Question about maintenance on a bottom plumped tank

[schomin]

I have a 55 gallon that is drilled out the bottom for a filter. It is all setup right now with filter/inline heater and now has water, fish, etc. in the tank.

I need to add my inline co2 reactor to this setup without have to drain the tank. Can anyone recommend a good way to do this without getting water all over the place?

Thanks

[MKD]

I assume you have ball valve for each in/out hose. you can turn off your valves and filter now. then add co2 to out hose right before ball valve . good luck

[schomin]

I assume you have ball valve for each in/out hose. you can turn off your valves and filter now. then add co2 to out hose right before ball valve . good luck

That's actually why I am asking because the setup was given to me and it didn't come with ball valves. It's flexy tubing though. Do you think they could be clamped or something?

[MKD]

So option 1: move fish to storage container or something for temperary and redo the tank the way you want. i strongly recommand this option.

Option 2 (warning- not really safe) - use plugs and plug those 2 in and out hose, then try to injexct co2 inline.

Option3 - inject co2 direct into the tank.

Still recommand option 1.

Good luck

[schomin]

Thanks for the help. What I actually ended up doing to get this setup was:
I bought two ball valves clamped the flexy tube with a pair of flat vice grips. This stopped the water for the most part. It still trickled but I kept it over a bucket and installed the ball valve then closed it. Problem solved forever now!

I admit that this wasn't the safest method and if could have gone horribly wrong but it worked and now I have in and out shut off valves.

[MKD]

i am glad it's solved.