Water Change

[mhancock]

Recently I got a 225l tank which I love, however I make lots of mess when putting the water back after a water change.

Getting the water out and vacuuming the gravel is fine, however there is only a small slit at the front of the hood for access, and however carefully I use my 4l ice cream tub (the only way to transfer 50l of water through such a small gap!), I end up with a puddle on the floor.

Thankfully I have a wooden floor and can wipe up the water really easily!

There must, however, be a better way.......

 

[KkAaNnEe]

Hose? Attached to shower or sink

 

[KrazyKuhli]

Watering can with a foot of hose works fine for me

 

[Tolak]

There must, however, be a better way.......

Yes there is, a hose.

 

[Akasha72]

a large container with your temp matched, dechlorinated water in higher than your tank. Get a syphon that has a pump on it, I have one by Algard and it's brilliant. One end of pipe into water container, other end in the tank, pump the pump to get it going and let it fill by itself. Dead simple

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Hmmm I am showing my rookie skills here but can't you just lift the hood? You certianly can on my tank!

 

[Salam]

Hose? Attached to shower or sink

OMG! You just made my life so much easier! Getting the water out is so easy (gravel cleaner) but it is such a pain in the #14### getting the water back in via my mixing bowl. A hose! Why didn't I think this up myself? Thanks so much!!!

 

[KrazyKuhli]

Problem is with the hose on the tap its not treated water, dunno if this would affect the fish?

 

[mhancock]

Thanks for the replies!

Hose - this would be chlorinated and cold water so probably a no-no!?

Watering can - I like that idea, will have to fill several times though to get 50+l of water in, how long to I need to leave it for the dechlorinator to work? May take too long!

Lifting the hood - it is too big and heavy, also with the pipework coming in through holes on the back movement is rather restricted.

Putting the bucket higher than the tank - I can barely lift it onto the footstall to get it near the tank, there's no way it could go above the tank to siphon down...

Using a hose would be easiest if I had not been advised to let the dechorinator have 15 mins in the bucket before adding the new water in. Or was that rubbish advice, and would the tank be OK with lots of cold chlorinated water??

 

[Primous]

Thanks for the replies!

Hose - this would be chlorinated and cold water so probably a no-no!?

This is fine. Just turn of your filter when refilling as this is where the bacs live. Add dechlor and then wait 5 mins before turning on your filter.

 

[KkAaNnEe]

Add as much dechlorinator for the whole tank then refill via hose - cold? Refilling with cooler temp isnt a problem, you have a heater right?

 

[mhancock]

Add as much dechlorinator for the whole tank then refill via hose - cold? Refilling with cooler temp isnt a problem, you have a heater right?

yes, and was just reading that temperature fluctuations are natural anyway!

Thanks for the replies!

Hose - this would be chlorinated and cold water so probably a no-no!?

This is fine. Just turn of your filter when refilling as this is where the bacs live. Add dechlor and then wait 5 mins before turning on your filter.

That makes sense, thanks!

 

[m_attt]

cold water is only like rainfall in nature, triggers alot of fish/inverts to breed aswell. add de-chlorinator to the tank if you use it. I never have and all has been well

 

[CezzaXV]

I made myself a fancy hose system that you can use to remove water too. Take a look at the link in my sig. I add dechlor and trickle water back in slowly so the heater can keep up. If I'm feeling particularly paranoid that day I'll add some dechlor after too. It's important you turn the filter off while all this is happening.