Methods of doing a partial water change

[palisaide]

I just did my first PWC today (10 gal) and I was trying to figure out a method to make it a little easier. Right now, I have two 5 gal buckets that I mixed the water in the night before. Then today I took a small submersible pump drained 5 gal from the sump into another 5 gal bucket and dumped it outside. Then I did the same thing again. Needless to say, the floor was pretty wet after moving the hoses and pump around 4 times. Does anyone here have any kind of permanent pump system set up for doing PWC?

[roka64]

5 gal bucket and dumped it outside.

Watch that, the SW will kill grass. Although, I use mine for week control. I wiped out a patch of poison ivy at the end of the driveway.

Needless to say, the floor was pretty wet after moving the hoses and pump around 4 times. Does anyone here have any kind of permanent pump system set up for doing PWC?

I use to put the lid of one of those big, plastic tote containers, under my bucket. Now I just use a water pump, to pump it back in the tank. I think you might just get better with practice, I sure did. My 1st PWC was a complete mess!!

WELCOME TO AA!!!

[Gatorfreak]

Three suggestions/comments:

1. You'll get better with practice as roka said.
2. Use buckets with water-tight lids. You won't spill any when moving them around.
3. Lay down a kitchen/bath rug in front of the tank for PWC's. I just move the one I have in the kitchen and then put it back when I'm done.

I've contemplated setting up some sort of PWC system so I can just turn a valve here and there and voila! But I haven't mustered up the money and energy.

[hc8719]

syphon out water from the tank, and dump it, have a premixed bucket of new saltwater in your 5 gallon buckets, and syphon the new water into the tank

you wont even spill a drop...

[Scoot]

Yeah, I killed off most of the flowering plants my wife had in the landscaping by dumping it there... ;(

[zuzecawi]

Due to having a small kiddo in the house, buckets are avoided like the plague in my home. (when I was little my babysitter's daughter drowned in a mop bucket and I'm still freaked about it) So we use those big 7 gallon emergency water supply jugs you can buy at walmart or bimart or survival stores. They're clean, safe for potable water, they have air vents, and really big mouths. We just mix our water in the garage the night before in a bucket with an old rio pump, then pump the water into the three marked clean water jugs, bring them in the house, siphon out the tank into the three marked dirty water jugs, and dump the jugs into the sump. Hardly ever do we spill a drop!!! When the jug is almost empty, we don't try to keep shoving it into the sump, we just pour it into the overflow. Works great! the hose we use to pump it from the garbage can to the jugs has a ball valve to shut off when we kill the pump, so that nothing spills. HTH!!!

[JeffX]

I have one bucket to mix SW in, and one to take water out of. Both of mine are five gallon containers.

I remember my first water change was horrible. I had water all over the counter, floor, and myself.

[boardsurfer]

I use a 5 gal bucket to siphon out dirty water (2 times), and then use a mag pump in a new 10 gallon bucket to return the new water up a hose and into the tank. I actually made 2 elbow joints at the end of the hose, so I can hook it on the top of the tank and just let the mag pump do the work.

Easy as pie.

[2revup]

I use a 5 gal bucket shipon about 3 of these buckets out weekly and then I have one huge plastic bin about 20gal that is full of my new stuff once i have shiponed my 3 smaller buckets then tip into tank...
No drops at all.
But then i do remember my first time that was a big mess.....
good luck