Quick water change question

[cowgirluntamed]

So, I work nights and sort if keep that schedule on my nights off. I am building my own DIY python system to do water changes on multiple tanks like Rachel o'leary showed in a recent video of hers.

So, this wouldn't be vacuuming the substrate, just a water change. But, can it be done at night when the lights in the tank are off? Or would this potentially stress the fish out? Once I have more fish. Lol. The light in the main room would just be a lamp.

 

[fluttermoth]

You can do it at night, if it's easier for you. The only thing you want to avoid is switching the tank lights on if the room is totally dark as that would shock the fish.

 

[cowgirluntamed]

You can do it at night, if it's easier for you. The only thing you want to avoid is switching the tank lights on if the room is totally dark as that would shock the fish.

Thanks Fluttermouth! I wouldn't turn the tank lights on. Just a lamp in the room. So, on my nights off there is a bit of light to make the tanks not completely dark. But it would just strictly be the water change. If I wad to gravel vac I would do it during daylight hours when lights are on.

 

[neoyyf]

Sorry to barge in your post but could you provide link for the diy python siphon please? I would like to make one too

 

[Byron]

While it might work, I really would suggest you try to organize a day period for the water change when the tank light is on for at least an hour before doing anything in or around the tank. Light affects fish much more than it does us. But another aspect is the sensitivity of fish to movement in the water. They detect movement, some species even rely more on this than their eyesight to find prey. And then there is the change in pressure when you siphon out 1/3 or 1/2 of the tank. It is better to subject fish to all this during "daylight."

 

[cowgirluntamed]

This is the first one. It's not the python itself, but the parts that go into the tank to prevent cross contamination. There are a bunch of YouTube vids on how to make the rest of it. I just bought the python faucet connector and some female connectors from Dr's foster and smith. Bought the hose on amazon. The piping stuff at lowes. The end of the siphon thing where she said to buy it. And I just ordered a ball valve for the fill hose itself to turn it on and off in the hose to keep from going back to the sink. Though I did get regular ball valves like she got for the drain part. I'm also going to have one drain hose/faucet connector and one fill hose/faucet connector for more prevention. And each tank will have its own pipe fittings, one for draining and one for filling. And to make note, this is just for water changes, not gravel/substrate vacuuming. Here is a 2nd rebuild video that she did because the first one wasn't quite in frame.

 

[cowgirluntamed]

While it might work, I really would suggest you try to organize a day period for the water change when the tank light is on for at least an hour before doing anything in or around the tank. Light affects fish much more than it does us. But another aspect is the sensitivity of fish to movement in the water. They detect movement, some species even rely more on this than their eyesight to find prey. And then there is the change in pressure when you siphon out 1/3 or 1/2 of the tank. It is better to subject fish to all this during "daylight."

Thanks Byron. I didn't think of those aspects of it. I can always do it during the day. It will be easy once I get my system going. I won't have to fight myself to do them. Lol. I absolutely hate lugging buckets back and forth! I would rather not stress the fish as much as possible so want to do things right!