# Best Utility Pump For Water Changes?



## Ensorcelled (Mar 1, 2011)

So I'm wanting to simplify water changes and save water at the same time because I'm tired of how much water my python wastes when draining. What utility pump would work best that I could just pop in the tank with an appropriate attached hose and plug er in to drain to the desired amount? I want a pump that I can use at home with about a ~15ft distance to the nearest drain and at one of my client's tanks that's probably about ~25ft from the nearest drain. Any suggestions?


----------



## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

im curious too. *** been turning the water on high, getting as much poo as i can out, then puting the hose out the sliding door and gravity does the rest. SLOW>


----------



## cichlid-gal (Apr 27, 2012)

We use an Aqueon 449GPH aquarium pump. It has an output that is just the right size on the top of the pump so that we simply attached 1/2 inch tubing to it (think it's 1/2 inch). We just have some long tubing...probably 50' of it...that we run up over the edge of the tank and out the door to the garden or in the winter, to the kitchen sink.

Next pump we get will have a little more GPH power...the 449GPH screams on the 20G, whooshes on the 39G and is about perfect on the 55G...almost perfect on the 75G, and a bit slow on the 125G...If you are buying one and you have larger tanks you might look at a little larger pump.

But really, it just depends on how long you want to stand there and wait for the tank to drop the % you are removing. I like it fast so I can get to the refill fast too. The less time my filters are down the better


----------



## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

i have probably a stupid question. can you use it to syphon also? the large long tube that vacuums? and the output tubing up to the sink?. i guess it would??
im just saying like my water changer i hook to the faucet it has to get a really good suction going to PULL up the poo. once i get most of the poop up i disconnect it from the faucet and just let it go into the flower/strawberry bed out back using gravity.. im guessing you would need to be careful to not suck up all your sand?/ gravel??
am i overseeing something??


----------



## cichlid-gal (Apr 27, 2012)

Most of my tanks have sand substrate so what I do is vacuum them 1st with the Eheim Quick Vac or a siphon hose only (no tube/funnel part...just tubing). Those that still have some gravel get a vacuum with a regular siphon and siphon tube (into a bucket) and then the pump is put in to finish the job.

I have never tried siphoning with the pump so I can't address the question above. Sorry


----------



## markl323 (Feb 28, 2013)

i use a mag drive 9.5 to drain water out of the sump when i need to clean it. not the most efficient but best value IMO. can be used internally and externally.

no a pump can't be used for siphoning.


----------



## Ensorcelled (Mar 1, 2011)

Thanks for the replies! I didn't even know Aqueon made a submersible utility pump! However, I have been looking at the Rio Plus submersibles. They come with quite a nice array of couplings etc and the price is even nicer. I'll probably end up going for the 1700 model which says pushes 642GPH at a 8FT head. I can drain my tanks at home quick and still use it to drain my client tanks that are larger than mine!


----------



## cichlid-gal (Apr 27, 2012)

I don't know the Rio Plus but it looks like a nice option and has lots of extra parts for different applications. Let us know how it works out...and you are gonna love the "pumping out" ... really!!!


----------



## ShortBus (Aug 17, 2005)

I would say any pump you had on hand , or could pick up used locally


----------



## shockdoc (Feb 18, 2013)

I fitted my old Filstar XP2 with hoses and quick disconnects I bought at HD. I use the original Python fitting on the sink and use it to start the siphon (much lazier than doing the gravity start). Once the water is flowing, I use a hose connected to the intake to do the siphoning, all the muck is caught in the sponge filters in the Filstar trays. When it's time to refill, I disconnect the quick disconnects and join them together and put the diverter on the Python fitting. I can do a siphon, water change, and refill in about 15 minutes now when it used to take over half an hour. I should also add in my situation, the sink is a good 35' from the tank, so using the Python for water changes was VERY wasteful.


----------

