Water changes, how do you manage big tanks

[guppy grandma]

Having got well and truly hooked on all things fishy, I am looking to getting a bigger tank, but wonder how you manage water changes with some of the huge ones some of you seem to have. Do you have special equipment, or very long arms with carrying all those buckets?

 

[eco23]

Voila! I couldn't live without it. (I have the Python version)
http://www.aqueonproducts.com/products/water-changer.htm

 

[mfdrookie516]

No buckets for me. I do 50% every week or two on all my tanks, including my 150. Just a water hose and an adapter that screws on to the faucet to go from the aerator threads to a 3/4" garden hose thread.

 

[SamQuick]

But ... how do you dechlorinate and temperature match the water... Or is that not so important?

 

[eco23]

But ... how do you dechlorinate and temperature match the water... Or is that not so important?

- Turn off filter
- Drain the water you are removing
- Add dechlorinator (I prefer Prime) directly into the tank based on the total volume of the aquarium (not just what you're replacing).
- Refill with temperature matched water (similar to the touch is good enough)
- Plug filter back in
- Rejoice in the fact no buckets were lifted

 

[jetajockey]

your back will thank you.

 

[steez]

+1 on all the advice above. I dealt with buckets for 3 months before I found out this amazing tool

You can get them on amazon for like 25$
Amazon.com: Aqueon Aquarium Water Changer - 25 Feet: Pet Supplies

 

[Bubble_B0y]

The python is a great invention. It makes water changes convenient and efficient.
I have to use a python for my 225 gallon.
Because of the large size of my tank, It's just not practical to fill it up using buckets.

The only problem is that water drained from the tank is wasted, and goes straight down the sink.
For this reason, I like to use buckets for small water changes. So I can use the water for my garden. Much more environmentally friendly.

 

[mfdrookie516]

^That's where a water hose comes in handy. Just siphon from the tank to the yard, garden, flower beds, etc.

 

[Maltimomma]

I just got the Aqueon water changer and absolutely love it. I used it yesterday and it worked perfectly. I'm a senior and it really saved me a lot of work and time. I bought it online at Drs. Foster and Smith which was much cheaper. I bought the 18" extension tube but can't figure out how to replace it with the included 11" tube.

 

[Aspencer]

When I change water the old fashioned way, my water contains little baby shrimp...any way to prevent them from being sucked up?

 

[Sparky74]

I use the water changer hooked up to the sink and a hose that goes out the window to drain it via siphon.

I start the siphon and begin draining, then I turn on sink(matching temperature) and then adjust the valve on the one that is draining to match the water flow from the sink(my sink puts out less water than the siphon, hence the need for a valve). Once the flow filling matches the one draining, I just sit back and relax for 15-20 minutes or so while tank gets "flushed"....

I am on a well, so chlorine is not an issue. I do dose with prime anyway for possible heavy metals though.

 

[LyndaB]

- Turn off filter
- Drain the water you are removing
- Add dechlorinator (I prefer Prime) directly into the tank based on the total volume of the aquarium (not just what you're replacing).
- Refill with temperature matched water (similar to the touch is good enough)
- Plug filter back in
- Rejoice in the fact no buckets were lifted

+1

I've never used buckets. When we knew we were getting tanks, our initial purchase included all the equipment we'd need including the API test kit and Prime.

 

[jetajockey]

When I change water the old fashioned way, my water contains little baby shrimp...any way to prevent them from being sucked up?

stuff a sponge in the pickup tube

 

[meBNme]

I had the same question for my 150.

After research and asking one of my local LFS owners who has several degrees in marine and tropical fish related areas, here is what I came up with.

Warmer water kills ich. Colder water does the opposite.
Make your new water about 2 degrees warmer than the water in your tank.
Here's what I have done. ( I am a plumber among other things )
I ran new hot and cold water lines under my home to come up through the floor beneath the tank stand. I mounted a tiny wet-bar sink to the outside of the cabinet on the right side. I ran my drain line the same route as the supply lines, using the tank stand/cabinet to hide all pipes.I then enclosed the bottom of the sink and stained it to match the cabinet.

I now have supply and drain right at the tank.
I cut two hoses about 8 ft long.
On one I attached a piece of screen to the end held fast with an O-ring for vacuuming the gravel, the water siphons right into the sink drain.
The other attaches to the sink faucet so I can put in temp regulated water even as I am draining it.I have a thumb valve on the end of that hose so I can regulate the flow rate to match the drain rate without affecting my temps.

This way, I don't even have to turn of my powerheads, filter, or heater.
I am on well water, so I have no chlorine issues.
(I imagine you could make a holding tank to run the water into, and put in your conditioner as its filling, at the same time open a v second valve to let the conditioned water drain into the aquarium. You may want to find out if that's necessary or if you can just dump in the water, then ad the conditioner without it harming the fish)

You could do the same thing with the devices mentioned here, but you will have to deal with running the hose across the rooms/floors.

 

[eco23]

After research and asking one of my local LFS owners who has several degrees in marine and tropical fish related areas, here is what I came up with.

Warmer water kills ich. Colder water does the opposite.
Make your new water about 2 degrees warmer than the water in your tank.

I think your idea for pwc's is clever (a bit complicated for me, lol)...but I want to touch on the Ich thing.

Warmer water during pwcs preventing Ich is one of those myths that have been floating around which really are unsubstantiated. it probably stems from the fact that heat is one of the treatments for Ich (it doesn't kill it, but speeds up the life cycle)...but an immediate change of temperature has no relevance IMO/E. I've heard lots of people say "I always use warmer water and have never gotten Ich", but if you ask people who use temp matched or slightly colder water in a healthy, established tank they could probably tell you the same thing. It's kind of like me saying that I've never had a parasite because I have sand substrate.

Slight changes in temperature won't make a difference one way or another, and if you want to shoot a little warm that's fine...but it's just a myth that I believe can cause more harm than good if people think they need to change the temperance as opposed to what's already in the tank

 

[meBNme]

Yeah... I'm starting to think, "ask ten aquarists a question, and you'll get 14 different answers. LOL

One LFS says feeder guppies are bad because the carry diseases. Another says rosies are bad because they are dirty goldfish and die easy.
They claim I can put 50 feeder guppies in my tank and not upset the biofilter, but 30 rosies would cause ammonia spikes.

Yet another LFS said don't feed live food at all feed frozen food because live has to much protein and problems.

I think I'm gunna invent robot fish and say screw the whole water and food thing altogether LOL

 

[betta4me]

I have a question about the Python water changer (or any other brands). None of the faucets in our house have either male or female threaded connections. Is there an adapter that will work for these types of faucets?

 

[chagoi]

I put a sink under my tank an a 45 gal durm next to it. Old water down the sink,new water from the sink to the drum adjusted pumped to the tank. I know you have to be nuts to do the sink so just do the drum.

 

[chagoi]

I have a question about the Python water changer (or any other brands). None of the faucets in our house have either male or female threaded connections. Is there an adapter that will work for these types of faucets?

There should be a thing on the end of the faucet that screws off?