How do you do your water changes?

[chuck_w]

I drain out about 20-25% of my water while vacuuming my sand. Then I take a 30 gal container and fill it up, declorinate, and then siphon back into the tank. Repeat as necessary. I have a 300 so buckets are not an option. How do you do your changes? What about the folks who have discus and need to do multiple water changes a week?

[jabbott]

How do you vacuum sand without it all getting sucked out of the tank? Even when I use more narrow tubing for slower flow, more sand gets pulled out than I'd like. I've just been draining 20% off the top and replacing with dechlorinated water.

[chuck_w]

Should have been more specific. 3m color quartz, T grade. My tank is about 36" tall so I have to use a long plastic tube on the end of my hose to reach the quartz. The quartz does not make it all the way up to the hose because its not as fine as sand. When you declorinate, do you do so in buckets and then add to the tank?

[jabbott]

I think I have S grade, which seems a tiny bit too fine for vacuuming. I dechlorinate in 7 gallon water containers the day before the water change (see thread (http://www.dfwfishbox.com/forums/production/showthread.php?t=5788)).

[spxsk]

I have a plumbed valve in the bottom of my tank that is attached to my intake for my canister. I have a ball valve plumbed in there and just run the water hose out to the yard.

For refill I have a carbon bottle, and run the correct temperature water out of the sink through that and straight into the tank. I do 100-150 gallon water changes on that tank once a week.

[AndrewH]

I came up with an automatic water change system.

The drain is controlled by a Tee connection on the return line from the canister to the tank. Off the Tee I take tubing to my washing machine's drain line (any drain will work). The tubing has a solenoid valve on a 24 hour timer. Once every 24 hours, the solenoid opens for 15 minutes to drain some of the water out of the tank.

The fill is controlled by a Tee connection coming off the back of my refrigerator's ice maker connection (you could easily connect the incoming water to an RO/DI unit or any other near by water supply). Tubing goes from that Tee to double in-line frig filters then to a solenoid that gets it's input (on/off or more accurately open/closed) from a float switch in the tank. Anytime the water level drops below the float switch the incoming water is turned on until the float switch floats again. Will accommodate the auto-drain described above, plus evaporation and any other water coming out of the tank. The incoming water is directed to enter the tank at the heater. Since I'm only changing out ~5 gallons per day there's no need to heat the incoming water (though one could use the hot water as the tank's supply, or route the incoming tubing around a light under the stand so that it's heated before it enters the tank).

Once every other week or so I do a gravel vac though as the plants grew in it wasn't possible/practical/necessary for a gravel vac.

The system is all based on having electricity to the solenoids, so if your electric goes out (storm, etc.) the system is deactivated so no drain or fill. As soon as the electric comes back on the system is reactivated.

Entire system was about $100 (give or take).

http://www.dfwfishbox.com/forums/production/showthread.php?t=65

[xtc]

I need to get a new system for peanut's tank- I need a larger diameter tube for more suction. Peanut Poo is large and there are generally pieces of left over crawfish parts that get stuck in the regular python.

So I'll be following this thread.

[kewlkatdady]

I use a python...and refill with tap water at close (as in i put my hand in the tank and walk over to the sink and bring the water temp up to roughly the same as whats in the tank).

I do big water changes...at least 75% prolly more. I used to do more frequent smaller ones and started doing less frequent larger one.

As the tank fills up... I double dose with Prime.

Wipe glass with water towel and walla. Drink beer.

[Good Wolf]

I just use a syphon to put the water in a bucket and use a different bucket that I fill at the sink and decholrinate to add water.

To vac the sand you put the syphon just above the sand and do a circular type motion to stir the debri up into the water. You can't get all of it but it helps. I have tahitian moon sand which is pretty compact so I can get away with that. I know that if you try that will pool filter sand you'll end up losing sand and clouding up the water.

[kSpieler]

Heh, I USED to drain 50% the water out with the python (onto the grass and flowerbed out back) Then fill a 45 gallon wheeled plastic trash can with tap water, toss in a heater, thermometer, and a PH with a 6' section of clear hose attached, add Prime and the buffer recipe (saltwater mix, baking soda & epsom salt) let it come up to temp then pump the new water into the tank ... but now .. I still drain into the yard ... but I have to play bucket brigade to refill the tank. I have taken to doing the hand in the tank/hand in the bucket temp match 'cause it takes forever if I run a heater in the bucket every time. And I dose each bucket with Prime 'cause I am too chicken to re-fill the tank THEN dose it.

