Python Advice

[markandhisfish]

im seriously considering making a diy python. the only thing that has stopped me so far is the dechlorinating issues. do you re-fill the tank then de-chlorinate?

also 2 other questions do you dechlorinate for the amount of water you put back in or for the amount of water the tank holds? also do you switch off your filters to stop tap water being circulated through them and killing off filter bacteria

 

[Inchworm]

Hi markandhisfish

If you put in the dechlorinate before adding the water, it will rapidly mix with the tank water and instantly dechlorinate the incoming water. Use enough of the product to dechlorinate the entire amount of water your tank holds. It will not harm the fish or any plants you might have in there.

 

[minxfishy]

The filters are off when doing a w/c anyway. So I add the tank amount of dechlor before I refill, so literally chuck it in and start the water flowing at the same time. Once tank has re-filled, then I switch everything back on.

I always do 50% w/c, even on a little 8g tank, never had a single problem with doing it this way.

 

[markandhisfish]

ok cheers so filters off water out tank volumes worth of dechlorinator in then re-fill and re-start filters. cool im gonna take the plunge and make 1 as putting 50 gallons of water back in my tank with a bucket takes forever.

 

[minxfishy]

You will never look back.

 

[markandhisfish]

so im guessing i could use the python to hoover up all the crud off teh sand too?

 

[Davo86]

ok cheers so filters off water out tank volumes worth of dechlorinator in then re-fill and re-start filters. cool im gonna take the plunge and make 1 as putting 50 gallons of water back in my tank with a bucket takes forever.

I don't even turn off the filters tbh,

turn off heaters
Long 13mm pipe leading to drain, Siphons water out
dechlor goes in
leave garden hose in tank running on low pressure for 30-45mins
turn heaters back on

job done

 

[minxfishy]

Course you can, works the same as a gravel vac

All my stuff are on a 4way plugs Davo, so I just flick the whole thing off.

 

[markandhisfish]

im sold! id turn the filters off just for peace of mind as the only reason i still labour away with buckets is im paranoid about killing my filter and putting my tank into cycle. will get the bits i need and make 1 asap . cheers guys

 

[Liam50]

The filters are off when doing a w/c anyway. So I add the tank amount of dechlor before I refill, so literally chuck it in and start the water flowing at the same time. Once tank has re-filled, then I switch everything back on.

I always do 50% w/c, even on a little 8g tank, never had a single problem with doing it this way.

hey just wondering why you turn the stuff off, i mean i turn my heater off but should i turn my filter off?

 

[markandhisfish]

chlorine/chloramin in tap water kills the filter bacteria. hence why filters are always cleaned in tank water not tap water. i would turn my filter off untill it was done to eliminate the risk of non dechlorinated wtaer being pumped through the filter and killing teh bacteria

 

[minxfishy]

I just turn them off, because I do 50% w/c, my largest tank has an inbuilt internal which would damage the pump without water in the filter, plus the external's spray bar makes water splash all over the place once the water level drops and because they are all on 4way plugs, so its easier to turn the whole lot off.

You dont have to turn them off.

 

[JustKia]

My filter inlet is near the bottom of the tank and so I leave the filter turned on. When I had my internal filter I used to turn that off because, as minx says, it damages the pump if it's running without water.
I know the heater I've got is supposed to automatically cut out if it isn't submerged, but I used to turn that off anyway - only I always forgot to turn it back on, realised I didn't need it and left it off.

Water changes now (diy python) are:
Drain (I gave up trying to vac between and around the plants, plus have corys, kuhlis and MTS that keep any debris from settling).
Dump in dechlor for whole tank.
Refill with warm water from tap (combi boiler so no issues with copper) at a fair old pressure - my fish love to play in the stream.

 

[Inchworm]

I have box filters and because they have no moving parts, I leave them on during water changes. When I used to have AquaClear HOBs, sand would get sucked up in the intake tube and damage the impellers if I let them run, so they had to be turned off. Tanks with gravel substrate do not have this problem.

As long as submersible heaters stay under the water's surface, they can stay on because their thermostats will work normally. It's only when they are exposed to the cooler air that they continue heating, overheat, and crack.

 

[saltynay]

I use my filter to remove the water for the water change by sticking a hose on the pump outlet and letting it pump into a bucket for a couple of minutes then turn it off and take the hose off. The to return it I use a spare fluval 1+ in the bucket to pump the water back in with the the internal filter still running in the tank.