Easiest Fatest Water Changes

[pkppv]

i plan on using the long hose for big water changes, and a shorter one into a bucket for the sole purpose of cleaning sand and gravel, so for me, putting something over the end of the hose would work out pretty well i think.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I clean the substrate every time I do a water change. I've found a way to keep the fish out of the hose for the future. Now I just put the tube into the corner when I am finished vaccing the substrate and am just removing water. I don't take my eyes off the tank any more when vaccing. One fish sucked up is one fish too many.

 

[Tolak]

Use larger bore hoses;

Into a bigger bucket with a pump;

 

[pkppv]

hardcore for sure!

 

[squatmye]

I use The Aqueon Aquarium Water Changer. I just hook it up to my faucet and let it do the work for me. It is kinda pricey, but well worth it. I use to do the bucket and manual syphon thing, but hated it. I have had to replace one of theses, but that was because I bought the cheaper one and it cracked and I was unable to find a replacement part. This brand has replacement parts, but has not cracked on me yet. You can also buy extensions to make it longer.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Tolak, I appreciate your set-up. All of my stuff has to fit in the cabinet the tank sits on as I have a very small house... I find that I have a very similar set-up to yours, only scaled down 1:12.

 

[Tolak]

Lol, I'll bet my fry tank gear is scaled 1:12 of your gear! For compact storage you can't beat a garden hose, if you clamp it to the side with a good size piece of sponge on the end it will drain down to the level of the hose end & stop. That is what the white PVC on the end of the one door hanging "decoration" does. I've seen folks hook up a toilet fill valve to fill hoses, tank fills to the level set & stops. With these setups you can walk away from the tank, cleaning filters, watching TV or whatever.

If you plan on putting any sort of shutoff on the tank end of a hose keep an eye on the hose, cheaper ones are prone to splitting & leaking. Yes, I learned this the hard way.

 

[cynic]

One hosepipe, simples.

Turn the filter off first.

Put open end of hose in tank and turn on the tap just a touch. Once the bubbles stop and all the air is out of the pipe. Turn off the tap. Stick a cork in the hosepipe (under water). Then drop the hose off the tap. I put it into a 25litre tub in the garden which i allow to oerflow into the garden and to catch any miscreat Harlequins, hasn't happened yet but you never can relax.

Then remove the cork/stopper whatever under the water and suck up as you choose. Once happy lift the hose from the water and it will stop.

Add declorinator (IMPORTANT) sufficient to the volume of your tank not what your adding.
Then reattach to the tap and top up slowly, so long as its steady and the tank is a good size it will be fine.

Start filter, or if cleaning the filter too i will now have 25litres of tank water to clean the media in.

Job done.

 

[Blubble37]

for my 95 ltr i use a centrifugal central heating pump to drain then reverse it to fill from the kitchen sink. All done in 3 mins

For my 48 ltr I use a hose and a bucket, with a mini vortex chamber in the middle

 

[Blubble37]

to drain the pond, it's a case of using the pond pump to drain it, easy peasy

 

[boogybaz]

Thinking today after doing a water change of putting T valves between the tank and filter on both inlet and outlet pipes, then use the pump in the filter to pump out the water and pump the dechlorinated water back in.. gotta be less messy and easier than a bucket and jug

Anyone done this?

 

[cynic]

The only issue for me with that is forgetting the declorinator would be dissasterous. As it would be instant and total loss of filter bacteria.

At least with the tank having a mix of declorinated water and tap water you may be ok if its forgotten with not a big water change.

just my view though.

 

[pkppv]

attention please: the new champion is....cynic!!!!! I could not get the short length of hose method to work, but cynics strategy was quite simple. I didnt even use a cork! My tank is draining now and im ecstatic as to how easy this is!!!

 

[pkppv]

Just did an 80% water change. Cynic, eaglesaquarium, and all those who have helped, you have made my fish sooooo very happy. They all say thank you!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Well, my dad had a hard time figuring it out too. It works for me though.