Water Changes!

[JackoUK]

I've just finished my weekly water change of my 200L tank. When I first started it probably took me a good two and a half hours and I made many mistakes and quite a mess, or so she said anyway . I was wondering how much people had got this down to a fine art now and just how long it took people. I know there are quite a few variables involved, tank size, how much water is being changed and what condition the tank is in in the first place but I was just interested to see how you guys faired.

It now takes me about an hour and a quarter to: Change 40% of the water
Trim plants
Seive out any large peices of debris
Clean filter media
Clean all 4 sides of the tank
Do tests (Ph, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate)

How about you lot?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

he he yeah you do get better at it, i can do the two little tanks in half an hr or so.

the big tank takes an hr or so but most of that time is spent running the hose to fill the tank up, run it quite slowly as the waters really cold so we don't shock the fish.

 

[andywg]

I can change the water on 2 FW setups (one is a rack with 3 tanks on it on a central filter) and 3 SW setups in about 45 minutes to an hour. The only thing that holds me back is how long it takes to pipe the water out of the big FW tank and how long it takes to get the water back in through a 12mm hose (even at mains pressure).

The SW changes are a little bit cheaty though as you will already have the water mixed up and in a container before starting, so it is just a drain and top up.

 

[dwarfgourami]

I am slow as I gravel vac slowly (fry in most tanks) and use buckets- no hose will fit on our stupid, stupid taps. Still, I save time by hardly ever cleaning the glass, certainly not the sides and back anyway An hour to do the 240 ltr and about the same for the other 4 tanks.

 

[dthoffsett]

It takes me around 45-60 min to clean four tanks. 75gal, 29gal, and 2 10gal. That also includes trimming plants in the 29 gal, scraping algae, and so on. If it wasn't for the python water changer, it would take me forever.

 

[vinylman]

Around an hour for a 20% change in a 4ft every ten days. Most of that is taken up with adding the new water slowly using narrow tubing. I always take my time adding the new water. Am I the only person who enjoys doing water changes, btw?.

 

[doresy]

Takes me about 30 minutes in a hurry but prefer to take an hour......same work done, just less on the carpet

30lts out, via vac pipe. Quick scrub of the sides and front with a bit of coarse filter media. Clip a few plants old growth. 30lts dechlorinated back in (from containter balanced on the top of my step ladder and held with a bungie) Clean or replace 1st stage filter media in canopy filter, soooooo easy (AquaOne )

Wipe outside of tank then pour old water over the front lawn (free fert!)

 

[Tolak]

The last time I timed myself on any water changes was doing a rack of some 29 gallons & a 20 gallon. Five 29 gallons & a 20 gallon, 50% water change on all, with switching floss in box filters, rinsing sponge filters, and vaccing the bare bottoms. 40 minutes flat, ran the hot water heater out of water. I love multi-tasking.

 

[Socks]

I do 20% water changes weekly on a 55 gallon,44 gallon,and 5 gallon,clean the sides,and maintian the plants every 2 weeks.Water change and cleaning takes me about an hour total,plant week adds another half hour.

No, your not the only one vinylman,i like doing me water changes.....gives me some in depth (hehehehe) time with my tank

 

[iairj84]

Currently I have a 20, 10 and Betta tank setup But within the next week I will have 2 20's 2 10's the betta tank and a 55 gallon... Currently with the python water changes tank maybe a half hour at the most. I can foresee it taking a little longer on the big tank, but that's alright with me. If it becomes an issue I will just split up which days I do what.

 

[Sysiphus]

One heavy planted 90 - do 15% on the 90 two times a week - actual water out takes 15 minutes tops - but I drop in a 1/8" syphon line from prepared water and it takes 3 hours to refill - but I don't have to do a thing on the refill. Another 5 minutes to purne plants and tiny bit of algae removal and all is right.. Once a month fluval filter cleaning and glass top cleaning causes me an extra 15 minutes.