Using an Aqueon Water Changer to refill a tank?

[SpyGuy]

I've been thinking of getting one of these Aqueon Water Changers to do my tank vacuuming and water changes:

My concern is that when using this to refill the water, I will be introducing chlorine or chloramines directly into the tank. I can add Prime in advance, but will that be effective in instantly neutralizing the Cl? I suspect that the fish won't be adversely affected by such a short-term exposure, but isn't there a possibility of wiping out large amounts of the beneficial bacteria on my substrate and ornaments?

 

[dkpate]

I use the exact same thing for my tanks. I put the Prime in immediatley before filling, have been doing it that way for over a year, and never had any negative effects.

 

[SpyGuy]

Ok, thanks for the reassurance!

 

[Mark Hewitt]

Do a google for 'python' as this looks the same.

I've seen it said that many people put in half the dechlorinator before the fill and half after.

 

[Mark Hewitt]

One thing these water changers have in common is that they are all very difficult to find in the UK! I suspect they won't fit on my tap anyway, but I'd quite like one if only because it means I won't have to store buckets beside my tank any more!

 

[SpyGuy]

One thing these water changers have in common is that they are all very difficult to find in the UK! I suspect they won't fit on my tap anyway, but I'd quite like one if only because it means I won't have to store buckets beside my tank any more!

I suspect you can find an online retailer willing to ship overseas (shipping may be prohibitivly expensive though).

The very top of the grey siphon unit (shown upside down in the picture) is what screws into the faucet (in place of the aerator). But that's just a plastic adapter. You will want a metal one anyway, as faucet threads are very fine and easy to strip or cross thread on plastic.

That adapter mates to a US garden hose thread. Unfortunately, your hose threads are different in UK. So you will have to get your own faucet-to-male-hose adapter and then a UK-garden-hose-female to US-garden-hose-male adapter.

Just make sure you have enough vertical clearance between your spigot and the bottom of your sink.

 

[SpyGuy]

Do a google for 'python' as this looks the same.

From the reviews, the Aqueon appears to be better than the Python

 

[bengoshi2000]

There are several diy python projects on the 'net... usually cheaper than the "store bought" options.

 

[iDream]

yeah, but the thing i've heard about adding water directly to the tank is that you have to dose the amount of the entire size of your tank, instead of how much water your adding, if you get that.

basically everytime you do a PWC (say for a 40G) you'll have to dose the amount of prime to dechlor 40G instead of say the 5G you're adding. i found that a waste of money and decided i'd do it the way i've been doing it since i started lol, maybe once i get a bigger tank i'll change my mind though

 

[BigJim]

I've got the Lee's version of the python as a door prize and I love it! I use it to drain and fill my tanks. Add the dechlorinator before refilling. Some people dose for the entire water volume. I aim to dose the volume of water I'm replacing, erring on the generous side.

 

[Coleallensmom]

I have that same Aqueon water changer. I've not had any issues with it so far!

 

[dkpate]

The only issue I have with the Aqueon, is that I can't shut the water off on the tank end. When I do, water starts shooting everywhere around the sink, so my husband gets water shut off duty LOL.
I made myself a DIY one, and man was it a pain! That is why I just bought the real one.

 

[aquachris]

coleallensmom, how long have you had yours for? I am also thinking of buying the aqueon, but because of reviews, mentioning having to buy replacement parts every couple months, I'm thinking of just sticking with the buckets

 

[dkpate]

I have never had to buy replacement parts, and I use mine once a week for my tanks, and have had it almost a year.

 

[SpyGuy]

There are several diy python projects on the 'net... usually cheaper than the "store bought" options.

Thanks. Actually, I had already bought some parts for a DIY version, but didn't want to sidetrack the topic of this thread, namely the possibility of chlorine contamination when using these devices to refill a tank. I figured if it wasn't good for refilling, I could still use it as a convenient vacuum.

 

[bengoshi2000]

Thanks. Actually, I had already bought some parts for a DIY version, but didn't want to sidetrack the topic of this thread, namely the possibility of chlorine contamination when using these devices to refill a tank. I figured if it wasn't good for refilling, I could still use it as a convenient vacuum.

I've adopted the "dose prime for the amount of water being replaced approach." When I've dosed for the entire volume of the tank my water gets sudsy for several days.