back on the filter and heater.


Using this method I can complete a 30 gallon water change in about 30-45 minutes.

 

[neonnewbie]

I use 97p buckets from asda(x2)and a gravel vac/syphon from local LFS £2.50.

NN

 

[christilles87]

I bought three 5 gallon buckets from Lowes, and a simple vaccum. I use one bucket for dirty water and two for clean water. I dump the dirty bucket twice but it only takes about 20 minutes to complete a small (10g) water change. I am sure there are easier and faster ways, but for under ten dollars I have every thing I need .