getting water from bucket to tank

[loganizzi]

Assuming I prepare my water 24 to 48 hours before a water change, what is the best method of getting the water from a 10gal rubbermade bucket on the floor into the tank? What does everyone else use? Some sort of electric pump set up? smaller and lighter buckets?

Looking for the cheapest - neatest (minimal spillage) solution.

Thanks!

[fishfreek]

Well obviously you could do the manual method of using large cups or a water pitcher to pour water in.

This would be the cheapest.

The least labor intensive (while the above it not all that hard) would be to get a medimum sized powerhead with some tubing that fits snug on the outlet of the PH. You can use this PH to pump the water into the tank.

I say medium sized because not all PH's will correctly pump water up the height your bucket is to the tank. THe larger the PH the greater it will be able to pump.

[loganj]

I use a Maxi Jet 1200 for all the "bucket in the floor" to tank transfers. Works great.
Logan J

[Hara]

I use 5 gallon buckets and just pour from them.

[cal91666]

I'm able to get by using a Maxi Jet 400 but I'm only transferring from storage tank to sump in cabinet (no difference in height). I did use a Maxi Jet 1200, as stated by Longanj above, when I filled the tank and it did well with 3/8" I.D. tubing cut to length on outlet of PH.

[fishfreek]

I have found Maxxi-jet ph to be one of the better ph's for pumping against the head pressure. Much better than rio ph's.

[d9hp]

I think I am going to purchase one of the maxijet pumps, have not yet decided though.

[uthscsa19]

I was considering buying a power head for this reason as well. Is it also possible to use this power head to pump water out of the tank to do water changes. If so this would be a great investment for me. How much do they normally run for a ph that can pump water from a bucket 2-3 feet below the tank

[loganj]

You can get a Maxi Jet 1200 for about $20. They are rated @ 295 gph and will not have much flow loss @ 3' head. You can also get a 400, a 600, and a 900 in the Maxi Jet line. I don't remember the flow ratings on all of them, but IMO, they are the best PH available.
Logan J

[fishfreek]

I agree in personal experence I have found maxijets to have good flow even at a few feet of head. Rio powerheads appear to not perform very well at a few feet head. At least the Rio 800 and 600's I have tried.

A maxijet 1200 should drain a 5 gal bucket in about a minute if not a little longer.

TO use it to drain the tank just put the PH a few inches below the water suface in the tank. Put the drain hose in a bucket or if you have one long enough run it to a drain. Then plug the PH in and watch it pump out the water.

When your done dont just unplug it but also remove the PH as once the syphon has started it wont stop till the water level in the tank is below the PH.

A search at www.petwarehouse.com turned up a maxijet 1200 for $20.99 before shipping. So its not very costly either.