PWC

[TKEON230]

This may sound like a stupid question, but how exactly do you guys and gals do your PWC's? I've been dipping a gallon sized jug in the tank to remove the old water and then pouring it in with another clean jug. Is there a better method to this madness? It seems to generate some unnecessary turbulence in the water.

 

[roka64]

I use a siphon to get it out and back in. Basically, take a tube put one end in the tank, make sure it is secure, so it doesn't pop out. Put you bucket below the level of the tank. Suck the other end of the hose, until the water comes over the lip of the tank and let gravity pull it out of the tank and into your bucket. To refill do the same thing, but make sure your bucket is higher than the tank....I'll let the more experienced folks talk about aerating your water and mixing the salt and other technical things...

 

[tecwzrd]

I use Lee's Ultimate Gravel Vac with the 25’ hose so I can just drain it to the toilet. (no buckets)

I premix all my pwc water a month in advance in a 30 gal trashcan on wheels that I keep in my closet next to the fish tank. When it’s time to do a pwc I roll it out, drain, and refill using a ph hooked up to vinyl tubing to pump the water back into the tank. Total time to change out 8 gal is 15 minutes on my 55 gal tank.

Marineland Siphon Kleen is a bit cheaper and good also but only comes with a 6’ hose.

 

[roka64]

They have one at drsfosterandsmith.com called the python, that has a 25 foot hose that hooks up to your faucet....
As for the 6' hose, you can get the (is it) airplane or airline tube, at any hardware store (lol, I'm in a smaller town, so we have a hardware store), just match the thickness and diameter to your "gravel vac".....

 

[TKEON230]

I currently pre-mix my water in a 15 gallon rubbermaid container with an air stone and heater. I'm gonna have to look into some sort of syphon, though. The distance between my water supply and the tank is pretty far, though, so I'm gonna have to work out the logistics of that.

 

[elzool]

You could always put a pump in your water supply and run a hose to your tank from there for filling.
For draining do the opposite, put a pump in your tank and hose to a container/toilet/outside and pump the water out.

Of course I have no water in my tank yet, so I could be wrong.

 

[tecwzrd]

Of course I have no water in my tank yet, so I could be wrong.

Right on the money but be careful where you drain outside. SW isn’t good for the grass.

 

[Brenden]

I have a waste line plumbed to my tank. I also have a 300 gallon mixing tank. I just open the valve and it dumps the water. Close it and refill from the mixing tank which uses a mag 12 pump to refill my tank. 200 gal WC takes about 15 minutes. Hardest part is rolling the refill hose back up.

 

[roka64]

I use the SW for weed control on my driveway....don't really want to dump it down the septic tank either...

 

[elzool]

Right on the money but be careful where you drain outside. SW isn’t good for the grass.

Yup, I learned that real quick, so I plan on draining onto a neighbors palo verde tree that drops garbage in my yard.

They told me I could. We both figured it would be better than him paying someone to remove it. No hurry, it'll just die.

 

[Guest]

lol...i did the same thing a few years back. i dumped the saltwater on my parents yard, they werent too happy about that.

 

[zenn]

i use a 32g brute container on wheels. I mix 24hrs before the PWC. I heat and stir the water with a heater and powerhead. I use a syphon and 5 gallon buckets to empty the 20 gallons that i change out. THen I use a powerhead with vynil tubing to pump the new water back into the sump. It takes me about 20-25 mintues.

When i'm not using the brute container, it sits in the garage with the bucket of salt inside of it. I make sure the container is comletely dried out before i store it. I just don't have room for it in the house.

I think i do it fairly similarly to tecwzrd. The thing i've found out is that if i simplify how i do PWC's, i don't mind doing them. That means that i'll do them more often which is a huge plus.

 

[willowthepoet]

i haul buckets. i count it as exercise for the day. haha.

 

[Brenden]

No bucket hauling here. I would be dead. I LOVE pumps.

 

[Tex]

My house is so dang big that the nearest sink and/or toilet is over 75 feet away. I make the kids carry 5 gallon buckets to the bathtub. If they spill any they get grounded. I lay on the couch and supervise while my wife massages my back.

(Well, in my dream world anyway).

Here's my real method. I use a pump to fill 5 gallon buckets out of the aquarium. I carry them to the kitchen sink and empty. For my make-up water I have the 35 gallon Rubbermaid trash can sitting by the tank with freshly mixed salt water. I use the pump to refill tank.

 

[Todd]

Boy, after reading all of your methods of a water changes, I feel very lucky that I have it good. My tank is in the basement 3 feet from the drain. I have a fish room so if I spill it is no big deal.

 

[Guest]

i have an extra room not being used right now...i really want to turn it into a fishroom and have an in wall aquarium....buuuuut i dont think i have enough time for another tank. sorry to post out of subject.