Brute/Python Water Change

[jssquared]

Hello all,

Thought this could be useful for others that are looking into a simpler way to do water changes.

As I am sure some discus owners have developed a love hate relationship with their buckets in the past. This is something I have experienced in the past but I told myself when setting up my new tank (first in a few years) that I would avoid using buckets at all cost. Fortunately this was not a very expensive yet quite efficient system to do quick effortless water changes.

This is my new 75g tank and my 32 Gallon Rubbermaid Brute trash can. I tried to find something that would fit in the stand but I could not find anything that would fit the profile that was very affordable and large enough. Not very pretty sitting next to the tank but I wanted to get everything working right before moving it into a more discrete area and figured this would allow for better illustration.
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p22/livejive6363/IMAG0094-1.jpg

At the bottom of the image we have my fill line with a quick disconnect hose fitting that attaches to the python hose. It is attached to 1/2" pvc that goes down to the bottom of the can to avoid splashing (learned that the hard way). The top is the outtake hose with valve. The middle is a fill indicator that I throw together with pvc and a fishing bobber.
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p22/livejive6363/IMAG0095.jpg

This shows the outtake hose from the can connecting with outtake from the rena xp3. So all I have to do is close the valve to the filter, open the valve on the refill pump and plug it in ( will soon be adding a switch for the refill pump just so I can be a bit more lazy ;) ). All the refill water enters the tank through the spray bar.
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p22/livejive6363/IMAG0099.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p22/livejive6363/IMAG0113.jpg

This is something I throw together so I don't have to keep looking in the can to see if it is full. I just took 1/2" pvc, capped it off and drilled a hole to insert the fishing bobber into the top, is air tight so it will float. The housing is made of 1 1/4" pvc with a reducing coupling at the bottom so the 1/2" cap will not fall through when the can is empty. This is attached to the lid of the can with a bulk head fitting. I insert the floating pvc into the housing and when I fill the can, it floats up through the housing. I have it marked for desired height of water. I know this question is coming, why didn't you just use the bobber or the capped pvc? I tried both but the pvc was to heavy to come all the way out of the can lid and the bobber was just to short, so I combined them.
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p22/livejive6363/IMAG0102.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p22/livejive6363/IMAG0111.jpg

Heater, pump, airstone, and a weighted thermometer probe.
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p22/livejive6363/IMAG0110.jpg


This has drastically made the daunting task of larger water changes much easier! All I have to do is vacuum the tank with the python. Turn on the pump to refill the tank. Then reattach my python hose to the quick disconnect fitting on the can and fill it back up till I see the bobber. Turn the heater back on, add prime and call it a day.

The only thing really pricey here was the pump but my pump is also a 1/6 horsepower 1200GPH sump pump that pumps water down to 5/8". Everything else is stuff you probably already have or rather inexpensive.

Now I am going to put it in the closet!!! :)

[Eddie]

Actually you will probably find only a handful of folks using buckets. People have since gone onto using the round wheel, instead of the square one.


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[jssquared]

Actually you will probably find only a handful of folks using buckets. People have since gone onto using the round wheel, instead of the square one.


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lol... Yeah, when I first started discus about 5 years ago (took a few years break for school) I bought my first discus because I thought it was one of the coolest looking fish I had seen. After buying it I realized what I was in for. But like you Eddie, I like the challenge! Shortly after, bought one of the 55 gallon blue drums and had a much better relationship with my aquariums. Something about the discus just drew me in and I have been a sucker ever since. No matter how much work it may be.

But it is good to hear that the bucket has become obsolete! :)

[ericatdallas]

That trash can could be one serious canister filter :) That's actually what I thought it was when I opened this thread...

I still use buckets and siphon to sink/toilet as my method. I siphon vac debris into a bucket-to-toilet but I use a hose siphon-to-sink to drain the other 50+ gallons while I do other stuff. Neat setup.


Now I am going to put it in the closet!!! :)

yes, it's kind of an eye sore to have a nice looking tank with a big garbage can next to it. ;) That would never fly in my house. I'm surprised my wife hasn't said anything yet about my gallon of Metricide sitting on top of one of my tanks and my three buckets with gravel vacs in the living room (too lazy to hide them all the time, although I only need one bucket).

[jssquared]

Luckily my girl is very understanding and allowed me the time to get the plumbing setup and what not. Once I was done and she knew it, that is when she made me put it away. lol. But it works really well and I have added a few things to it since to make things just a bit easier. Instead of having it cut into the outtake hose from the rena xp3, I gave it it's own dedicated line to avoid any water from the tank being returned to the can to funk it up. Also, built a pretty cool pvc spray bar that I can just hang on the tank while filling it back up. I was getting really tired of holding the hose while doing the refill, kinda lazy. Dropped in a powerhead with a custom pvc filter attached containing filter floss and a bag of chemipure. A little over kill but I would rather be safe than sorry. The apartments that I live in have had issues with main supply lines busting in the past and the water that follows is not the best from what I hear. I would hate to lose my discus due to something out of my control.