Water changes

[Kfactor]

All be getting my discus on Saturday and just making sure am doing my water changes right . When I do a water change I have aged water in 5 gallon water jugs and add prime to the water in the jugs a hour before doing a water change . Then i syphon water out of tank and suck up old food and want not/clean glass and every week rinse out sponges and filter socks . And add aged water with prime back in to tank .

[Adam S]

There's no reason to wait an hour for the Prime to work. Just add it to the tank before throwing in the new water, and you are good to go. Also don't have to wring your sponges that often, but that's a personal preference.

I'd recommend ditching the buckets and investing in a bigger container with a pump. Lifting buckets becomes a serious risk to your mental health as a fish keeper.

Cheap example of what you can put together:
Container - 20 or 32 gallon Brute trash can, $23 or $25 at Home Depot
Pump - $20 fountain pump on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/KEDSUM-Submersible-Fountain-Aquarium-Hydroponics/dp/B017R709UE)
Tubing - 10' of 1/2" braided vinyl tubing, $15 at Home Depot
Heater - not necessary, but use a cheap one if you want

[alron2]

Adam is correct, best $60 you will spend. How large is your aquarium?

Ron

[btrader]

When you say "rinse out sponges" that's with tank water right not tap water?

[alron2]

When you say "rinse out sponges" that's with tank water right not tap water?

Correct
Ron

[Adam S]

The chlorine in tap water will not kill all of your "bacteria." The bigger risk is over-cleaning your sponge and removing too much of the brown stuff. It's more than just bacteria living in their.

[Kfactor]

I took your guys advice and got a brute and a pump I should have done it a long time ago lol makes things much easier

[Bizarro252]

I took your guys advice and got a brute and a pump I should have done it a long time ago lol makes things much easier

Get a python (or build one for cheaper) to pull water out, this combined with the pump and brute can makes even huge water changes a breeze :)

[zhuls1]

Get a nice thick hose. I use a vinyl hose that is 1" in diameter. Also, make it long enough that it can go straight to the drain or backyard wherever you want the water to go. Your tank will drain really quickly than.

[silverspills]

my Grow out is in my utility room. Everything already there.
Supply water runs with a 1/4 rigid
Tapping to humidifier supply and going to 30
Gallon brut with float valve. Siphon runs to a 1/2 pvc floor
Drain from furnace. Water from brut pumped into tank.
Makes 25’gallon changes daily in a 30
Gallon bare bottom 3-4 minutes tops.

[pm9ljr]

Adam,

I am new here and just looking for ideas - I will be setting up to do daily water changes and had planned on using 3 5 gallon buckets
you mention using a trash can instead - would that not become pretty heavy to move around once filled with 15 gallons?

I am sorry to say my tank will be a flight of stairs away from a place to discard the old water.

just want to be sure I am not missing the big picture

Thanks

[Second Hand Pat]

Adam,

I am new here and just looking for ideas - I will be setting up to do daily water changes and had planned on using 3 5 gallon buckets
you mention using a trash can instead - would that not become pretty heavy to move around once filled with 15 gallons?

I am sorry to say my tank will be a flight of stairs away from a place to discard the old water.

just want to be sure I am not missing the big picture

Thanks

Hi Lloyd,

Is the flight of steps going up or down from tank elevation? If down it is pretty easy to drain with a long hose. My longest hose here is 75 feet.

Pat

[pm9ljr]

the tank will be at the bottom of the stairs - I was planning on a daily siphon into the buckets cleaning the bottom

so I am guessing if I wanted to run the water up the stairs and out into the yard the siphon I bought would not do the trick. i am still in the planning stages so i am open to anything
my target date for setting up is late July early August - after i retire i will have the time to do the fish justice

Thanks

[Adam S]

Adam,

I am new here and just looking for ideas - I will be setting up to do daily water changes and had planned on using 3 5 gallon buckets
you mention using a trash can instead - would that not become pretty heavy to move around once filled with 15 gallons?

I am sorry to say my tank will be a flight of stairs away from a place to discard the old water.

just want to be sure I am not missing the big picture

Thanks
Hi Lloyd,

I was referring to using a trashcan to store new water for water changes. I siphon the tank water into a bathtub with 50ft of old garden hose. If you need to move the trashcan around (like my primitive RO setup), get one of these https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rubbermaid-Commercial-Products-Brute-Trash-Can-Dolly-FG264020BLA/203207009.

Is there a bathroom downstairs where you can siphon the old water to? That's probably your best bet if so.