Also, I have a battery-operated gravel cleaner that I use like every other night to get the poo I can see up - using the swirl-n-chase method. Yes, I get alot of my sand, too ... but I just dump the filter bag into a bucket on the porch, then when I need more sand in the tank I rinse it out really good and pour it back in :D Before I do a WC I use a PH with a short piece of tubing to blow around the sand and get in all the holes and crevices in the rocks to get all the poo and gunk that's hiding in there out and then suck it up with the battery-vac. I'm amazed at the amount of spooge that builds up in all those holey-rock holes!

[Dzhokar]

I do 50% to 75% twice weekly depending on the tank. Siphon out with a python, adjust temp from faucet, add dechlorinator to tank, fill directly to tank. I can vouch that both Aqua Safe and Prime work fine with this method using McKinney water. I suppose other water sources could have different results. My fish never show signs of stress after a water change and infact seem invigorated. I've also never lost a fish due to a water change.

[BlackJew]

In my 60g, I change 15 gallons once a week with a gravel vac. I use tap water w/dechlorinator (stress + twice as much) and use a Laser Thermometer to match temp..

[EAST_TX_RN]

I do a 75% WC every 2 weeks while using a python to vacuum my gravel and a garden hose on the end of my tube to drain out to the shrubs and trees. I then hook up the python to the sink and hand-adjust the water temp to the temp in my tanks after putting in the Aqua-Safe, double-dosed. I use a scrubber and razor-blade to remove any algae my BN's haven't eaten. About once a month, I clean out my XP3's real well, leaving the bio-balls alone most of the time, to keep the good bacteria. I try to replace the filter media about every 3-4 months, except if I am using some poly-batting, then I replace it at every cleaning. I make sure I lift up my rocks while vacuuming , because that is where most of the bad stuff filters to. I also clean out the suction tube thingie if it needs it. My WC's are a two-man operation, with George doing all the connecting and stuff.

[ElijahTurtle]

I use a python...and refill with tap water at close (as in i put my hand in the tank and walk over to the sink and bring the water temp up to roughly the same as whats in the tank).

I do big water changes...at least 75% prolly more. I used to do more frequent smaller ones and started doing less frequent larger one.

As the tank fills up... I double dose with Prime.

Wipe glass with water towel and walla. Drink beer.
I like your process. I pretty much use the same method except I do smaller changes & I typically use API water conditioner. And I don't do changes very often. Oh & there is no beer at the end of process when I'm done. Sometimes I have to do a diaper change on the kid when I'm done with the tank.
Wait, now I think my process sucks.

[fishyjoe24]

I hook the siphon hose to the garden hose and let it it drain out in the yard. then hook the garden hose back on the fass-it and turn the garden hose on and let it flow in to the tank and squrit prime in there as the tank fills up and also check the temp and adjust if needed.

[poel_19]

water change......whats that?


kidding!

[mongo]

For me its at least 75 to 100 percent weekly. I have been doing that amount for years now. I used to do the bucket brigade, and still use my trusty python for removal. I drain the water out into Mrs. Mongo's flower beds. I now have a movable refill system that I can put together and then breakdown pretty quickly. I run the outside hose into the house and attack it to a water cannister. Its rated to to remove all the chlorine, ammonia, chloramine and has a micron screen inside also. The water then passes through a pre-heater like is used in household plumbing. With the fliter, heater, all the 3/4 inch attachments and hose...my set up cost me a total of around $150. I still add some Prime during WCs and I also use it to make water to rinse out filter media. I rinse my media weekly with the primed water. I like using AC 110s and I have found they tend to clog if not cleaned regularly.

[wesbee]

I do 50% on my 240g each month with the hose and siphon,same thing out to the plants with the water the same on 1-55g,1-30g tall,1-68g.The others are my grow out tanks so I do them twice a month 1-68g,1-55g,1-20g.Some times the lower tanks need a better cleaning so I use the Ancient Mariner Gravel vacuum cleaner.It vacuums 1100gph and filters the water back into the tank.I usually do 60% to 70% on the baby tanks. I also keep a chart on when I do water changes, clean filters, add stess zyme,add carcoal to filters,add purigen to filters and when to add spawn aid.Helps because it's to much to remember.

[kimcadmus]

I use the python as well