# WCs on big tanks



## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

So the water changes on our 35gal and both 20gals are a quick 20 and 10 min job respectively. Bit longer if its filter clean week. BUt thats just a few buckets back and forth, how on earth do you do 25% water changes on a tank like a 130gal? Obviously siphon waste water from the tank but returning it to the tank? I see some guys use python systems (basically a hose pipe right?) to refill straight from the tap. How do you treat for chlorine when refilling this way? Can you just dose the tank and hose it full?

Thanks


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

That's what I do on my tanks. I mix up the prime in a bucket with some water and dump it in the tank when I first start adding the tap water with a python. That part is easy, the hard part is getting your water heater to give you 100 gals of 79 degree water when you do a water change on a 210g. I actually just switched over to a high efficiency gas water heater and it does the job.


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## lloyd (Aug 24, 2005)

doing water changes, until the water heater runs cold, is only part of the deal for me and my big tanks. waking up at 3 a.m., to suddenly realize you were still adding water to your 300gal. when you dozed off, is always a fun story. not enough towels...not near enough towels... :lol: 
as well, i recalled draining a 220 for a 25% water change, 4 hours later while gardening in the back yard, only to find the fish scurrying sideways in 2 inches of water. no losses, but those fish still look at me with a certain level of discontent.


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

i always do 25% COLD water changes, kinda like its been raining. Only drops the temp a little and the cichlids seem to quite like it, they always colour up quite nicely after a cold change.


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## PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn (Dec 26, 2005)

on the 180g, I prepare the water before hand

I have 3 110l buckets (only get about 100l in them however) fill them with water, dechlorinater and buffers, shove a heater in

when their warm (either later that day, or next day) I then drain 50% out the the tank, clean filters etc, and then use a sump pump to fill the tank back up from the buckets.

that done I then throw the hose from the sump pump out the window, chuck it in the dirty water, and pump it out onto the gravel in the drive.

rushing I can get it done in about 30minutes, usually takes 45min to an hour though.

I have plans for the fishroom however, that will allow me to do 6 160g tanks (72by30by18) at the same time, in little more time than it takes me to do the current 180. but need to build the shed first before I can get those plans running


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

I have a 25' vinyl hose I use to siphon water out of the tanks into the yard/garden...

The same hose has fittings to be attached to my kitchen/bathroom sink to refill...

Looking back, I could kick myself for not getting this hose/fittings MUCH sooner...

As for temperature... I use my finger to judge the temp and try to get it close... If the new water is too different the fish can swim to the other end of the tank and at a 25% WC the tank temp only changes 1* for every 4* I'm off... plus it changes slowly as I add new water...

As for dechlorinator... I dump one cap full (to treat 50 gal) in the tank when I start and add more caps full at intervals as needed... I use Prime and add more than recommended for the amount of water I add but less than recommended for the full tank volume...

If I could only find a way to make cleaning filters this easy....


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I do 50% or 75% on my 125G weekly. Same percent on my 75G, 38G, 20G and 10G. All at once. Gotta have a Python. Takes about 2 hours but I can do other things while part of the drain/refill process is going on (part of the time is used for vacuuming substrate so can't multitask then).

I have well water so no treatments. And I use hot/cold mix to 78 degrees from the tap so no temp change concerns.

Just don't forget a tank that's refilling...I've done that a couple times, LOL!


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## smellsfishy1 (May 29, 2008)

Toby_H said:


> If I could only find a way to make cleaning filters this easy....


I couldn't agree more.
I'd rather change the water on any one of my tanks than clean or change the media on one filter.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Really? I just disconnect (one lever). Carry the canister to the sink. Remove filter baskets (they come out as one unit). Dump water. Rinse everything. Reassemble and reconnect.

The filters refill automatically when I reconnect. Then just plug in.


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

DJRansome said:


> Really? I just disconnect (one lever). Carry the canister to the sink. Remove filter baskets (they come out as one unit). Dump water. Rinse everything. Reassemble and reconnect.
> 
> The filters refill automatically when I reconnect. Then just plug in.


Mine isn't any more complicated than that... but 90% of the time I'm doing a water change I'm sitting on the couch with my feet propped up... I can't reach the sink/tub from the couch


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## venustus19 (Aug 30, 2007)

i just treat my tank as i am refilling... i just pour it right into the tank as i am filling...
and i just guess with the temperature of the water... i have never been off that much that my temp changed dramatically... i can do my 90 gallon(40-50%) and clean my filters in about 1 hour, give or take my laziness)


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## davespeed3 (Mar 29, 2009)

I used to prep the water in a plastic container, get it up to temp etc then drain 25% out into the garden/yard, finally using a pump to get the treated water into the tank. Now I vacum straight to garden/yard then refill straight from mixer tap in kitchen into the tank, adding buffers and salts as I go. I find it easy to get the temp within a degree or two


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## PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn (Dec 26, 2005)

DJRansome said:


> Really? I just disconnect (one lever). Carry the canister to the sink. Remove filter baskets (they come out as one unit). Dump water. Rinse everything. Reassemble and reconnect.
> 
> The filters refill automatically when I reconnect. Then just plug in.


when you say rinse everything, I hope you meant with tank water, otherwise your killing off all the bacteria in there.

personally I wash it in the buckets ow water I've removed from the tanks, the 50l boxes I use give lots of room to dump the entire media from a FX5 with no trouble.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Well I have a well, so I can use tap. But otherwise, I would siphon some tank water into a bucket and swish.


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

This is the drain and fill hose. The 1in. PVC hooks over tanks rim..the pipe is cut to the level of water I want to remove..appx. 25%








Even if I forget about it, the water will only drain to the length of the pipe. Usually the hose goes out the door, to water the lawn. If it is foul out, I run it to the bathtub.
Below is the faucet adapter for the bathroom sink. It fits the hose end for filling.








I dose with prime during the fill.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

For a DIY python, be sure you use hose suitable for human potable water. Garden hose might leach chemicals.

I like the python because the hose is very flexible, not stiff like garden hose. Easy on the furnishings!


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## football mom (Feb 19, 2006)

I do mine mostly the same way: Drain with a 50ft python out into the yard. I drain all the tanks one after the other, then dose the tanks with prime for the entire volume of the tank. I then refill them one by one with the garden hose. 
Right now with the heat, the outside tap water is warmer than the tanks, so I have been adding some ice as the fresh water is flowing in.
I did forget to add the Prime to the last tank I filled several months ago, and poisoned about 3 dozen lab fry  ! That is why I drain them all, then go one by one and add the Prime, then refill. If I'm rinsing media, I drain some tank water into a 5 gallon bucket and rinse.


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## canuckle (Nov 30, 2004)

DJRansome said:


> For a DIY python, be sure you use hose suitable for human potable water. Garden hose might leach chemicals.


Is this confirmed?


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

Some garden hoses have an anti fungal agent in the plastic/rubber that is ammonia based...

From my understanding this is more common in more expensive hoses. When purchasing a new hose simply read the label and see if it is mentioned. Manufacturers would not endure the added expense of adding this agent and not advertise the benefit.


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