External Pump Questions

[moon]

Hello Hard people.

I am trying to make my water changes painless for the fish, and as easy as possible for me!

I use a siphon to remove water, but currently have to pour the water in from 2 x 20L containers. This creates lots of turbulence for the fishies, disturbs my substrate and is not good for my hernia

I am contemplating using a pump to add the fresh water, but I am a little confused about what sort of pump to get.

I want an external pump (ie: not submersed) so I can suck from any sort of container.
I would like to pump around 20L per minute.
The following sound suitable:
Underworld New-Jet Multi-use pumps
EHEIM universal pump

However, I am not sure how they work with regards to priming & running dry...
Do I just drop the empty (air-filled) intake pipe into the container and turn it on?
Will the pump be damaged once the supply container is empty?

Am I over complicating this? Is there a better way to do my water changes?

Thanks.

 

[Paul_MTS]

I to use a pump on water changes, I run the tap into a large tub, put the pump in the bucket and pump into the tank.

I don't think it's really necessary to use an external pump, your going to have the annoyance of it priming each time it runs dry which takes tp to 30-40secs to get a pump to run properly from dry. I would get a pump plce it ni the bucket then pour the last bit in, which would just be a few litres.

 

[moon]

I to use a pump on water changes, I run the tap into a large tub, put the pump in the bucket and pump into the tank.

I can't picture this - how does the water get from the large tub into the bucket?

I don't think it's really necessary to use an external pump, your going to have the annoyance of it priming each time it runs dry which takes tp to 30-40secs to get a pump to run properly from dry. I would get a pump plce it ni the bucket then pour the last bit in, which would just be a few litres.

I have to carry the water from the kitchen, so prefer to carry the water in a sealed container to avoid spillage. I was hoping for an external pump so I didn't have to find a sealable container with an opening large enough to fit the pump, but I guess I'll have to.

Thanks.

 

[Paul_MTS]

sorry, the tub and the bucket are the same thing!

I put the tub in the bath under the taps run the water into the tub then with about 30ft of hose pump water from the tub straight into the tank.

You could put a tub under your kitchen sink then pump from there into your tank.

 

[sharp tooth]

on my smaller tanks i just used to rest the 5 gal drum on the top of the tank and syphon the water into the tank with a short length of hose.

 

[Rooster]

I have always just poured in in from a bucket ! I tried the trickle through a siphon, but got impatient ! lol

 

[leysland]

I don't know why you don't use the syphon to re-fill the tank. I do, all you have to do is may sure the end of the hose in the filling bucket is higher than the end in the tank. Obviously I don't know how high the top of your tank is, but I place a bucket on a couple of chairs and fill this one with another, You don't have to carry much, a gallon at time even two is not too heavy. Its slower than emptying but not back breaking and easier on the fish/gravel.

If not and you have a garden hose , you can purchase pumps which fit on domestic power drills.