Water Changes Made Simple....

[Rillo Boy]

Right, being the lazy fella that I am , I decided to invent something that make water changes easy......

This is what you will need....

1 x 16 mm T http/www.ebay.co.u...984.m1438.l2649
1 x 16 mm Valve http/www.ebay.co.u...984.m1438.l2649
1 x Kitchen Tap connector : depends on the type of tap you got :
http/www.ebay.co.u...=item2a165d3163

or :
http/www.ebay.co.u...=item4cf4dbfbc4

3 x Hozelock push fits http/www.ebay.co.u...=item1e646b5285

1 x Double male fitting http/www.ebay.co.u...=item2a16547aa2

1 x 3/4 to 1/2 reducer :http/www.ebay.co.u...=item19ca4a2064

and a bit of garden hose ...... and 16mm hose... ( you will get a piece when you cut your line )

Now this is on a External filter.....Tetratec EX1200......but can work on any filter with shut off valves which I believe is on them all.


Now.... ( make sure the line is EMPTY )

1.....Cut the intake line and put the T piece in like this.....((( MUST BE THE INTAKE OR IT WOULD NOT WORK )))

2.....Connect a piece of the 16 mm line that you remove to fit the T and attach it to the other end and the valve like this...

3.....Connect another piece of 16mm hose to the other end of the valve, and the reducer adaptor, like this...

4.....Then a piece of garden hose to the 12mm side of the reducer...to one of the hozelock push fit thingy.... (technical term )...it should then look like this.... ( The double male ends go to the end of this..)

5.....Connect your adapter to the Kitchen mixer like this....

6....Take your length of garden hose and connect the other two hozelock push fits to both ends....

Thats it..........

To drain the water .....UNPLUG / TURN OFF THE FILTER (and heater if it will be uncovered ).....close both valves on filter ( green ones in photo ) .....connect the hose to the end of the new gizmo and put it outside then open the blue valve in the photo......your water will now run out of the tank till you close back the blue valve............

To fill........add dechlorinator ( PRIME Seachem ) to tank...connect the hose to the mixer tap thingy ma bob......( with correct temp ) open blue valve and mixer tap........water in your tank.....WHEN FULL....close blue valve....open two green ones on filter....plug back in Filter and heater if it was unplugged.....and Bobs your cross dressing Aunty !

No buckets, no spills, no noisy other halves...........and you don't even have to open the lid of your aquarium if you have one......

Hope all this makes sense....

 

[Proxo]

Very nice mate, you've just dropped a lazy level by taking the time to upload them pictures ect .
Only downfall with this is not been able to 'hoover' the sand/gravel but that for me doesn't need done very often anyway.

 

[Rillo Boy]

Very nice mate, you've just dropped a lazy level by taking the time to upload them pictures ect .
Only downfall with this is not been able to 'hoover' the sand/gravel but that for me doesn't need done very often anyway.

Gimme time....when I get fed up of doing that I will invent something else !

 

[boogybaz]

Very nice mate, you've just dropped a lazy level by taking the time to upload them pictures ect .
Only downfall with this is not been able to 'hoover' the sand/gravel but that for me doesn't need done very often anyway.

Gimme time....when I get fed up of doing that I will invent something else !

Never thought of doing it that way, was going to use the pump to do the work..

 

[Rillo Boy]

if you use the pump, then you will be putting fresh water with chlorine etc thru your filter wich will not be good for your bacteria in there......

 

[DrRob]

Venturi style feed into the return pipe? With a check valve?

 

[Rillo Boy]

Venturi style feed into the return pipe? With a check valve?

Ahhh...but you can't use it reverse to drain the tank....

 

[DrRob]

Tank drain system comes off the filter in pipe, tank refill goes into the filter out pipe.

 

[boogybaz]

Hmm, attempt one didn't work, but had enough hose to replace the manky old ones, and enough to allow me to syphon from the bucket!!

 

[walkers101]

Also think its bad for the bacteria a normal python does this without going near the filter

 

[fluttermoth]

I just syphon out and trickle back in with a garden hose; heck of a lot easier!

 

[BigbruiserAl]

Also think its bad for the bacteria a normal python does this without going near the filter

Whats bad for the bacteria the water does not go in the filter if the taps closed?

 

[Tizer]

This got me confused, water from tap goes straight into the filter , yes i suppose its possible a small amount of dechlorinator might also be passing through but i would expect the concentration of chlorine to be much higher when it hits the filter directly rather than going into the tank first.

A good effort, but not enough thought, certainly not something i would do. I'll stick to the hose for both draining and filling.

 

[Rillo Boy]

This got me confused, water from tap goes straight into the filter , yes i suppose its possible a small amount of dechlorinator might also be passing through but i would expect the concentration of chlorine to be much higher when it hits the filter directly rather than going into the tank first.

A good effort, but not enough thought, certainly not something i would do. I'll stick to the hose for both draining and filling.

Water from the tap goes no where into the filter mate........it drains before the filter and adds back before the filter.....

 

[Tizer]

This got me confused, water from tap goes straight into the filter , yes i suppose its possible a small amount of dechlorinator might also be passing through but i would expect the concentration of chlorine to be much higher when it hits the filter directly rather than going into the tank first.

A good effort, but not enough thought, certainly not something i would do. I'll stick to the hose for both draining and filling.

Water from the tap goes no where into the filter mate........ti drains before the filter and adds back before the filter.....

I dont follow explain further!

Ah! You turn the green tap on the filter pipe and force it to go out of the spraybar/outlet? Now that i understand.