Siphoning Water Back In

[ellena]

I've done a few water changes while fishless cycling. The tank is only 25l, so 2 bucketfuls is enough. However, pouring back in from the bucket makes a right mess. Doesn't really mater atm, but I'd like it to stay looking nice once the fish are in. I saw a suggestion to siphon the water back in and thought I'd try. Now the bucket end of the siphon would need to be higher than the tank end for this to work, right?
I got it a bit higher by standing the bucket on a pile of books but I couldn't get the flow going at all
Any tips or other suggestions for adding water without it looking like a bomb's dropped?

 

[Liam50]

in my case i use a hose pipe connect it to the tap and put the other end in the tank. easy

 

[helterskelter]

The base of the bucket need to be higher than the top of the tank.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi ellena

Try filling the hose with water from the tank. Then, keeping your finger over the opening, put one end in the bucket and leave the other in the tank. Gravity should take over from there.

 

[DJ ArKaDaRkA]

i use a waterbutt tap siniconed into a bucket then fill the bucket with water sit on the hood with the tap going into the feeding flap and turn on

no need for holding it while filling the tank and you get it to flow as fast as you want

 

[ellena]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I like yours DJ-not sure that the hood would hold the weight of the bucket, but I could support it and just rest it on there. I'll try it next time

 

[jonp]

I simply pour the water at a slowish rate from the bucket over an ornament - this disperses the current before it hits the gravel.

 

[DJ ArKaDaRkA]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I like yours DJ-not sure that the hood would hold the weight of the bucket, but I could support it and just rest it on there. I'll try it next time

this is on my rekord 70 and the hood can take the weight fine if placed on the side not the middle

 

[Geoff1991]

 

[OldMan47]

The easiest way I have found to siphon water back in is to remove the hood, then lay a piece of shelving across the top of the tank frame and just set the bucket on that board. I use the gravel cleaning siphon because it is rigid enough that I don't need to make any special arrangements to hold the siphon in place in the bucket while it works. I am busy filling a new tank so took a quick snap of it in action. With a 3 foot board, this will work on a huge tank, much bigger than I would try to fill using a bucket.

 

[br3ach]

May be worth looking into an Eheim Compact 600 or 1000 pump and pumping the water back in from the bucket? They are pretty cheap to buy and cheap to run. This would make things so much easier for you in the long run.

 

[Ian H]

if its only 2 buckets just use a jug and pour the water onto a plate or something like that to spread the water out

 

[ellena]

Thanks for more tips Esp. the pic Oldman47-great idea for when I have a bigger tank.
I'll come back to this when I have to do another change