Water Changes Straight From Faucet

[TheJ0kerrr]

Probably a dumb question, but since I don't have the goods to test it myself right now, i thought i'd just ask... Those of you who are using a "water change unit" that's plugged directly to the faucet, I can see how filling up the tank is a breeze, but how does it work to drain tank water? Does the tank have to be setup higher than the faucet or are you using some kind of pump?

 

[tribalbrit]

Hose pipe straight out the back door. Siphon action.

 

[drobbyb]

Hose pipe straight out the back door. Siphon action.

+1

 

[Primous]

To drain and refill get a python

 

[drobbyb]

I used a python to drain for a while, but the extra water cost to drain seemed a waste since gravity is free. But if you have no way to take advantage of gravity, a nospill by Python is great.

 

[Aqua Tom]

Hose pipe straight out the back door. Siphon action.

+1

+2

 

[Man of fish]

I used a python to drain for a while, but the extra water cost to drain seemed a waste since gravity is free. But if you have no way to take advantage of gravity, a nospill by Python is great.

The one in the picture above your post is the one I have. The only water you 'waste' is not even 1 liter to start the siphoning action then you can move the hose anywhere you wish if you'd like to, but I just drain mine into the sink anyways.

 

[TheJ0kerrr]

Thanks guys, that python uses water pressure to pump water from the tank at a 7 to 1 ratio. That's what I didn't know about this system. Hose out the back door is also a good idea with a large tank.

 

[BigbruiserAl]

There is a thread on here that i cant find for the life of me, but the user had pluged in a hose from the outlet of the external fiter with a ball valve that you could just throw out the back door

 

[gforce17]

Can I ask how you treat the water for chlorine if you fill straight from the tap (faucet)?

 

[fluttermoth]

You just add enough dechlor for the volume of the whole tank (as some of it gets bound up by the organic compounds present) to the tank before you start refilling.

 

[gforce17]

Doesn't the chlorinated water that gets into the filter kill the bacteria or do you turn it off completely.

 

[fluttermoth]

Most people think that the level of chlorine in a 50% or less water change is too low to kill off a bacterial colony, but I always switch my filters (and heaters!) off anyway, just to be on the safe side.

 

[gforce17]

Thanks.

 

[CezzaXV]

If you check out the link in my sig, I made a system that works uphill using a power head. Saves water compared to the python system which is good for those on meters.