Water Changes

[Martinphillip03]

I have a non discus tank and I change 50% of the water every week or two. I do not find it easy. People on this board are changing water daily, which I find amazing.
What I would like to know is what sort of set ups do people have to allow them to change so much water, so easiely.

Marty

[bikhu]

SOme of us have automated systems, many have storage tanks for aging water. Those that are blessed with really good water have a very intricate set up like mine. A hose that goes from the tank out to my yard and siphons the old water out. Another hose that goes from my water supply into my tank. Not the most attractive part of the hobby but it certainly keeps one involved with their fish!
HTH
peter

[Carol_Roberts]

I siphon my used water out the back door or into the bath tub. A Pond pump and hose are used to pump from storage barrel to tank.

[Tad]

Martin,
Since all of my tanks are spread thoughout the house I have had to come up with an easy method to move water in and out of 11 tanks. I use a 40 foot syphon hose with a python (one python vacuum tube dedicated to each tank, and I just move the syphon hose) which I drain to the lawn area. To refill I use a mag pump in my storage containers hooked to a 90 foot hose which will reach the furthest tanks in my home. I use another powerhead attached to a 25 foot fill hose to fill those closer to my storage and in combination, I change about 175 gallons a water change and it takes just over an hour to complete.

Discus keepers are definately Water Change fanatics LOL,

Good luck,
Tad

[M0oN]

I have two 32 gallon rubbermaid trash cans, a fountain pump rated at 230 gph and I bought about 20 feet of tubing to hook to my syphon.

I syphon the water out of a window that is right next to the trash cans, I fill up both trash cans to make sure I can take a measurement on how much water I'm treating, while the second trash can is being filled I empty the first one with the fountain pump, then I fill the first one up with a mixture of hot and cold water. After the second trash can is full I add the water to the tank using the fountain pump, then I refill that same trash can a second time and repeat until the tank tops off.

It takes about a half hours time, but only 5 minutes of that is actual work, after you do it a few times and get an idea of how long each part takes you can go off and do other things around the house, just check periodically.

[Desertdrifter]

I have two 55 gallon plastic drums that I drilled holes in the top of the side and put in float valves,the same as swamp coolers have. I have heaters in each and as I use one up the other one heats and ages and fills automaticly.I only have one pump cause I found out early that it is to easy to plug in the rong pump(that is "all bad").this is all plumbed in with pvc and valves to each tank so all I have to do is turn valves to divert the water to the right tank.I then wraped the tanks with a backed insulation for heat loss and put them on foam pads for the same reason.My waste water goes into a drum also and is pumped into my yard.it was alot of work(fun) to set up but now my only problem is geting side tracked while my tanks are filling :o.some day Ill take pictures of my fish room.

[Miles]

I have 2- 500 gallon and 1-165 water storage units. And three pumps. And it is automated except for cleaning the bottom of the tanks and wiping them down.

:)
Miles