Water Changes Tips And Tricks!

[leecasey]

Hi, I've returned to fish keeping from quite a while ago. One of the things that made me stop was the hassle of water changing. I remember there was a device in the US called a Python(?) which you could hook to your kitchen tap and drain and fill from it? Can't seem to find it anymore.

I have a 400 litre tank and doing a large water change is a bit tedious via bucket. I have read how some of you fill by hose but how do you obtain the correct temperature? Do you have some kind of fitting which fits to your kitchen taps?

If anyone has any tips, tricks or gadgets to make this process quicker it would be much appreciated if you share!

 

[elisew]

I have a single mixer tap and have managed to get a hose connector attached to it, I now use a DIY Python because my back and shoulder was really giving me jip while doing water changes. It works really well, it`s great being able to sit down and have a cuppa while the tank is emptying and being refilled

The instructions for the DIY Python:

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/250013-how-to-make-a-diy-python/

 

[KkAaNnEe]

By hose you can put a water pump in a large bucket/butt of water and simply attach the hose to it, to re-fill. to drain, just put one end of hose in the tank and suck on other end to get a siphon going...

With the temp, i generally go by if its not cold on my hand, its ok, and i have never had a problem this way, unless you have very sensitive fish.

 

[fluttermoth]

This is not something that people who are cycling or who have very new set-ups should try! Those new colonies of bacteria need TLC

Once your tank is six months or a year old, you can fill with straight, cold water (although I personally pour in a few buckets of hot as I go) for anything up to about a 50% change. Just make sure that you add enough dechlor for the whole tank before you start re-filling, fill slowly, and switch your filters off so as not to risk any chlorinated water going through them.

I wish we could get pythons in the UK; I did think I'd found a place that supplied a similar thing, although a different make, but it seems they've got out of business; I emailed them a month or two back and never got a reply
There are instructions in the DIY section on how to make your own, but I haven't tried it yet; I'm happy enough syphoning out of the windows and hosing back in

 

[KkAaNnEe]

This is not something that people who are cycling or who have very new set-ups should try! Those new colonies of bacteria need TLC

Once your tank is six months or a year old, you can fill with straight, cold water (although I personally pour in a few buckets of hot as I go) for anything up to about a 50% change. Just make sure that you add enough dechlor for the whole tank before you start re-filling, fill slowly, and switch your filters off so as not to risk any chlorinated water going through them.

I wish we could get pythons in the UK; I did think I'd found a place that supplied a similar thing, although a different make, but it seems they've got out of business; I emailed them a month or two back and never got a reply
There are instructions in the DIY section on how to make your own, but I haven't tried it yet; I'm happy enough syphoning out of the windows and hosing back in

Can i ask where and how you're siphoning back in?

 

[leecasey]

I have a single mixer tap and have managed to get a hose connector attached to it, I now use a DIY Python because my back and shoulder was really giving me jip while doing water changes. It works really well, it`s great being able to sit down and have a cuppa while the tank is emptying and being refilled

The instructions for the DIY Python:

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/250013-how-to-make-a-diy-python/

Wow that DIY Python Tutorial is great! I will be giving that a go next weekend!

 

[fluttermoth]

Can i ask where and how you're siphoning back in?

I use a hose for re-filling

 

[KkAaNnEe]

Can i ask where and how you're siphoning back in?

I use a hose for re-filling

Yeah I meant do you siphon back into your tank, because my tank is always higher than bucket, so do you use a pump?

 

[mattbleasby]

Woahh!!! That Python tutorial looks awesome, I may have to give this a go sometime this month. I would worry though that a fish would go SUCK up the tube

 

[fluttermoth]

Can i ask where and how you're siphoning back in?

I use a hose for re-filling

Yeah I meant do you siphon back into your tank, because my tank is always higher than bucket, so do you use a pump?

I use a hose straight from the tap for most of my tanks; I do have one tank that I use rainwater in sometimes and I syphon back into that one; there's a tall chest of drawers next to it that I can stand my bucket on.

 

[micko]

I use an old filter connected to a syphon for just doing water changed. For when I'm doing the big clean I use a vac. Its not as long a process really.

 

[BIG BAD BARRY]

I keep one length of 16/22 hose to which i have attached the gravel syphon hose.
This provides enough length to empty the tank.

To fill the tank, i put a bowl in the sink and drop a digital thermometer in there which refreshes every 8 seconds and has an alarm on it. I run both hot and cold taps until the temp is correct. I then attach the hose to a small submersible pump and put it in the bowl and the other end in the tank to which i add dechlorinator. Turn on the pump, job done.

The python or similar is good but does waste water.

 

[Tolak]

I'm lazy, most of my tanks are drilled with overflows for water changes. Hang a hose, mix of hot & cold tap to tank temperature or thereabouts. At 4gpm I just set a cheap kitchen timer for the desired amount, and switch it to another tank when done. Filters stay on, declor gets added once the overflow is done draining.

Only problem is the hot water heater running out when it's cold out. If I add water at 1gpm it will keep up, leaving me time to do plenty of other things. I'm about $100 in pvc & such from setting it up for multiple tanks, a weekend free & it's a done deal.

 

[Mikaila31]

We have a couple sinks that are utility or have hidden threads for connecting a hose. IMO never buy a sink faucet if you can't connect a hose directly too it lol. For draining I just run my hose to a shower, bath tub, out the window, to the garden or lawn and drain water depending on the season. I use a regular garden hose, I'm lazy so I just tape the hose a gravel vac together then put that part in my bucket . Then just connect it directly to the tap and fill the tank.