Tank water change pump set up…

[Magnum Man]

I’ve mentioned this before, on another thread… but I’ll detail in this thread, and follow up, with how it works…
So in among my tanks, I have a couple, that are low to the floor… the 3 lowest ones, are 2 - 10 gallon holding tanks, one that has been set up as my scud raising tank, the other currently houses my cherry shrimp… and the 3rd is a 65 gallon, that is only the thicknesses of a milled 2 by lumber ( actually only an inch and a half off the floor) but all 3 of these are low enough to make water changes challenging…

So I’ve begun putting together some small pumps, that I’ll place in small plastic boxes, with holes for water flow, and to hold the fine screen ( I’ll actually be using women’s ankle high nylons) away from the pumps, to keep the scuds and shrimp from getting sucked up with regular water changes… I’ll still have to vacuum gravel occasionally, and will have to screen my bucket in that case…
I’m using a switched cord, so the idea, is to leave the pump and screened box, in these tanks, in a back corner… I’m using some really small “fountain” pumps for the 10 gallons, and the switched cord allows me to stand during the process, rather than having to be on my knees…

I’ve got all the parts here, but the little plastic boxes, and the switched cords… the boxes will be here next Monday or Tuesday… will post some pictures, once everything is ready..

These are the pumps I’m using for the 10 gallon tanks

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07SKJGNX3/ref=ox_sc_act_image_2?smid=A3ST8X787ZZP5B&psc=1

And this is the one I’m using for the 65

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08TTXW7CJ?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

I’m using 2 different sizes of small plastic boxes, that the pumps fit into…
These will hold the small pumps

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B092Q6LCCG?ref=ppx_pt2_mob_b_prod_image

 

[Archerfish]

So is the idea you position a box containing a pump into a tank and pump up (and out) an X amount of water for water exchanges? And the box/pump remain in each tank?

 

[Magnum Man]

Yes… my fill water is RO, and gets pumped out of a collection barrel… I’ll put the amount of hose needed to go from the pump, to the pail I use, then I’ll attach a clip, so I can clip the hose end, up above the tank, just to eliminate accidental syphoning

 

[Archerfish]

Right, that's what I was thinking. I do something similar with one of my tanks using a rain barrel, pump, silicone hose and a clamp to meter the water flow. I am sure your plan will work out.

 

[Magnum Man]

Still working on them… 2 sizes i could put some pea rock, or ceramic bio media I already have for planting plants, in the boxes for weight, and my goal is to stick them in a back corner… I’m using a Dremel with a pointed grinder stone, as I think they would easily crack, using a drill bit…

 

[Magnum Man]

This is 1st trial of the smallest pump, with the box half full of ceramic media… I think it will do a 50% water change on this 10 gallon tank quite efficiently

 

[Archerfish]

Drilling plastic is tough. Try a spur-point bit next time or simply melt through with a soldering iron. In any case, you did a nice job and solved a real problem. Way to go!

 

[Magnum Man]

in essence the pointed grinder stone got hot enough to melt the plastic, so it was about the same as using a soldering iron...