The Perils Of A Larger Tank

[mattlee]

it takes me half an hour to do a 50% water change on my big tank mate

i have a length of pond filter hose that i use to drain the water straight out into the garden/driveway and then add dechlorinator to the tank and refill using that python i made. from the kitchen window straight into the garage and into the tank. sit back chill out and never have to lift a single bucket again.....

the longest part of the job in syphoning up the poo in the tank but a length of filter hose and a large water tub takes care of this before i use the pond filter hose to drain the water out

cant you use the water from your kitchen? its only a few feet from the tank.....

 

[mattshez]

is it ok to add tapwater to the tank if you plonk in declhorinator beforehand?

 

[markandhisfish]

yes its perfectly fine , but doing it this way you dose for the whole tank volume rather than the water taken out

 

[mattshez]

thats fine, even if it takes a while to refil the tank would that still be fine? will the effectiveness wear off before i am able to refil the tank entirely?

 

[sXeLifer]

I have a 110L and even that takes a good while longer than my 60L ever did its surprising

 

[symon_say]

Normally i'm not in a hurry while doing water changes, but if i have have to do it quick i use a mini jet 606 submersible pump, to take water out and in, to minimize waiting time while the pump is taking water out of the tank, i start filling some buckets with water, after all the water is out i use the garden hose and the buckets of water to fill the tank.

That cut time by more than half, and is a quick water change.

 

[jmkgreen]

Uriel - i like it!
Does anyone use those battery powered syphons? any good?

I don't think I've ever heard the words "battery powered", "good" and "aquarium" in the same sentence. Gravel vacs usually (very poor).

 

[jmkgreen]

oh it would fill faster mark but putting the tap on full would freeze the tank its only 1oC outside and the water is only around 2 or 3 hence trickling it into the tank

Hozelock hose between tank in lounge and kitchen sink. Quick burst of cold from tap to empty hose of air, then release from tap and watch tankwater go down sink (albeit slowly). When ready mix hot+cold to desired temperature then re-attach hose to mixer tap. Wait 10-20 minutes. It's the emptying that takes the time (400L) but I'm going to try shoving a 400L/hour powerhead from my old Jewel tank in to see if I can speed things up at all.