# water change system



## padlock 08 (Jul 31, 2008)

I just put with this idea into practise and decided to share it with anyone who doesnt have acess to a python cleaner, i got a 50 ft garedn hose and attached it to the hose of my siphon with a cut off so i can start a siphon, i have the hose running into the garden down a drain. Meanwhile the night before the WC i prepare a large vat of water from the mains using a hose to get it there then add a heater and dechlorinator. When the tank has the desired amount of water removed pull out the siphon and put the pump for a washing machine (very powerful) in the vat of new water and turn it on, within 5 minutes 20 gallons of water is moved from the vat at ground level in2 the tank  it saves having to lug buckets all over the place anyway when you have multiple tanks :thumb:


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## brycerb (Dec 23, 2007)

Yea I have (2) 58 gallon drums that I fill with water during the week and let sit for the water changes on Sunday. I have to fill them manually, but I am working on that to with toilet bowl float switches. I currently use a quiet one 4000 and a garden hose. I have a well pump that I haven't hooked up yet that I plan to use in the future. With that I should get water changes down to 1/2 an hour.


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## parkayandbutter (Jan 15, 2008)

I drilled a 1-1/2" hole in my glass 1/3rd down the tank simulating a water change level and put a 3/4" bulkhead on it. Put a PVC elbow 3" length of PVC and then put a pvc ball valve on, connected with a PVC fitting slip/threaded male end that accepts a hose bib connection Female / Female. I put teflon tape on the PVC and I just screw it in to the threaded female. Disconnect the hose from the hose bib outdoors. Turn the ball valve and walk outside to water anything that needs it or fill buckets up and water my outdoor plants that the hose won't reach. (I have a slip strainer on the inside bulkhead I can put on. I just don't need to do that though. My Mbuna's are large.


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

Very strange. Vats of water,float switches ,bulk heads, garden hoses, pumps etc... Just buy a 30.00 python!!!!!!! Save yourselves all kinds of monkey business. :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-?       :? :? :? :? :? :? :?


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## padlock 08 (Jul 31, 2008)

unfortunatly python cleaners arent available in Ireland


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

Aging water is a great idea, and worth a little extra work or space to avoid the python's drawback of adding tapwater directly to the fish tanks. Why add chemicals when you can remove them instead?

A discus breeder here sealed up a fiberglass camper top and hung it upside down just below the ceiling in his basement fish room. A hose attached to a bulkhead could refill any tank using gravity. It was plumbed to stop refilling after water changes with a float switch. He didn't lose any floor space since he had a big tank on a stand under it with his breeding group of red belly piranha.


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

Dont get me wrong its just that there is alot of extra work involved in "aging" water. Adding a dechlorinator isnt really "adding" chemicals is it?? One removes the other. So really you are exchanging them. You can also make your own python by using a garden hose and a water bed filling kit-- same exact thing. They do have water beds in Ireland dont they?? :thumb:


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

> running into the garden down


Instead of the drain, use the water for the garden itself..plants will love it :thumb: 


> pump for a washing machine


Love it..taking what you have and adapting it to what you need..
Without the need for constant flowing water, wasted..Python-Smyton 8)


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## padlock 08 (Jul 31, 2008)

thank you, the system is working well so far :thumb: i am now able to chan 33% of the tanks volume without lifting a single bucket


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

R-DUB said:


> Dont get me wrong its just that there is alot of extra work involved in "aging" water. Adding a dechlorinator isnt really "adding" chemicals is it?? One removes the other. So really you are exchanging them. You can also make your own python by using a garden hose and a water bed filling kit-- same exact thing. They do have water beds in Ireland dont they?? :thumb:


 A dechlorinator does not remove chlorine. The term you see on the dechlor bottle is "neutralize". The dechlor combines with the chlorine to produce a salt and a sulphate compound. These are less toxic to the fish but they are still chemicals. As to adding water to an aquarium with a garden hose, there are plasticizers and other chemicals in the hose. Camper supply stores and sporting goods stores carry potable water hoses that are much safer.


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

I understand the whole dechlor and neutralizing bit. My point is that "aging" water is insane. To do what?? Remove the chlorine/chloramine. Overnight??! I seriously doubt that the chlorine will dissipate in 12 to 24 hours from 50-100 gallons of water. Plus all the added trouble of tubs/vats/heaters/float switches/pumps/powerheads/bulkheads/buckets/ hoses etc. etc... Why not fill from the tap to the tank?? Add your dechlor when tank is filling. The only downside I can see is that you have very poor tap water quality. Then the best solution is a R.O. system. That is a whole other ball of wax. As far as "wasting" water while using a python, just use the pressure to get the siphon flowing then shut the water off. And watering the garden is a great idea, except when it is in the middle of winter. In the summer I use it on my garden and the tomatoes love it. Not trying to be confrontational about this it just seems like a colossal waste of time. Save yourself the trouble. As far as garden hoses go I am pretty sure that all garden hoses are safe to drink from. ( in the last 10 years) Unless they are stated on the hose itself. The hose should be labeled if it is not safe to drink from. I could be wrong so take it for what is worth. :thumb:


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

About 90% of the chlorine dissipates in two hours, so after four hours, 99% of it is gone. Chloramine does not dissipate.

Even those hoses labelled safe to drink from, leach small amounts of lead into the water, but less than the amount some govenment agency considers safe. Those not labelled, leach higher amounts of lead into the water.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/home ... /index.htm

Probably safe enough for us to take a drink from once in a while after the hose has been running, but we only drink it. We don't live in it.


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

Thank you for the info Mcdaphnia. I stand corrected. My humble apologies. I surely thought that chlorine stuck around much longer. Could there be a problem with water sitting "blank" for a period of time? Just a thought. Also if someone has been running thousands of gallons of water (the lawn, washing vehicles,etc...) through a hose (with only ppm or ppb to begin with) how much is left to leach out? Just a thought. Thanx again


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