How do YOU do your PWC?

[Darb21]

What are the different ways that people do PWCs? Is there a "right" way to do a PWC?

I have a Python, so I use the Python to pull xx% of the water, then after matching the tap water temp to the tank water temp, add enough AquaSafe or Prime to the tank and then fill straight from the tap through the Python. Seems to work just fine for the kids... Everyone stays healthy!

Is this an acceptable way to do the PWC?

 

[QTOFFER]

That's how I do my PWCs. I also gravel vac as much as I can around the plants - sometimes I move the stones and driftwood over so I can vac under them too.

 

[lovemybarbs]

I gravel vac every time I vacuum and rinse the filter cartridges in the old water and put them back in the filter. About half the water I vacuum I remove water from the top of the tank, the other half I take from the gravel. I add a little bit of Prime to the water I add each time.

They've taught me well here I think.

 

[Jaybird]

I use a short python to fill up 3g buckets until I have removed enough water, then I put dechlorinator and a litte salt in them and fill them from the tap to put into the tank. I don't vacuum every time as that always causes a small ammonia spike in the water.

 

[CompMage]

My planted tanks get water off the surface, un-planted tank it almost all comes off from the gravel vac. Right into the bucket, bucket into the shower, pull water right off the bathtub...then back into the tanks.

No, I don't use water conditioners of any type. They take over a week to work correctly anyways, and by that time I've done 2 more water changes. Any my fishs health has gone up since I stopped.

 

[DeFeKt]

my water gets syphoned straight out onto the lawn via garden hose.
length is long enough to be no chance of sucking any water in.
Then just hook it up to the outside tap and fill it up again.
I only change around 15% weekly and don't use any conditioner either.
I also haven't had to gravel vac for 3 months even considering my rather overly stocked tank .

I don't think there is any real right or wrong way to do a pwc, its whatever is best for you and what resources are available.

 

[Rondory]

No, I don't use water conditioners of any type. They take over a week to work correctly anyways, and by that time I've done 2 more water changes. Any my fishs health has gone up since I stopped.

You don't use Prime or anything like that? It takes a week to work? I'm confused by this statement. I thought you had to get rid of the chlorine or it would kill your fish?

 

[DeFeKt]

i don't agree with it taking a week to work, it does however take a few hours to a day to work, which in that time the chlorine would have worked itself out anyway. It is NOT an instant fix and obviously will still take time to work, but if your changing 10-15gallons out of a 100g the levels are that low anyway.

 

[TomK2]

You would have to click the link below to see how I do it. Pythons were just way too much hassle for me:

http://home.comcast.net/~tomstank/tomstank_files/page0015.htm

 

[Zagz]

I unplug filters and heaters, get my python out and clean the sand. Match water temps and add dechlorinator while refilling. Turn filters and heaters back on.

 

[rich311k]

I get my gravel vac and buckets out. Remove three bucket of water lug them to the bathroom empty them in the toilet. I then fill them up in the bathtub with correct temperature water add prime and pour back into the tank. Repeat process on the other tank. Rest do it one more time on the turtle tank. Done.

 

[GlitcH]

Python..........no prime.........just tap water.......from my well.
It's alittle hard but other than that .......the fish love it straight from the tap!

What I am worried about is when I get shrimp.........i hear that you shouldn't use your hot water to temper the water when filling a shrimp tank.
Something about the impurities that collect in the hot water tank.

Pythons are awesome!

 

[sith j]

man that tom2k guy is the mcguyver of fish tanks

 

[TomK2]

I had some help. AFM or TFH had an article once about a guy with a huge display tank on the second floor in a living room, and then this guy put a huge sump, holding tank, and all his equipment directly below it in his basement. Thus, no tank duties in his living room, other than feeding and glass cleaning. Maybe a gravel vac now and then. And no room wasted on equipment in the living room either. And he got to have a huge water volume... well beyond the tanks volume.

That got the wheels turning, and I have duplicated it, in most functions, except for the sump. I was going to DIY sump, but took the easy way out with the canister filters. I had to figure out the siphon breaks, and many on AA in the DIY forum had some higher tech ideas (selenoids and such) that would work. But I am a low tech kinda guy, and other than the pumps, there are no moving parts to fail. Tank room is a lot quiter with the equpment in the next room too. It took several years and a few home sales before I ran into a situation that I could build it without putting my marriage at risk.