Need help eliminating buckets!

[Cevoe]

The Python is the way to go.
There is the actual Python but I have a couple of the Marineland brand that work great.
They are 25ft or 50ft and the ones I have came with a couple of different sink adapters.
I use one with a laundry type sink faucet (course threads) and another with a bathroom sink faucet (fine threads) and everything needed came with the kit.
I think the 50ft kit runs about $50.00.
Outside of an electric set-up I think it's the only way to go.

[wendy9722]

I use garden hoses and a water bed fill kit and add prime after draining the tank. Then fill.

[Darrell Ward]

Well, Pythons have disadvantages, so they may not be "the way to go" for everyone. Unless you have higher water pressures from public water systems, they are practically useless at draining tanks as designed, since the faucet pump works because of water pressure. People often also argue that using fresh water in order to drain dirty water makes no sense for people who are required to pay for fresh water. So, if you have a private water supply or well, or water is expensive in your area, you are much better off to use a submersible pump to drain, and a garden hose to fill. It's usually twice as fast as a Python as well.

[zchauvin]

Well, Pythons have disadvantages, so they may not be "the way to go" for everyone. Unless you have higher water pressures from public water systems, they are practically useless at draining tanks as designed, since the faucet pump works because of water pressure. People often also argue that using fresh water in order to drain dirty water makes no sense for people who are required to pay for fresh water. So, if you have a private water supply or well, or water is expensive in your area, you are much better off to use a submersible pump to drain, and a garden hose to fill. It's usually twice as fast as a Python as well.

I don't think that the python works quite that way darrell. I bought one and use it to drain and refill my 75g and I find it very good. Even with it going a length of 4 feet to get into tank then about 30 feet on floor and up 3 feet to sink there is plenty of pressure. You don't have to leave your sink running to drain your tank either. Once connected you just open the valve at the bottom and turn the sink on the create a suction then once you see tank water in hose you turn sink off and let drain, all you do to refill is turn the valve on bottom off and turn on water.

[wadewc]

If I had my tanks in one room I would pipe the feed and drain drilling the tanks using valves. I am not able to do this. I have six tanks stationed around my house in different rooms. I use a garden hose ran out the window to siphon my water out of my tanks. [I do like the idea of Dan using the pump thou.] Water bill here you are also paying for sewer rates on the amout of water you use so I use this water for my yard and garden unless i have added salt or chemicals to the water then I would recommend it going down the drain. I have a 55 gallon trash can I condition and use to fill my tanks. I have a pond pump inside my trash can that I attach my garden hose to to fill my tanks. I keep this pump running even when not filling my tanks to keep the water circulating to maintain temp and keep the water from stagnating. I have a hose adapter, as shown in the previous pic. I use to fill my trash can. Wade

[Elite Aquaria]

just a quick question.
how do you guys add your dechlorinator? before, during, after?

After tank is drained just add the amount of declor for the amount of water you are replacing. I do not use Prime any longer I use ChlorAm-X.

[zchauvin]

After tank is drained just add the amount of declor for the amount of water you are replacing. I do not use Prime any longer I use ChlorAm-X.

May I ask why?

[dadecountyalan]

May I ask why?

its cheaper. for the amount of water he changes makes a lot of sense

[dadecountyalan]

hey guys i tried it out today and everything was a success!!! i still have to use buckets to take out water but adding water is a joke now! thanks for the help everybody!

[Elite Aquaria]

its cheaper. for the amount of water he changes makes a lot of sense

May I ask why?

Like Alan mentioned it is cheaper for me

[DerekFF]

I bought a 40g water storage container off ebay i think. Costs maybe double what a brute garbage can runs for but is also probably 4x more durable. I have 1" aquarium hose that i attached to a rio 2100 pump that i drop into the container. I bring in the tub the day before i want to do the water change and set it next to my tank, bring my hose in through the window/front door (depends how lazy i feel) and fill the container. I drop a heater in the tub and come back the next day. Water is heated and ready to go. With my rio pump it takes about 5 minutes to do a 40g water fill. i usually siphon my water out the window/front door into the lawn or garden

[MightyEvil]

I always thought about eliminating water changes but I mean completely. The easiest way I can think of is by using an RO unit and an overflow in the aquarium. Of coarse, your aquarium would need to be close to a drain and close to a water pipe that you could tap into. All you would do is let the RO unit drip 24/7 into the tank, you would need to measure and calculate how much RO water is being introduced into the aquarium per minute/hour/day/week so that you have an adequate water turnover. At the same time, old water will be overflowing into the overflow. The overflow will need to be connected to a drain. Other maintenance would still have to be done and water movement will need to be done with power-heads but that would be minimal maintenance.

Now, this is just an idea and I don't know how effective this would be, but I hope to some day be able to try this or would like to hear the findings of someone who has tried it.

[Skip]

Mighty.. keeping discus.. is not something you want to try and cut corners or be lazy with their care.. its not easier.. but with some elbow grease.. you get nice results.. if not.. then bad results..

[MightyEvil]

Mighty.. keeping discus.. is not something you want to try and cut corners or be lazy with their care.. its not easier.. but with some elbow grease.. you get nice results.. if not.. then bad results..

Yeah, i am getting a lot of that, "can't be lazy with these fish". I guess i will have to really step it up to be able to keep these nice fish. Well, the RO and overflow thing is just an idea, like i said, don't know how effective it would be.

[Skip]

larger fish (4" or more.. larger the better) are more forgiving the juvies.. maybe that would be the direction you want to go..