Water change bucket

[Trier20]

I was thinking the other day while doing water changes there has to be an easier way to do this without drilling all of my tanks. My thought here is to use a 5g bucket and use a 3in floor drain that works like a bulk head. Use a piece of PVC as an extension and hook on some discharge line to that. The discharge line is like a dire hose so it can be rolled up and stored in the bucket when finished. I don't know if I want to build a wooden stand or just use cinder blocks. I will take pictures of this while I make it if people are interested in this.

[Elliots]

The easier way is called "Python" It also hooks up to a water faucet if you use tap water. If you want to drain quicker use two pythons. The Python also comes with an attachment that allows you to vacum the gravel as you drain your tank. Try Kens Fish. Cheapest prices, no tax and no shipping if you give a minimum order. He has so much stuff you can always find enough for the order minimum.

[Poco]

I will suggest get a clear hose from home depot use a transfer pump to drain. The bigger the inner diameter of the hose the quicker it drain. The Python hose is too thin so take time to drain and waste a lot of water as you run the tap while draining to sink unless you drain to a lower point using just gravity siphon.

[Dogvet06]

im using a 1 inch clear hose got from lowes and draining is so much easier. the only problem i have it how stiff the hose is. does anyone know something more flexible that's safe?

[DiscusLoverJeff]

im using a 1 inch clear hose got from lowes and draining is so much easier. the only problem i have it how stiff the hose is. does anyone know something more flexible that's safe?

No viagra for the hose will soften up quickly, Lol

I have tried a few different things myself Jaimie and found that soaking the hose in a hot water bath can make it more plyable to use.

[Dogvet06]

haha jeff thanks

[Second Hand Pat]

Yea my one inch hose is pretty stiff at room temp. You might try a 3/4 inch hose. Way more plyable just not as fast. :p

[Wjmulder]

Menards has different grades of hose, some heavier some lighter. Heavier doesn't kink but lighter is much easier to work with. I use the lighter and it works just fine...cheap.

[Trier20]

Ok so my reasoning here is my 90 I have some plumbing set up right now that I can start syphon and put the end of hose into it and walk away. The rest of my tanks I have to carry buckets. I would use a photon if I wanted to be in my fish room cleaning tanks for 5 hrs. That's too slow!!!!!!!! I have 2in hose that drain a roughly a gallon/sec. I can keep it going into my bucket contraption and not have to stop and carry buckets since it won't fit in my "plumbed" drain.

[TNT77]

im using a 1 inch clear hose got from lowes and draining is so much easier. the only problem i have it how stiff the hose is. does anyone know something more flexible that's safe?
http://flexpvc.com/cart/agora.cgi?product=EPDM-By-The-Foot

[Dogvet06]

Thank u tara!

[DiscusDrew]

Wayne cast iron transfer pump..... no beating it but your standard lines will NOT be good enough, you will need an actual suction hose, 60 bucks or so. If you want to move water, that is the answer, and a LOT of it very quickly. Then agian, I need that kind of speed, perhaps you dont have to go quite that far with it.

[cjr8420]

Ok so my reasoning here is my 90 I have some plumbing set up right now that I can start syphon and put the end of hose into it and walk away. The rest of my tanks I have to carry buckets. I would use a photon if I wanted to be in my fish room cleaning tanks for 5 hrs. That's too slow!!!!!!!! I have 2in hose that drain a roughly a gallon/sec. I can keep it going into my bucket contraption and not have to stop and carry buckets since it won't fit in my "plumbed" drain. it will work as long as ur bucket setup can drain as fast as the tank does into it.i got a 30' 1 1/4" vinyl hose that can make it to any window/door to drain outside.b4 that i was in basement and drained directly into my sump pump pit with same hose and sump pump took care of getting the water up and out hth
ps rolling that long hose up after every WC does suck though lol

[TNT77]

Wayne cast iron transfer pump..... no beating it but your standard lines will NOT be good enough, you will need an actual suction hose, 60 bucks or so. If you want to move water, that is the answer, and a LOT of it very quickly. Then agian, I need that kind of speed, perhaps you dont have to go quite that far with it.
Suction hose isn't that expensive if you know where to look. The link I posted is thick walled suction hose. You can buy it by the foot or by the 100' roll.

[DiscusDrew]

I can get it cheaper locally, 100' of that stuff is over $200, that isnt the most expensive hose, but it isnt a garden hose either. Its doable but on the large scale that stuff adds up, as Im sure you know as well.

[Dogvet06]

i have one of these attached to the 1 inch clear hose simple siphon (http://www.simplesiphon.com/siphon/accessories/BigGulp-Siphon.php) if i bought the hose from the flex pvc place how do i know my simple siphon will fit on it? im scared to pay 100$ on the hose and it not work. but my simple siphon is saving me so much time and primes the hose so easily.

[TNT77]

i have one of these attached to the 1 inch clear hose simple siphon (http://www.simplesiphon.com/siphon/accessories/BigGulp-Siphon.php) if i bought the hose from the flex pvc place how do i know my simple siphon will fit on it? im scared to pay 100$ on the hose and it not work. but my simple siphon is saving me so much time and primes the hose so easily.
You have to know the diameter of the simple siphon. If it works with regular 1" hose it will work with the 1" flex hose.

