Best Way to Change Water

[FarRock]

Hi, I am doing a 90% water change on a 30 gallon tank every night. The buckets were killing me so I upped my game:

1) For outflow I am using a siphon and a 50' hose straight into my toilet (my bathroom is 50' away)
2) For clean water I am using an Eco 396 pump - filling up a garbage pail in the shower, adding API to it, regulating the temp, and pumping it back to my tank with the 50' hose.

My issues/questions:
1) The siphon power is extremely weak, I don't think they were meant for 50'. Most of the junk stays in the tank. Do you guys have any suggestions how to combat this? I would use my pump but I'm concerned the junk would clog it up.
2) Can I just dump some API Stress straight into my tank and then just shoot the water from my faucet straight into the tank? Would save me tons of time.


Cheers,

FarRock

[dragon1974]

This is what I do, I use a python hose with a faucet connection which pulls out all the junk at the bottom. Then I put a pump in to take the water level down (saving on the water bill due to the faucet python). Then I pump the water back from my aging barrels. I do this on 3 75 gals the distance between is around 20' apart and it takes me roughly 1 hour every time I WC.

[FarRock]

This is what I do, I use a python hose with a faucet connection which pulls out all the junk at the bottom. Then I put a pump in to take the water level down (saving on the water bill due to the faucet python). Then I pump the water back from my aging barrels. I do this on 3 75 gals the distance between is around 20' apart and it takes me roughly 1 hour every time I WC.

What do you mean by faucet connection? Do you use the python siphon?

[dragon1974]

Yeah

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ldf4nToXoZg

[FarRock]

Yeah

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ldf4nToXoZg

Cool!

1. When do you make the water safe? After it is already in the tank?

2. I already have a 50' hose. Which pieces do I need to buy on Amazon to complete the kit? The faucet adapter and what else?

[rickztahone]

You can use Prime/Safe before you add your new water. Simply dose for the entire water volume of the tank, rather than simply what you are putting back in to the tank.

If you go to Jehmco.com, they have some great solutions for water changes as well.

The way I do it is easy, I have a bulkhead at the back of my tank. That drains the tank to roughly 75% of the tank and it goes straight to my front yard by way of PVC. I have a strage barrel next to the tank (55g) and I pump the water with a submerisble pump back in to the tank. I timed myself last time and I can do that in roughly 15minutes. If I siphon tank floor, add 5 minutes to the equation.

[FarRock]

You can use Prime/Safe before you add your new water. Simply dose for the entire water volume of the tank, rather than simply what you are putting back in to the tank.

If you go to Jehmco.com, they have some great solutions for water changes as well.

The way I do it is easy, I have a bulkhead at the back of my tank. That drains the tank to roughly 75% of the tank and it goes straight to my front yard by way of PVC. I have a strage barrel next to the tank (55g) and I pump the water with a submerisble pump back in to the tank. I timed myself last time and I can do that in roughly 15minutes. If I siphon tank floor, add 5 minutes to the equation.

I'm jelly. Takes me an hour.

Thanks for the link!

EDIT: I'm an idiot...just thought of a much better way then I have been doing. Why not just fill my bathtub and make sure the temp is right and then use the water pump. Wow that's easy.

[Lighthouse7]

Isn't there danger of soap residue? I use aquarium siphon the end goes into hose it goes out my front door slopes downward into lawn. Then i connect another hose to shower head w special attachment i bought at lowes kinda looks like pytho attachment, i fill tank back up with that testing water temp first, pour prime first directly into tank. And wala....! - Lighthouse

[FarRock]

Isn't there danger of soap residue?

Is this really a concern? This is the first I've heard of it.

[rickztahone]

I'm jelly. Takes me an hour.

Thanks for the link!

EDIT: I'm an idiot...just thought of a much better way then I have been doing. Why not just fill my bathtub and make sure the temp is right and then use the water pump. Wow that's easy.

my only concern would be detergents/shampoos and any other chemicals getting in to your tank water. I'd actually avoid this. Get an aging barrel from your local Craiglist. I bought my 55g for $10

[dragon1974]

Cool!

1. When do you make the water safe? After it is already in the tank?

2. I already have a 50' hose. Which pieces do I need to buy on Amazon to complete the kit? The faucet adapter and what else?

Age my water in 2 55 gal barrels for 24 hours using Prime/Safe then pump that into the tank

[FarRock]

Age my water in 2 55 gal barrels for 24 hours using Prime/Safe then pump that into the tank

Why wait 24 hours and not do it right away?

[dragon1974]

Why wait 24 hours and not do it right away?

I usually try to match the temp of the water. I also have my house on a water softener to combat the liquid rock I have coming into my house and the line I have for the fish is a cold water line and it's freezing cold so I just age for 24 hrs and it gives me a buffer when changing water etc. You should do some searches on the site and you'll pickup so cool info.

[rickztahone]

Why wait 24 hours and not do it right away?

One of the main reasons people age water is due to pH fluctuation, or too much oxygen in the water. You know your water is heavily oxygenated when you see a bunch of micro bubbles all over your tank after a water change. Aging removes these bubbles completely, and makes the water that much safer.

[bwssr]

90% a day. I wonder how the big breeders do it? That's allot of work. I have seen some videos of discus in the wild and the water does not look all that clean but I suppose since it is raining just about every day they are getting fresh water all the time. One thing I always tell people when they see discus in pet shops is that it is more work to keep them healthy and growing than most other fish and that they also need higher temps. Something the store owner should be telling them.