Water changes

[Buffy1977]

Sorry if I haven’t put this in the right place guys. Still learning my way around, and I’m not that great with tech stuff anyway ‍
I’m after tips on the best/easiest ways to do a water change on a 200ltr tank. I currently do 40 ltr change twice a week. I would like to change to at least 50% once a week. I have 2 large buckets that I use, and several different suction/hoover things.
I’m very new to keeping a big tank and wondered if I’m missing out on any tips to make larger water changes easier.


Thanks in advance.
Buffy

 

[nic1]

I use a hose, run it through the room to the tap, i put the end into the tank and turn the tap on, when I see the water flow into the tank, I remove the end from the tap (without turning the tap off) and the water from the tank backs up and flows out of the tank, I do this till its half empty then remove the end from the tank to stop the suction and then reattach the hose to the tap and refill the tank.... It's so easy, I will see if I can find a youtube link

 

[Colin_T]

Get a couple of big plastic buckets or storage containers and put them next to the tank. Fill them with tap water and dechlorinator. Aerate the mixture while you drain and gravel clean the tank. If you use a garden hose attached to a gravel cleaner, you can run the hose out the door and onto the lawn/ garden.

After the tank has been drained, use a small water pump and plastic hose to pump water from the bucket/s into the tank. You can make a U shape out of pvc pipe and put it on the end of the hose and it will hang over the edge of the tank and direct the water into the tank without you having to hold it.

 

[Buffy1977]

I use a hose, run it through the room to the tap, i put the end into the tank and turn the tap on, when I see the water flow into the tank, I remove the end from the tap (without turning the tap off) and the water from the tank backs up and flows out of the tank, I do this till its half empty then remove the end from the tank to stop the suction and then reattach the hose to the tap and refill the tank.... It's so easy, I will see if I can find a youtube link

I use a hose, run it through the room to the tap, i put the end into the tank and turn the tap on, when I see the water flow into the tank, I remove the end from the tap (without turning the tap off) and the water from the tank backs up and flows out of the tank, I do this till its half empty then remove the end from the tank to stop the suction and then reattach the hose to the tap and refill the tank.... It's so easy, I will see if I can find a youtube link

That’s great. Thank you. I’ll just have to find an attachment that will go on my kitchen tap. Also, I have always dechlorinated the water first, so how do I do that. Sorry if that’s a stupid question.

 

[Buffy1977]

Get a couple of big plastic buckets or storage containers and put them next to the tank. Fill them with tap water and dechlorinator. Aerate the mixture while you drain and gravel clean the tank. If you use a garden hose attached to a gravel cleaner, you can run the hose out the door and onto the lawn/ garden.

After the tank has been drained, use a small water pump and plastic hose to pump water from the bucket/s into the tank. You can make a U shape out of pvc pipe and put it on the end of the hose and it will hang over the edge of the tank and direct the water into the tank without you having to hold it.

Thank you never thought about running it out of the back door. It’s the buckets that I struggle to carry though. Anything over 20 ltrs

 

[Colin_T]

It’s the buckets that I struggle to carry though. Anything over 20 ltrs

That's why I run the syphon hose out the door and use a water pump to pump the new water into the tank.

 

[seangee]

For my 200l I have a small pump attached to a length of garden hose. Slower than a syphon but dead easy and I can decide if the garden needs water or if it goes down the drain.

To refill I use 10 or 25 litre Jerry cans with taps on them. I put these above the tank and open the tap.

 

[Metalhead88]

Python water changer is what you need. Hopefully you have a sink nearby.

I use the python in conjuction with a pump to fill and empty my 90 gallon. I've got it down pretty well and 75 percent changes, filter rinse and glass scrub take me about 30 minutes start to finish including setup and cleanup.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

 

[Lilyann]

Python hose- the best fish -keeping invention of the past 30 years.

 

[Buffy1977]

Python water changer is what you need. Hopefully you have a sink nearby.

I use the python in conjuction with a pump to fill and empty my 90 gallon. I've got it down pretty well and 75 percent changes, filter rinse and glass scrub take me about 30 minutes start to finish including setup and cleanup.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

I’ll have a google. Thank you

 

[Colin_T]

Whilst the Python gravel cleaner can be used to drain tanks, it is not suitable for filling them due to the fact it allows untreated tap water to get into the tank. You are better off using a gravel cleaner with a long hose and running it out the door, and a pump and big tub of water to fill the tank back up.

People using the Python gravel cleaner could kill all the fish in their tanks if chlorinated water enters the tank.

 

[Buffy1977]

Whilst the Python gravel cleaner can be used to drain tanks, it is not suitable for filling them due to the fact it allows untreated tap water to get into the tank. You are better off using a gravel cleaner with a long hose and running it out the door, and a pump and big tub of water to fill the tank back up.

People using the Python gravel cleaner could kill all the fish in their tanks if chlorinated water enters the tank.

Thanks Colin. I have a battery operated pump I currently use to fill, maybe a mains one would be better now.

 

[Lilyann]

Whilst the Python gravel cleaner can be used to drain tanks, it is not suitable for filling them due to the fact it allows untreated tap water to get into the tank. You are better off using a gravel cleaner with a long hose and running it out the door, and a pump and big tub of water to fill the tank back up.

People using the Python gravel cleaner could kill all the fish in their tanks if chlorinated water enters the tank.

What?
This is just silly and alarmist.
I use Prime dechlorinator for all my fish-tanks. Put the amount into the tank of Prime for total tank volume and add my water straight from tap into tank with sponge stuffed in hard plastic casing to eliminate micro-bubbles. For discus, wild characins and cichlids, Altum angels - etc...
You do need to check your water ( pH degassed measurements primarily) to make sure all is kosher to go straight from tap to tank. But, using a python to fill your tank while using a dechlorinator like Prime correctly will not kill your fish.

 

[Byron]

I understand Colin's concern from what he has previously posted in other threads. I would modify it somewhat, by saying that if you have problem source water (the tap water has issues needing to be addressed, such as high nitrate, toxins, copper) then preparing water in containers and then filling the tank can resolve these. But where I differ is in not considering chlorine or chloramine to be such problems. The water conditioners today work instantly. I have used a Python to fill my tanks, some of them over one hundred gallons, ever since I bought my first large tank (a 90 gallon) in 1995. I have high chlorine in my tap water. I begin to refill the tank (having adjusted the temp at the tap before turning the valve to fill) and add the conditioner to the tank in front of the Python for the volume being added. I have never had issues.

If one has the space and the containers large enough to dechlorinate first, then fine; over caution is not usually a bad thing. But I do not consider it necessary, so decide for yourself.

 

[Fishmanic]

I also fill my tanks using the python.. I just add proper amount of dechlorinator and while filling during the first minute, I move the python throughout the tank to help mix the incoming water with the dechlorinator and then I rest the python on the edge of the tank and let it fill the rest of the way. Works for me and my tanks and fish.