How do you do your water changes?

[newbieNY]

I'm still trying to figure out the best way to do a water change on my new 26 gallon tank - water, containers, equipment, etc. and I'm wondering if a few of you more experienced fish keepers could describe your process? What do you use for water? Do you use buckets, bottles, bins? How do you get water in and out of your tank?

I'm sure you all have figured out some great solutions and I know that I'm much more likely to do regular water changes if I have a streamlined process in place. Thanks!

[roka64]

I have a 32G plastic trash container with wheels (I also have a 55 and a 125), I siphon the water out of my tank, clean the filter's ceramic rings/LR ruble (in old SW). Use a ph to put the new water back in. I'm not going to tell you how I used to do it, I already posted that a few days back. Oh, I use RO/DI water too.

[scrmom]

I keep ro/di water in a trash can with heater and powerhead. When it's time to change water, I take a 3/4 inch plasctic tube (4ft long) and attach to powerhead and put the other end of tube in a bucket and withdraw water that way. Then I attached tube to powerhead and put ro/di water in tank.

[AndrewH]

I have four, five gallon buckets. I fill two with fresh dechlorinated water. Then I take a gravel vac and clean the substrate while doing that I siphon 10 gallons of water out filling the two empty buckets. I then take the two fresh buckets and re-fill the tank. I then empty the dirty water into the bathtub or outside. Works for me couldn't get much easier

[Tank2379]

So if i have to do a 20 to 30% water change on a 55 gallon how many gallons of water is that? Sorry Newbie I know this is your Thread just trying to make it easier for the guys to answer everyone question in one Thread.... Sorry....

[AndrewH]

If you want to do a 30% water change on a 55 gallon you would have to change 16.5 gallons. For me that's three big orange buckets
=P.. My family hates those orange buckets.

[newbieNY]

Do I need to worry about putting waste water into my septic tank? Where's all that salt going to go? Thanks for all your posts - keep 'em coming!

[Caige]

I'm a newbie also... have a 34gallon SW. I do a water change every week - I change out 5gallons. at first I made a COMPLETE mess and it took me about an hour LOL.

Now, 3mths later, I can do a 5gallon change in about 10-15min... And that includes vacuuming, blasting LR, cleaning glass and filters etc...

I get Salt water (red sea) already mixed from the LFS and it is in 5gallon buckets already. Then I just kept one of those buckets and always have it filled with RODI for top offs...

Oh, and I mouth Siphon to and from.

[melosu58]

Dump the old water down the toilet. I just make mine in 5 gallon buckets with RO/DI water.

[roka64]

Newbie, I would not dump the SW into a septic tank, it will disrupt the biological processes that break down the human waste. I use mine on my driveway for weed control.