wheelie bin for pwc?

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lornajane89

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Aug 18, 2011
Messages
312
Location
midlands uk
Hi all im having a nightmare keeping up water changes for both my tanks. Having to heat up 2 seperate 40l buckets and haul them around is getting tiresome and takes hours.

Im thinking of buying a wheelie bin or something similar to convert into a water butt. If i fitted a tap at the lowest part (like a keg) do you think gravity and pressure will be enough to force the water up a hose and into my tanks or will i need a pump. Im not sure of the science of it all but big water changed are a pain at the minute so ill try anything.

Thanks
 
If i fitted a tap at the lowest part (like a keg) do you think gravity and pressure will be enough to force the water up a hose and into my tanks or will i need a pump.

Physics won't let that happen. The water will only go as high as a little lower than the highest point that the water is at. So, if you elevated it above the tank somehow, that would work... A pump would be a requirement otherwise.

I would agree that a python, or another brand, would be great. Even if you just get an adapter for your closest sink faucet to screw on a water hose (which is what I do).
 
I thought that cause i can never syphon new water back into my tank but wasnt sure why (failed physics lol). Ill look up this python thing, thanks
 
mfdrookie516 said:
Even if you just get an adapter for your closest sink faucet to screw on a water hose (which is what I do).

what about treating and heating the water i dont know about u but our water is nowhere near tropical temperatures
 
lornajane89 said:
I thought that cause i can never syphon new water back into my tank but wasnt sure why (failed physics lol). Ill look up this python thing, thanks

Sadly Python are practically impossible to find in the UK :(

I've been looking for ages, but to no avail!
 
Fishkeeper26 said:
You could try ordering online, that's where I got mine

Did you order from the states? I've tried quite a few sites, but all said they had supply problems & weren't sure when deliveries would be available again.

I haven't looked for a few months to be honest, so position may be different now.
 
Yeah I'm from the states, but I think that's your best bet if you can't find them in stores :)
 
Fishkeeper26 said:
Yeah I'm from the states, but I think that's your best bet if you can't find them in stores :)

Yeah I looked at ordering them from the states to ship to the UK, but postage costs were pretty expensive. Amazon did have them online in the UK, but had sold out!
 
I went through all of this and never found one. Now I have a 19mm clear hose, (cheap online) a connector to my mixer tap and I get the water to the correct temp before clicking the hose to the connector. Prior to that I put Prime in the tank and then trickle the water into the tank, I use a "u" bend for a washing machine to hang over the edge of the tank....no more buckets for me!
 
+1 with guppy go to a hardware store and get clear tubing and a connector for the end of your tubing and the adapter for you faucet.
 
Ive got an outside tap/hose which is connected to my kitchen faucet. But again heating the water is the problem plus the water always seems cloudy through my hose. I was thinking of using an electic shower on a plug which could heat it as it flows straight from the faucet. Does the python do that? I cant find one in the uk but the aqueon changer hose is available, problem is that doesnt heat the water.
 
I've been having the same problem with my water changes, the water I put back into the tank is too cold and last time I accidentally shocked some of my fish, I looked on amazon and found a square shaped kitchen tap connector so I can run both hot and cold to try match the temp. Not sure what kind of tap you have in your kitchen tho.
 
So i can use the hot water tap. K dont know where but im sure i found something that advised against it
 
Bingo! A few drips but its better than hauling buckets
 

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Thats the idea, but make sure that neither of the attachments come off the taps or you could freeze/scald the fish. Also, be careful about using old hoses and attachments, they may be contaminated. I have a simple piece of hose to empty with as well, out through the cat flap. The end of the hose from the gravel cleaner just fits nice and tidy inside the hose.
 
Failed! Ran a test run and a think a kink in the hose caused the pressure to back up and the hose came off the tap. Ive found some hoselock products i can make something with. I used an idea for kettle water for speedy heating anyway. Im not sure mixing our hot water is a good idea anyway. It always ends up cloudy no matter how long i run it for.... Cant be good
 
Water when heated creates microbubbles. That is perfectly normal and they will gas out of the tank eventually. Nothing to be worried about, IMO.
 
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