Large Water Changes for 125g + tanks

[technium]

Another water change questions but i just wondered how all the massive tank owners did theirs, I mean for tanks over 125g??

my 150uk gallon tank is a pain to change water especially a volume of water that size and now my 200 gallon tank is cycling im just wondering how im gonna cope, in fact I dread water change time all the time.

the 150g tank is in the dining room which was converted from a garage and when raising the concrete floor I got a drain put in the corner of the room where the tank will be (wife wasnt pleased) so I could just syphon the water straight out the tank into the drain and it then went straight outside but cant do this with the 200g tank. Also its getting the water back in thats a pain, carrying a 20 litre bucket of water from kitchen to garage and back and forth and so on.

So again, how do you do yours??

 

[CFC]

I do mine with a hose pipe, i syphon the water straight from the tank and down the stairs into the garden and then refill the tank straight from the hose adding de chlorinator and the odd kettle full of boiling water as i go, 50 gallons changed in under a hour.

 

[NickT]

good question! ive always wonderd myself what otehr ppl do... especaly when you have chlorine/cloramine in your tap water and adding it form the tap isnt an option.

my idea was to use one of those things that mix bugspray/fertalizer (an unused one) on the end of a hose that was adapted to where my washing machine taps into the watter on my house. i could get the valves set just right so my water comes out within 1 degree of my tank water and mix dechlorinator with teh fertalizer thinggy.....

as of now i use a rubbermaid to hold 6 gallon jugs of water. i fill teh bottom of the rubermaid with water and run a heater on it to bring the jugs up to temp. maybe its over kill but it dosnt stress the fish at all. i syphon water out teh window and into the garden.

EDIT: cfc just clarifyed things for me.... i dint know you could add teh dechlorinater first.... i didnt think it was affective added like that...

 

[technium]

thanks so far everyone


A water change for me takes ages, getting the water out isnt a problem although its a pain trying to hover the house over the sand to such up any waste but without sucking up my sand but re adding water is a nightmare

 

[freddyk]

Hmmm, I use a python to take it out, and I use the python to put it back in. Strong water flow keeps me from having to vacuum the sand.

 

[parker313]

I have a python too. Even just with a 46 gallon, it saves so much time over lugging buckets around.

 

[technium]

I dont think they have pythons in the UK do we?? anyone??

also how do you get a strong water flow to keep the bottom clean? where does all the waste go then? I tried adding powerheads lower down the tank to blow waste to one side where I would add an internal filter but it just blew the sand. So any help on what setup you have would be appreciated feddyk.

Thanks

 

[enchanted]

Personally I use a Python and yes they are available in the UK because I know people on this forum that have purchased them.

As for keeping the sand clear, I use playsand. You can see the coloring of my sand here:
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=65338

I run a Fluval 404 and a Pengiun 330 for filteration. I do not need to clean the sand, but I do stir it up everytime I do a water change to prevent anaerobic conditions from forming.

 

[BobK]

I've been using a 5 gallon bucket for the pwc's on my 75g. I've been pulling out 10-15g every 5-7 days using the bucket and a gravel vac/syphon. I'm definitely going to get a Python soon. The buckets work okay for me but I'm always spilling some on the carpet. I usually add dechlorinator to the tank just before I pour in the tap water. This way pouring the water mixes up the dechlorinator throughout the tank.

 

[Taz]

Hi

Yes you can get pythons in the uk look here
http/www.animal-house.co.uk/acatalog/Onl...leaners_56.html

Mine is on order hehe. If you phone your order through the p+p is cheaper than online.

 

[rvm]

I use a 100 litre water butt (just right for a 20% change) and syphon using a extra large gravel vac into the butt, then use a pond pump to pump the old water down the sink. Fill up the water butt with water and get it to the right temp, add Dechlor, then use the pond pump to pump it all back in to the tank.
Hey presto, just under 30g of water changed in less than 30 mins, and I only actually need to be with it for about 15 mins. I let it fill on it's own!!!

 

[freddyk]

also how do you get a strong water flow to keep the bottom clean? where does all the waste go then? I tried adding powerheads lower down the tank to blow waste to one side where I would add an internal filter but it just blew the sand. So any help on what setup you have would be appreciated feddyk.

I just use lots of filtration to generate a good current. Even my smallest tank has two filters on it. my 110 gallon has three filters going.