I was just wondering how you all do water chenges cause I'm sick and tired of carring 20 buckets every single time... I have been filling the bucket up then adding neutralizer, I was wondering if there was a faster method to change the water for example, putting the neutralizer in the tank then filling it with the hose (would this be a safe method) ??? does anyone have any suggestions?>>

www.fishfriend.com/articles/easy_water_change.html , hi i found this on the web, might help you have a look xxx

heres a few ideas. buckets are the worst possible way unless your a body builder without a gym. )))

1 fill a large container, treat the water and pump it to your tank. i think this is the best as you have biggest safety net for things to go wrong.
2 empty the amount you want from your tank, put treatment for new water in tank. and refill using a hose. a mixer tap is fairly important to adjust the water temp. some risk but still a good methed.
3 refill without a mixer tap. fair amount of temp drop exp in winter.
4 there are also a few items to buy, such as a phyton. these connect to the tap empty and refill. tap pressure needed for these to work well.

Yes, nr2 for me.
I use a hose with a soda bottle with the bottom cut off attached to one end.
I put that end in the tank, put the hose out of the wondow, suck on the tube until the water starts to flow .
Gravity will do the rest for me.
I just move the cut off bottle through the gravel and will clean out any debris during the waterchange.
Using buckets is a fast way to start disliking the maintenance, and that's a bad thing in the hobby for you'll be tempted to skip a week.
Waterchanges are fun!

i just connect the vaccum hose to a garden hose then run that out the window into the grass....vaccum the tank then let it continue to drain untill i reach half way point then run another garden hose threw window into room and fill back up
and of course add prime before filling back up

I use a "python-type" system (different brand but same thing).

It hooks up to my bar sink which is about 8-10 feet away from my tank. I believe you can use longer hoses if you don't have a sink/water source so close. It uses the water pressure from the faucet to draw water from the tank to the sink. I vacuum the gravel as it siphons out water to the sink. After removing the desired level of water, I get the faucet temp to match the tank (I use an instant-read thermometer used for cooking), turn a switch, and the water fills into the tank. I pour the desired amount of Prime water conditioner into the tank as the water is being replaced.

i can do a 30% water change on my 135 gallon in about 15 minutes. Seriously, for me - I can't imagine changing water with buckets.

Here is an example of the python.

www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=848

Noddy wrote:


noddy, i found with the bottle that you can fill the bottle with water, and then hold it up in the air so that the water rushes down the hose. when the bottle is nearly empty you put it back in the water so no air gets in the hose and gravity keeps it sucking.
i found that because i was sick of drinking fish water

I turn the vacuum upside down also to start the syphon )))

I use an inch diameter hose stuck out the door. Suck on the end to get the syphon going. to stop getting a mouth full of water get a long hose. You only have to get enough water in the hose to fill the hose to the peak and back down to the water line

Does the tank with dechlorinator

Refilt with a hose attached to a mixer tap

Thanks guys for all your comments and tips..

What I used to do was...when reffiling the tank I would do it with buckets (treat the water before putting it in the tank in the bucket)

Would this be okay??>> After I empty the tank with my hose into the garden... to refill the tank could I use the same method in reverse, to just turn the tap on leaving the hose in the tank and just add prime while it's filling??

...

i think that will be okay, but watch your temperature doesnt change to much, or it could hurt your fish

cristinacrisan89 wrote:


That is EXACTLY what I do.