How to simplify water changes

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Ardillakilla
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Post by Ardillakilla » Thu Aug 06, 2009 2:09 am

New water goes from my 7-stage reverse osmosis/DI filter into a 50 gal water storage drum where it usually sits for a few days and I remineralize it with Kent RO Right or equivalent.

The first thing I do on water change day is vacuum the 125 gal cichlid tank. That water goes into an unused 40 gal aquarium. I do daily water changes on my smaller tanks using water from the 40 gal aquarium. The water from the smaller tanks is used to flush the toilet.

The 2nd step is to pump water from the loach tank in the bedroom into the 125 gal tank. Then water from the 50 gal storage drum is pumped by a Magdrive pump into the loach tank through a 1/2" hose. The loaches get the cleanest water but I tested the water and it was around 8 ppm nitrate when I pumped it into the cichlid tank so it was still fairly clean water.

Diana
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Post by Diana » Thu Aug 06, 2009 4:24 am

Casey, go to a store that specializes in plumbing fixtures. They may have something that will work. Make sure you write down the make and model number of your sink fittings.
38 tanks, 2 ponds over 4000 liters of water to keep clean and fresh.

Happy fish keeping!

lf11casey
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Post by lf11casey » Thu Aug 06, 2009 6:49 pm

I checked both my faucets and one does have the threads on the outside not inside, but the python fitting is to large to work. Even the Brass Snap Connector is to large.
I guess I am going to have to go to Lowes and try to find something that will work.
Casey
Water is the substance from which life is born. (Mortal Kombat)
For beneath the surface, lies the future. (SeaQuest DSV)

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andre
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Post by andre » Sat Aug 08, 2009 12:54 pm

I don't know if it may work for you. My fish room is next to a bathroom. I fill the bath adjusting the temperature and mix the water conditioner.

Then I pump the water in the tank using a submersible pump.

The largest tank is next to the window and I siphon the water out directly in the garden. For the other ones I would need a long pipe so I put the water in buckets and carry them to the nearest window.

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raecarrow
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Post by raecarrow » Sat Aug 08, 2009 2:48 pm

andre wrote:I don't know if it may work for you. My fish room is next to a bathroom. I fill the bath adjusting the temperature and mix the water conditioner.

Then I pump the water in the tank using a submersible pump.

The largest tank is next to the window and I siphon the water out directly in the garden. For the other ones I would need a long pipe so I put the water in buckets and carry them to the nearest window.
Don't you worry about soap residue that is in your tub?
Rae

Diana
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Post by Diana » Sat Aug 08, 2009 9:54 pm

I know I would worry about soap and similar residues in my bathtub! Seems no matter what shampoo or conditioner we get, the bottle leaks!
I use garbage cans that are never used for anything else. Aquarium use only.
38 tanks, 2 ponds over 4000 liters of water to keep clean and fresh.

Happy fish keeping!

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raecarrow
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Post by raecarrow » Sat Aug 08, 2009 11:45 pm

Diana wrote:I know I would worry about soap and similar residues in my bathtub! Seems no matter what shampoo or conditioner we get, the bottle leaks!
I use garbage cans that are never used for anything else. Aquarium use only.
I have a 5 gallon cooler (with a lid to prevent spills) that I used to lug water around. I guess I could go the route of filling up large trash cans, mixing the chemicals and adjusting the temp in there and then pumping into my tanks.

However, filling directly from the tap and dumping dechlorinators in at the same time didn't seem to harm my fish at all. I guess that this works for now.

Thanks for all your help and suggestions guys! They were all very informative!
Rae

BotiaMaximus
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Post by BotiaMaximus » Sun Aug 09, 2009 10:15 am

Rae,

I think as long as your tap water matches your tank water closely in PH/GH/KH and you aren't seeing any problems then going straight to the tank is fine. That is what the Python units are made to allow you to do. Most of the de-chlor products like Prime and such work virtually instantly.

