Easy peasy pwc?

[Irish.OG87]

During pwc changes i use two 5g buckets to change water and use a tube which i suck until the water runs into the bucket. When i get all the water i need out i get my 5g bucket and pour in the new water into the tank which 95% of the time scatters my gravel and and other light decor in the tank, its becomes messy and also abit of a pain in the derriere.

whats methods or equipment do yeah guys use during pwc? I heard of something called the python. Cant seem to find this python instrument!!.

 

[eco23]

During pwc changes i use two 5g buckets to change water and use a tube which i suck until the water runs into the bucket. When i get all the water i need out i get my 5g bucket and pour in the new water into the tank which 95% of the time scatters my gravel and and other light decor in the tank, its becomes messy and also abit of a pain in the derriere.

whats methods or equipment do yeah guys use during pwc? I heard of something called the python. Cant seem to find this python instrument!!.

Hang on, let me get the link...I couldn't live without mine.

 

[eco23]

Here's where I got mine. I don't know the AA rules on advertising...so sorry if I'm violating anything by linking it.

http://www.tricker.com/prod-p-python

The process for dechlorinating is different with a python since you add water directly from the faucet to the tank, but obviously I'll be happy to walk you through it.

 

[Mr. Limpet]

During pwc changes i use two 5g buckets to change water and use a tube which i suck until the water runs into the bucket. When i get all the water i need out i get my 5g bucket and pour in the new water into the tank which 95% of the time scatters my gravel and and other light decor in the tank, its becomes messy and also abit of a pain in the derriere.

whats methods or equipment do yeah guys use during pwc? I heard of something called the python. Cant seem to find this python instrument!!.

I use the bucket method too, only I use a gravel vac to clean up my tank. When I add water back in I use my 1 gallon jug to scoop and pour (medium speed) from bucket to tank, because I can't use a python and I'm not gonna lift 40+ lbs of water over the edge of my 37g tall 4x a week lol.

You could try the plate method, which is putting a plate under the spot you pour and it works great at deflecting the current (a must with sand substrate). On my 8g I have a piece of DW that I pour directly over and it works just like the plate trick.

 

[Irish.OG87]

Here's where I got mine. I don't know the AA rules on advertising...so sorry if I'm violating anything by linking it.

Python No Spill Aquarium Maintenance System. William Tricker, Inc.®

The process for dechlorinating is different with a python since you add water directly from the faucet to the tank, but obviously I'll be happy to walk you through it.

please do sir....lifting 5g of water and pouring it into my tank is becoming an issue, im 6.5ft so its not tat not difficult but i spill half of it from the kitchen to the living room. I heard alot of goods things about the python so any help on using it wud be great especially on the dechlorinating part.

 

[eco23]

please do sir....lifting 5g of water and pouring it into my tank is becoming an issue, im 6.5ft so its not tat not difficult but i spill half of it from the kitchen to the living room. I heard alot of goods things about the python so any help on using it wud be great especially on the dechlorinating part.

Sure bro. I just saw the link I sent is currently sold out, but now that you know what you're looking for you can probably find it somewhere else. The site I linked was the cheapest when I bought mine.

Since you're adding raw tap water to the tank, you do it a bit differently. Here's what I do-

1. Turn off the filter
2. Use the Python to drain the water and vacuum the gravel until you have removed the amount of water you desire
3. With the filter still off, add Prime directly into the tank. Put in the amount for the full volume of the tank...not just the amount of water you are replacing. So, on my 48 gallon, I add a full capful since that's the dose for 50 gallons, even if I'm only replacing 15 of those gallons
4. Swish the Prime around real good with your hand so it mixes into the tank water
5. Turn the Python back on and refill the tank back up
6. turn the filter back on

I always turn the filter off so the raw tap water doesn't get sucked up into the filter and hurt the bacteria before the Prime has a chance to detoxify it.

On another completely unrelated tip... I've started turning off my filter and air stones at feeding time. It keeps the place WAY cleaner because it's not drifting all around the tank in the current. The fish have a chance to eat it all and it's the way I'll do it from now on. Just a tip for the future, but mentioning turning the filter off made me think about it, lol.

 

[Irish.OG87]

Sure bro. I just saw the link I sent is currently sold out, but now that you know what you're looking for you can probably find it somewhere else. The site I linked was the cheapest when I bought mine.

Since you're adding raw tap water to the tank, you do it a bit differently. Here's what I do-

1. Turn off the filter
2. Use the Python to drain the water and vacuum the gravel until you have removed the amount of water you desire
3. With the filter still off, add Prime directly into the tank. Put in the amount for the full volume of the tank...not just the amount of water you are replacing. So, on my 48 gallon, I add a full capful since that's the dose for 50 gallons, even if I'm only replacing 15 of those gallons
4. Swish the Prime around real good with your hand so it mixes into the tank water
5. Turn the Python back on and refill the tank back up
6. turn the filter back on

I always turn the filter off so the raw tap water doesn't get sucked up into the filter and hurt the bacteria before the Prime has a chance to detoxify it.

