Water changes?

[elephantnose]

Okay so I know how to do one. I usually do about a 30% once or twice a week. I'd like to up this to 50%. I was wondering were you guys get the water from to refill the tank. Do you just throw a hose in? Do you carry many buckets. I've been using buckets to refill my tank but this is a pain. I have a 55g if I go to a 50% water change that is 27.5g and like 7 heavy buckets.

 

[Mama Karoti]

Depends on your situation. If you have good tap water, I would match temp and run straight from the sink and dose your water conditioner for the whole tank. I don't have that luxury. I have to do buckets. I have to let my water sit in buckets for a few days because of wide ph swing as it off-gasses. (Well water) and it's so hard I have to mix it 50-50 with RO water. Total pain. Good exercise I suppose.

 

[Fresh2o]

I don't own one because I have a smaller tank (20g) but many tank owners with larger tanks use a water changing system such as the ones made by Python. Hooks up to a faucet with the use of an adaptor and allows one to drain and fill a tank as needed. Hopefully other will chime in with more details, tips, and reviews of this product.

 

[plumwd]

I have an 80 gallon tank that prompted me to get a python. It's the best investment I ever made for my tank. Definitely don't regret having one!

 

[BBradbury]

Water Changes

Hello el...

I'm "old school", so I use the bucket method. I have two 55 G tanks, a 60, a 45 and a 38 too.

Check your local pet store. They have equipment that attaches to the faucet, so you can speed up the process. I'm fairly old, but still prefer the 5 gallon buckets to make sure the water is treated the way I want it for the fish. Seachem's "Safe" is a good treatment.

Anyway, a water change less than half is pretty useless, because you still leave a lot of toxic water in the tank. But I have heavily stocked tanks and change more than 50 percent every week or two. Do the same and you won't ever have to test the water, you'll know it's always safe for the fish and plants too.

B

 

[elephantnose]

I guess I'm going to have to stick with the bucket method. All of my faucets are too far away. Wish I had more buckets. As for treating the water do you treat It while it's in the bucket or do you treat it all when you completely fill the tank back up?

 

[plumwd]

If you're going to do it bucket by bucket, I would treat each bucket.

 

[elephantnose]

Okay that's the way I've been doing it all along.

 

[Fresh2o]

I guess I'm going to have to stick with the bucket method. All of my faucets are too far away. Wish I had more buckets.

Home Depot and Lowes sells 5 gallon buckets for under $3. I use an old Reef Crystals 5 gallon bucket but if I needed more that is where I'd get them.

 

[elephantnose]

I currently have two 5g buckets and a 3g bucket.

 

[BBradbury]

Water Changer Water Treatment

I guess I'm going to have to stick with the bucket method. All of my faucets are too far away. Wish I had more buckets. As for treating the water do you treat It while it's in the bucket or do you treat it all when you completely fill the tank back up?

el...

I treat each bucket as it fills. This way, the water is toxin free and well aerated before it ever goes into the tank. You know there are syphons that are pretty long, possibly 75 feet or more, that will attach to the faucet. I never was interested in them, it seemed like there was a lot of wasted water. Water's cheap, but I don't like to intentionally waste it.

B

 

[plumwd]

Once the suction gets going I turn the water off. My hose is 50 feet.

 

[elephantnose]

GOOD OR BAD IDEA?!?!?
Okay so I have an empty 44g pentagon tank that I've recently took down as I will be moving soon. If I fill this tank up treat the water and add an airstone. would this make for an easier, safer, and better quality water replacement after a WC? Is there any flaw to this? If I do this the water will always be ready as I will refill what I use after each WC with a hose. My water temp will always be correct as my tank stays at whatever temp my room is at.

 

[anteatergoanna]

I use the big tubs, my husband set me up with a pump that runs on a car battery and I don't have to worry about pouring it in. Makes it quicker.

 

[elephantnose]

Do you just let the water sit in the bucket until you do a WC?

 

[enrgizerbunny]

I have a 35 gallon rubber maid that I fill with water and aerate it. I'm on a well and have a wild pH swing. I siphon out the window and use a 300gph pond pump to refill the tank. I haul 1 5 gallon bucket 5 times one way. It's the best I've come up with short of an RO system.

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