I was forced into going into a barrel and filtering my water due to high nitrite coming from the tap water itself (bad plumbing). I have that fixed, but now that I have everything set up I continue to use it.
"Long May You Loach"

Diana
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Post by Diana » Sun Aug 09, 2009 11:12 am

Rae, the direct fill method works OK for any of my tanks that are similar to tap water, and for topping off. However I have a problem in the winter with gas in the water. (Dissolved air, not petroleum). When it is cold outside I need to aerate the water for at least an hour or two before using it.
38 tanks, 2 ponds over 4000 liters of water to keep clean and fresh.

Happy fish keeping!

FSM
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Post by FSM » Sun Aug 09, 2009 12:48 pm

a 50 foot 5/8" water hose costs ~$20, a metal faucet adapter about $2...still less than half the price of a python, and it might be larger diameter as well.

Is a python only 1/2" or is it larger?

Diana
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Post by Diana » Sun Aug 09, 2009 8:18 pm

The Python may only be 1/2" (I do not have one or any of its competitors). A garden hose can carry a lot more water, so much that turned on full it can blow up the tank, disturbing the substrate and slop the water around in ways that are pretty bad for the fish.
Not specifically trying to sell the Python or any similar device, just pointing out that any filling system needs to be slow enough not to disturb the tank too much. The (possibly) small diameter (slow flow) of a Python is not a deterrent to its use.
I use fountain pumps that vary from about 100 gph (about 400 lph) to about double that. The 200 gph pumps are not so good for the smaller tanks.
I use a garden hose to fill my garbage cans and run that water a lot faster into the cans than would be safe in even my largest tank.
Yes, plumbing fittings are cheap. In my specific case the shower attachment is 1/2" male pipe thread. One fitting adapts it to hose thread and I can connect the garden hose.
Waste water is pumped out of the house to the garden using a larger pump (250 gph) and a garden hose. Deep soaking each tree in turn with used aquarium water.
38 tanks, 2 ponds over 4000 liters of water to keep clean and fresh.

Happy fish keeping!

Holdstrong
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Post by Holdstrong » Sun Aug 09, 2009 11:57 pm

I tried a python and it just didnt do the trick for me. I *think* the problem is that the water pressure on my sink just wasn't strong enough to produce enough suction. It would only pick up the smallest and lightest of debris in the tank.

And it seemed to waste an awful lot of water.

I would love to put a garbage can next to my tank and let water age and then pump water directly into the tank from there... but my tank is in the living room and I think my wife would kill me.

So buckets it is for me. :(

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raecarrow
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Post by raecarrow » Mon Aug 10, 2009 12:16 am

Holdstrong wrote: I would love to put a garbage can next to my tank and let water age and then pump water directly into the tank from there... but my tank is in the living room and I think my wife would kill me.

So buckets it is for me. :(

You can get a longer hose and put the garbage can anywhere.
Rae

Sawyer
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Post by Sawyer » Mon Aug 10, 2009 1:30 am

I have a python but it won't reach from the bathroom facet to every part of my room. I think it reaches almost every corner of my room except one spot where I plan to put a 100g. That's right next to the window, so I was thinking I could use my python to siphon water out into the yard and then attach the python up to hose facet outside and fill the tank back up. But if the python won't attach to the hose facet, could I directly use the hose to put water into the 100g? Or could the inside of the hose be dirty or something?

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raecarrow
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Post by raecarrow » Mon Aug 10, 2009 8:55 am

Sawyer wrote:I have a python but it won't reach from the bathroom facet to every part of my room. I think it reaches almost every corner of my room except one spot where I plan to put a 100g. That's right next to the window, so I was thinking I could use my python to siphon water out into the yard and then attach the python up to hose facet outside and fill the tank back up. But if the python won't attach to the hose facet, could I directly use the hose to put water into the 100g? Or could the inside of the hose be dirty or something?
Try to see if you can get a longer section of hose between the shut off valve and the gravel cleaning tube.
Rae

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