On another completely unrelated tip... I've started turning off my filter and air stones at feeding time. It keeps the place WAY cleaner because it's not drifting all around the tank in the current. The fish have a chance to eat it all and it's the way I'll do it from now on. Just a tip for the future, but mentioning turning the filter off made me think about it, lol.

thx bro, i swear ur gonna make me feel young for a long time and reduce the chance of goin grey, cos ur really limiting the stress i wud have to put up with not know what to do, ie. cycling and pwc. thanks lol.

 

[eco23]

thx bro, i swear ur gonna make me feel young for a long time and reduce the chance of goin grey, cos ur really limiting the stress i wud have to put up with not know what to do, ie. cycling and pwc. thanks lol.

With your fishless cycle, I think I'm equally responsible for your stress too, lol. The cycle is probably trying to make your hairline go back a little, hopefully I can help keep it in place until it finishes, haha.

 

[librarygirl]

On another completely unrelated tip... I've started turning off my filter and air stones at feeding time. It keeps the place WAY cleaner because it's not drifting all around the tank in the current. The fish have a chance to eat it all and it's the way I'll do it from now on. Just a tip for the future, but mentioning turning the filter off made me think about it, lol.

Wow that's a great tip (and why I didn't think of it I'll never know lol). When I get my tank cycled and get some fish I'll definitely be using that method.

Do you need to let tap water sit to let the gasses out or no? When I poured water into my tank I noticed a lot of bubbles and fizzing and wondered if this would be bad for the fish?

I'm a lightweight female, the largest buckets I have are two 2.5 gal and i just acquired two more 1.5 gals. The 2.5 gals full are very heavy for me, can barely get them to the tank, I wouldn't be able to lift them up to drop water in, so I use a small plastic tupperware piece to scoop the water in. Takes longer but it's a bit easier on my back. I'd love to be able to siphon the water back in the way I take it out, but I can't find a way to get the new water higher than the aquarium so the siphon will suck it up.

 

[eco23]

Wow that's a great tip (and why I didn't think of it I'll never know lol). When I get my tank cycled and get some fish I'll definitely be using that method.

Do you need to let tap water sit to let the gasses out or no? When I poured water into my tank I noticed a lot of bubbles and fizzing and wondered if this would be bad for the fish?

I'm a lightweight female, the largest buckets I have are two 2.5 gal and i just acquired two more 1.5 gals. The 2.5 gals full are very heavy for me, can barely get them to the tank, I wouldn't be able to lift them up to drop water in, so I use a small plastic tupperware piece to scoop the water in. Takes longer but it's a bit easier on my back. I'd love to be able to siphon the water back in the way I take it out, but I can't find a way to get the new water higher than the aquarium so the siphon will suck it up.

The Python or another system like it would be great for you. It can be a bit of overkill if you have a smaller tank, but I couldn't live without it. I wouldn't worry about the bubbles unless you're doing a HUGE water change. You can over oxygenate the water which can be a little rough for the fish if you changed basically all the water in the tank at once and too quickly...but for normal pwc's there's no problem.

 

[BldrArch]

I found this link in another thread. Aqueon makes something like the Python. I'm thinking I might "need" this for my birthday. So, since I don't have it I can't tell you if it's comparable in terms of quality.

Amazon.com: Aqueon Aquarium Water Changer: Kitchen & Dining

I only have a 20 gal with a 2.5 gal bucket so it's not THAT big of a deal. But it still takes me about 30 minutes to do a complete WC. I'm pretty confident I would NOT be able to lift a 5 gal bucket to fill my tank LOL! I put a saucer down and pour it on that and it does the trick (again, though, small tank). I was thinking of putting a flat piece of rock in a corner as "decoration" that I could use for this purpose...unless I can't get it to look nice.

 

[eco23]

I found this link in another thread. Aqueon makes something like the Python. I'm thinking I might "need" this for my birthday. So, since I don't have it I can't tell you if it's comparable in terms of quality.

Amazon.com: Aqueon Aquarium Water Changer: Kitchen & Dining

I only have a 20 gal with a 2.5 gal bucket so it's not THAT big of a deal. But it still takes me about 30 minutes to do a complete WC. I'm pretty confident I would NOT be able to lift a 5 gal bucket to fill my tank LOL! I put a saucer down and pour it on that and it does the trick (again, though, small tank). I was thinking of putting a flat piece of rock in a corner as "decoration" that I could use for this purpose...unless I can't get it to look nice.

I'd be interested in hearing a review of the Aqueon. As much as I love my Python, it does tend to spray water where it connects to the faucet when you reverse the flow and there is pressure on the plastic valve for a few moments. It's easily solved by putting a hand towel over that part, but I'd prefer if it didn't happen.

That's a good price on Amazon, they go for $45 at my lfs.

 

[allaboutfish]

i've seen the aqueon brand at walmart by the way so it might be easy to find

 

[James_in_MN]

I use the bucket method too, only I use a gravel vac to clean up my tank. When I add water back in I use my 1 gallon jug to scoop and pour (medium speed) from bucket to tank, because I can't use a python and I'm not gonna lift 40+ lbs of water over the edge of my 37g tall 4x a week lol.

