Okay, So Maybe I'm Lazy But ...

[cheeky chappie]

... can anyone advise me as to what pump type thingy i can buy that will assist with the emptying / water change routine of my jewel rio 180? i've moved to a bungalow (so everything on same level) and i've situated the tank opposite my kitchen in the dining area of my lounge/diner. a section of hose approx. 6 metres would get from inside the tank to inside my kitchen sink and ideally i'd like to buy a pump that will pump the water out as oppose to me manually taking out x amount of jugs worth of water and walking backwards and forwards to sink.

does anyone do their water changes this way and if yes what type of pump do you reckon would do the job? i've had a look online but the pumps i'm seeing would be overkill.

 

[forby3]

i just use a small submersible powerhead attach the hose and hey presto no manual labour lol

 

[rdstars]

Just use a hose and have it empty outside of the window or near by door instead of trailing through to the sink.

Failing that buy a plastic container with wheels on, empty straight into that and tip it outside.

 

[cheeky chappie]

i just use a small submersible powerhead attach the hose and hey presto no manual labour lol

hi, yeah i was/am looking for a small submersible, any tips on make and model, as i say most of the ones i'm finding seem to be on the large side but i'll keep looking.

EDIT: would something like this do the trick:

http/www.seapets.co.uk/products/pond-supplies/pond-pumps/pond-pumps-for-statues-and-water-features-/oase-aquarius-universal-neptun-water-pump-600.html

 

[OldMan47]

Almost any power head can be used to pump water to your kitchen sink.
Let me ask the question from a different point of view though. Why would someone waste all of the good organic matter in a water change? I would simply run the hose out the door and use it to water my garden. If you want to see plants suddenly start to thrive, try watering them with used fish water. The nitrogen you are trying to remove from your tank with a water change is treated as fertilizer by the garden plants. I even use my water change water to feed my house plants in winter when the outdoors garden cannot use the water. If you really want to see plants grow, try this approach.

 

[cheeky chappie]

Almost any power head can be used to pump water to your kitchen sink.
Let me ask the question from a different point of view though. Why would someone waste all of the good organic matter in a water change? I would simply run the hose out the door and use it to water my garden. If you want to see plants suddenly start to thrive, try watering them with used fish water. The nitrogen you are trying to remove from your tank with a water change is treated as fertilizer by the garden plants. I even use my water change water to feed my house plants in winter when the outdoors garden cannot use the water. If you really want to see plants grow, try this approach.

thanks for the tip, i'll try that. so you reckon that sort of pump will do?

 

[Liam50]

i use the old pump that used to run my internal juwel filter. This is from my rio 400.

 

[jmkgreen]

I'm in much the same position as the OP. Tank is one side of the house, kitchen the other side. Reason I don't run the hose out the french doors? My o/h screams "it's cold! it's cold!" repeatedly.

Trouble still further, my tank has sand which at 4x2 is a real pain to clean. I can get the syphon started by running the tap to the tank then disconnecting the hose from the tap, however within minutes of vacuuming the hose is full of detritus and flow has gone to a trickle. Been looking at a powerhead both to re-pressurise the flow and to help shift the detritus toward the filter inlets.

Check out http/www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/aquarium-filters/aquarium-powerheads.html - not sure what the major differences are yet.

I do have a Jewel one from my old Reckord which I might give a try to see whether the theory works in practice before I buy a more powerful one.

 

[cheeky chappie]

I'm in much the same position as the OP. Tank is one side of the house, kitchen the other side. Reason I don't run the hose out the french doors? My o/h screams "it's cold! it's cold!" repeatedly.

Trouble still further, my tank has sand which at 4x2 is a real pain to clean. I can get the syphon started by running the tap to the tank then disconnecting the hose from the tap, however within minutes of vacuuming the hose is full of detritus and flow has gone to a trickle. Been looking at a powerhead both to re-pressurise the flow and to help shift the detritus toward the filter inlets.

Check out http/www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/aquarium-filters/aquarium-powerheads.html - not sure what the major differences are yet.

I do have a Jewel one from my old Reckord which I might give a try to see whether the theory works in practice before I buy a more powerful one.

thanks for link, they seem to have a good range at reasonable prices.

 

[SlimboyFat]

Syphoning the water out isn't a problem, it's getting the water back.

I prepare a couple of 25 ltr drums a day or 2 in advance to let the "Tap Safe" treatment work and to bring the temperature up a bit. Getting the drums above the tank is a nightmare, last time we placed one drum on top of the other on the window sill which worked but was a bit daunting

Using drums, we only have a hole in the top about 2 1/2 inch wide so a submersable is out. With the drum on a stool it would have to lift the water about 2 1/2 to 3 foot so would need to be powerfull enough for this but not too powerfull that it disturbs the gravel etc in the tank (adjustable ???).

Any ideas?

TIA
Slimboy Fat

 

[SlimboyFat]

I finished up going for a maxi jet pump with a pipe from the inlet that can be stuck in the drum then a pipe from the outlet into the tank.

Couldn't get it to work at first as the inlet pipe was only deep enough to reach the bottom of the drum with the pump sitting on the drum. I was expecting the pump to suck the water up...

Using a longer piece so the pipe would reach the bottom of the drum but with emough left so the pump sits below the water, start to syphon the water until it reaches the pump then start the motor.

Works fantastic.

 

[Joshwainwright]

I finished up going for a maxi jet pump with a pipe from the inlet that can be stuck in the drum then a pipe from the outlet into the tank.

Couldn't get it to work at first as the inlet pipe was only deep enough to reach the bottom of the drum with the pump sitting on the drum. I was expecting the pump to suck the water up...

Using a longer piece so the pipe would reach the bottom of the drum but with emough left so the pump sits below the water, start to syphon the water until it reaches the pump then start the motor.

Works fantastic.

Great news, Looks like water changes aren't a chore for you any more.