how do you change your water?

[sidekick101]

I know alot of people use buckets and alot use the "python". I was wondering what everyone else has come up with?

I built my own 110V system that ran me about $100. I bought
1) 110V "proven pump"
2) 2 Y adaptors with on off valves
3) 4 garden hose adaptors with 3/8" nipples
4) 35' of 3/8 clear tubing(gets me to the bath tub).
5)1 10 gallon bucket
6)2 3/8" T's

I put the Y valves on either side of the pump and conected all the tubeing. I installed the T's befor and after the "main" lines.

By opening or closing one valve on each side i can controll how the water flows through the pump. I can either syphon water or put water back in the tank. When i want to put water back in, i put the 10 gallon under the faucet and leave the faucet turned on so the bucket is always full while filling up. If anyone wants pic's let me know and i will try and get some up. I figured the Pythin was around $60 here for a 25ft one and they waste alot of water I think. So for $100 it will last for a very long time(if not forever while i am alive) and I dont waste any water.

I am out of town so i attached a verrrryyyyy crude paint pic of the system to give you the basic idea

[PAR23]

Very carefully.......:p;):p;)

[LizStreithorst]

I've done it similar to you. When I had a fish room everything was hard plumbed through a pump with valves for draining and filling. These days with tanks in the house I use gravity to drain to the vegetable garden and a sump pump that I move from one water storage container to the next.

[Ardan]

This is great if it is only used on one tank. If you use it on more than one tank you can transfer diseases between the tanks, so flushing well may help, but its a risk.
Also I would flush it well before each use, standing moisture is good for bacteria.
hth
Ardan

[aalbina]

I have to age my water. I use a clear water sump pump in my 57 gallon storage barrel in my basement connected to cpvc plumbing to the top of the basement stairs. I installed a garden hose faucet at the top of the stairs recessed into the wall in an oversize electrical box. I connect a drinking water safe RV hose to the faucet and hang a homemade PVC spray bar dispersion device on the tank. I have a little remote power switch to turn the pump on and off.

To drain and clean I use a 2200 Quiet One pond pump with garden hose output to the utility sink in my garage and clear plastic tubing to go into the tank.

I have a 55 and a 29 right now. When my 29 is being used for quarantine I just use a smaller pump and buckets to drain/clean so I don't cross contaminate.

Really saves my back - lugging 50 gallons of water in 5 gallon buckets up the basement stairs everyday - almost ended this hobby for me before it really started.

Spent about $120 on everything. (found a great deal on the sump pump).

Adam

[mlov1022]

I use the Super Safety Siphon 580 gph pump w/ 3/4 “ Female swivel Garden hose adapter from Jehmco. Works very well. http://www.jehmco.com/html/safety_siphon_aquarium_drain.html

[Eddie]

I gravity drain all my tanks out windows or the front door, using 1 inch flexible tubing. I can completely drain a 55 gallon tank in about 3-4 minutes. I then fill straight from tap which takes about 8 minutes since I don't have insane water pressure. I'll be hard plumbing all my tanks when I get back to Okinawa. ;)

[Keith Perkins]

All my tanks are now set up in a finished fishroom in the basement and I have 1 1/2 inch pvc drain line running behind all the tanks. I gravity drain the tanks to that line. I have two 44 gallon water reservoirs in the unfinished portion of my basement that I use a pump with flexible pvc hose to refill with. The pump is plugged into an outlet on the backside of the finished wall with a switch on the finished side right above the tanks to control the pump. I've got a U shaped hard pipe pvc contraption on the end of the flexible hose so I can hang the hose on the front of the tank so I can do other things while it's filling. Have an anti-siphon on the very end of the U contraption.

[2wheelsx2]

I use the Super Safety Siphon 580 gph pump w/ 3/4 “ Female swivel Garden hose adapter from Jehmco. Works very well. http://www.jehmco.com/html/safety_siphon_aquarium_drain.html

I use the same exact device. 5 minutes to drain 50 gallons (I'm pumping downhill which helps). Makes life a whole lot easier since my 2 tanks are 125 gallons and 100 gallons.

[retiredsailor]

In the past I've used the python running it out the back door to drain off of the patio. In my next house I am thinking of running a tube through the floor from the basement to fill the tanks, while gravity draining them out windows or doors. I'm planning on having 50 gallon buckets in the basement to age the water, with a pump to send the water up. It seems to all work out in my head... whether it will work out in reality remains to be seen.

[Keith Perkins]

In the past I've used the python running it out the back door to drain off of the patio. In my next house I am thinking of running a tube through the floor from the basement to fill the tanks, while gravity draining them out windows or doors. I'm planning on having 50 gallon buckets in the basement to age the water, with a pump to send the water up. It seems to all work out in my head... whether it will work out in reality remains to be seen.

With the right pump, that should work.

[Melissa]

I gravity drain all my tanks out windows or the front door, using 1 inch flexible tubing. I can completely drain a 55 gallon tank in about 3-4 minutes. I then fill straight from tap which takes about 8 minutes since I don't have insane water pressure. I'll be hard plumbing all my tanks when I get back to Okinawa. ;)

When you fill the tank back up straight from the tap, how do you make sure the correct temp. Is coming out of it? I can't do it that way in my apartment. Sometimes the water temp changes so fast coming out of the tap it's freezing cold one second then you get scalded... Then back to freezing lol!