I do the exact same thing. I fill up a 5g bucket, dechlorinate it and let it sit for a few minutes, gravel vac 5g of water out of the tank into another bucket, then add the water to the tank with a 1g pitcher so I don't push the substrate all over the place.

One other thing I do is add enough Seachem Excel and Seachem Flourish Complete for the tank to the dechlorinated 5g bucket of water. That way, the Excel is diluted enough not to melt the corkscrew vals I have in the tank.

I always turn the filter off so the raw tap water doesn't get sucked up into the filter and hurt the bacteria before the Prime has a chance to detoxify it.

And that's the main reason I haven't switched from buckets to a python. I know for a fact that I'd forget to turn the filter off one day, and damage my bacteria colony. Besides which, my backup filter in both my 20g and 10g tanks are internal filters which could run into problems with using a python to put chlorine right into the tank.

 

[firteen888]

Are both of these products acceptable to use when doing PWC's? I see alot of poeple mention prime, but I purchased the one from API, will this work?

Seachem Prime at PETCO

API Tap Water Conditioner at PETCO

Also, 2 possibly dumb questions

1. When you do a PWC, the fish stay in the tank? This is ok even when doing a 70-80% water change?

2. When my fishless cycle is over and I do my large water change, do I need to clean the gravel and everything else in the tank? Or do I leave it as is so not to kill the benificial bacteria. Wouldn't I be killing this bacteria when I do my normal water changes down the line?

Thanks,

 

[mfergusonjr]

I love the Aqueon version! It works great. Have only had one problem with it so far and it was my fault. I didn't have the valve screwed on all the way so when I put pressure on it by reversing the flow it popped off and soaked me. I learned my lesson and it hasn't happened again.
I've never used a Python so I can't compare but I would buy another Aqueon if mine broke.

 

[eco23]

Are both of these products acceptable to use when doing PWC's? I see alot of poeple mention prime, but I purchased the one from API, will this work?

Seachem Prime at PETCO

API Tap Water Conditioner at PETCO

Also, 2 possibly dumb questions

1. When you do a PWC, the fish stay in the tank? This is ok even when doing a 70-80% water change?

2. When my fishless cycle is over and I do my large water change, do I need to clean the gravel and everything else in the tank? Or do I leave it as is so not to kill the benificial bacteria. Wouldn't I be killing this bacteria when I do my normal water changes down the line?

Thanks,

Seachem Prime is Prime (the one we've been referring too). I'm sure the API one is good too, other people use Stress Coat, etc... As long as it removes chlorine / chloramines it's fine. Most of us here use the Seachem Prime and it's what we know and recommend.

1. Yes, it's fine to leave the fish in the tank. Why would you be doing an 80% change once you have fish though?
2. Don't clean anything. The bacteria lives on the surfaces of the tank and in the filter...there's very little in the water itself.
Check out the link in my signature for more info on your fishless cycle.

 

[firteen888]

1. Yes, it's fine to leave the fish in the tank. Why would you be doing an 80% change once you have fish though?
2. Don't clean anything. The bacteria lives on the surfaces of the tank and in the filter...there's very little in the water itself.
Check out the link in my signature for more info on your fishless cycle.

1. I guess I shouldn't be doing 80% water changes? What's the most I should do...50%?

2. When you say don't clean anything, I assume you mean during my initial cycle. But what about after that, I have to clean the gravel eventually don't I? Won't I be killing off the bacteria then?

 

[mdawg75]

Python has to be paying eco23 or they should be lol I got my aqueon because of eco's postings( I couldnt find a python for sale) I do believe. So far teh Aqueon has been great no leaks from pressure or anything. two PWCs ago though, i did get soaked because I wasnt paying attention and bent down to get my bottle of Prime and the hand holding the water return came out of the tank and well you can picture the rest. Ive done some stupid things involving my tank so far.

 

[eco23]

1. I guess I shouldn't be doing 80% water changes? What's the most I should do...50%?

2. When you say don't clean anything, I assume you mean during my initial cycle. But what about after that, I have to clean the gravel eventually don't I? Won't I be killing off the bacteria then?

The frequency and amount of pwc's you do will be dictated by what type and how many fish you have stocked. I do weekly 25% pwc's and recently I've been doing two a week to help with a diatom (brown algae) outbreak I've got. Once your tank is cycled the ammo and nitrItes should always be at 0, so the pwc's are to keep the nitrAte level low and to generally clean mess like leftover fish food, etc...

You never want to do a heavy cleaning all at once. I lightly vacuum a different section of the gravel during each pwc. Also, if you clean any decorations or plants...fill up a bucket with water from the tank or dechlorinated tap water (never straight tap) and rinse them off in there. The same applies for rinsing the actual filter media.

Make sure you check out the info in my guide about what type of filter media to use, as well as about how to clean it and how often to replace it. It'll be in the FAQ's.