[Dogvet06]

yes it works with the 1 inch inner diameter clear tubing from lowes. i looked at the pool hoses there and it didnt fit on them even though they said 1 inch so i was concerned.

[TNT77]

yes it works with the 1 inch inner diameter clear tubing from lowes. i looked at the pool hoses there and it didnt fit on them even though they said 1 inch so i was concerned.
When you look for hoses on the link I sent it will say od or id.

[Dogvet06]

hope im not a bother Tara but it only says 1 inch thick wall. im not seeing where it states ID or OD..maybe im blind :(

[TNT77]

You are right. I know this hose measures the same as pvc which is 1" id. If you have any doubts I can send a couple inch sample to you to make sure.

[Dogvet06]

thanks Tara i emailed them...guess thats the best way to find out :)

sorry Brandon for hijacking ur thread!

[Trier20]

thanks Tara i emailed them...guess thats the best way to find out :)

sorry Brandon for hijacking ur thread!

Lol no problem Jaime! The point of this forum is to learn. As long as something productive comes from it it's all good!

[Trier20]

Ok I finished my product tonight. Took about an hour to do. Fish ill start with the pieces. I had a 5g pickle bucket from work, a 2in in floor drain, 2in discharge hose, a short piece of 2in PVC and a 2in PVC reducer to1.5in(I think)
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Next I turned the bucket upside down and cut a hole in the center with a 3 1/4in hole saw.
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Next I took the drain that is similar to a bulk head and screwed it into place hand tight.
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I then glued the piece of PVC into the bottom of the drain and into the reducer.
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While that dried I built a stand using 2x4's and treated plywood. The legs are 9in and the top is 13.5" x13.5".

[Trier20]

I used the hole saw and cut a hole for the drain to go through the plywood.
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The hole wasn't quite large enough so I took some screws and secured the bucket with them. Be careful not to over tighten or the screw WILL go through the bottom of the bucket. I put some silicon caulk over and around the screws to insure no leakage.
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Lastly I attached the hose and secured with hose clamp
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And here is the finished product.
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You can store the hose in the bucket but didn't want to yet as the caulk isn't dry yet. You can carry the entire unit using the handle. Unfortunately I didn't measure how much hose I needed and was 3' short to the drain lol so measure twice cut once! I will give an update on how it works tomorrow night after WCs.

[Eddie]

Are using this to just siphon down into?

[Trier20]

Yea 1.5" ID

[ashtricks]

I went to Lowes today to get a pipe/hose to hook up my mag drive. I asked the guy there to help me find a flexible pipe and fittings for aquarium use and he said... and I try to quote... "None of the products we have here are certified for fish.... what you want to look at is certified for potable water.... The hoses we have all have volatile gases. I know a guy who used these on his saltwater tank and he ended up with dead fish. over time these hoses will leech chemicals harmful to fish... so you would be better off finding a product in the pet store."
Urggghhhh.... its so confusing!!

[Trier20]

I went to Lowes today to get a pipe/hose to hook up my mag drive. I asked the guy there to help me find a flexible pipe and fittings for aquarium use and he said... and I try to quote... "None of the products we have here are certified for fish.... what you want to look at is certified for potable water.... The hoses we have all have volatile gases. I know a guy who used these on his saltwater tank and he ended up with dead fish. over time these hoses will leech chemicals harmful to fish... so you would be better off finding a product in the pet store."
Urggghhhh.... its so confusing!!

Weird. I guess I've always bought hose at Home Depot or a Theisen's(farm ad fleet store). I don't shop at (B)lowes much anymore. If you have a Home Depot close to ya stop in there.

[ashtricks]

That's what I will do. I will get this hose that Eddie suggested in another thread. http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?99667-garden-hose&p=935596&viewfull=1#post935596
I don't know what kind of fittings I need to get to hook up my mag drive 7 though.


Weird. I guess I've always bought hose at Home Depot or a Theisen's(farm ad fleet store). I don't shop at (B)lowes much anymore. If you have a Home Depot close to ya stop in there.

[Keith Perkins]

That's what I will do. I will get this hose that Eddie suggested in another thread. http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?99667-garden-hose&p=935596&viewfull=1#post935596
I don't know what kind of fittings I need to get to hook up my mag drive 7 though.

Mag Drive 7's have a 3/4" male threaded connection for their outflow, a very standard size. With standard pvc fittings you can make any type of outflow connect you can dream of. If in doubt bring the pump with you to get your fittings. I've got 3 Mag 7s in use all with slightly different set ups.

[ashtricks]

Thanks CozyKeith!..... That makes sense! the mag drive website says 1/2" MPT that confused me even more! I'll take the pump with me to get the proper fittings at home depot!

[dadecountyalan]

im no handy man so this is what i came up with.

i bought a 50 ft garden hose. pumped a lot of water through to make sure nothing stays behind since its for my fish. then i bought a 3/4 inch adapter that fits for the hose and attach it to my shower head. so basically i siphon everything out. add prime to my tank, let is sit for 30 seconds. hook up the hose to the shower head. and just fill up.

got rid of all those damn buckets :)