WATER changes

[Frederick]

Hi all.....just done another water change...5 buckets and I am cream cracker'd...there must be an easier way so any ideas or suggestions will be very very welcome for a golden oldie... please help
Frederic
ps.. I live in a bungalow and the bathroom is only about 5/6 yds away.

 

[m_attt]

hose pipe

syphon out, an use tap to refill.

 

[Ed Seeley]

I use a long clear pipe for water changes that pushes onto a tap adaptor at one end and a strainer in the tank. I fill the pipe using a hose pipe adaptor on the tap in my kitchen, then disconnect and let the water syphon out onto the garden outside or down the drain/sink. With the strainer set at the right height I can just let it drain out unattended as when enough water has drained out air gets sucked in and the syphon breaks. Then just reconnect the pipe to the tap connector and refill slowly - dead easy. The onyl way I want to improve it further is to use a mixer tap or two tap adaptors so I can mix hot and cold water so I don't chill the tank as filling it slowly not to chill the fish takes too long.

 

[Morgan Freeman]

Removing water

Pump in tank with long hose, pump waste water into sink/bath/whatever (or use for watering plants, even better).

Adding fresh water

Attach hose to tap, run water into bath/container/bucket. Mix with dechlorinator and bring to correct temp (if you haven't done so already by adjusting taps). Use pump to pump fresh water into tank.

 

[Frederick]

Hi Ed Seely.....many thanks for the info.Will now go to B&Q to get the bits and pieces.
Frederick

 

[michj]

sorry for hijacking the thread Frederick
(but it seemed daft starting a fresh one for a similar question)
I am planning to strip down my tank so i can get some better substrate in place (cl and Osmocote). the tank is already occupied, the problem i have is that i only have the capacity to store about 70ltrs of the tank water.
can anyone see any major problems with this? obviously the water would be heated and dechlorinated and the filter would not be touched. so i guess my main worries are any unexpected problems with the substrate/ferts.

would i just need to be extra vigilant with my testing?

thanks
michael

 

[Iain Sutherland]

would i just need to be extra vigilant with my testing?

thanks
michael

Do people still do this!

There is no issue with doing a 95% waterchange, so as long as you continue to run your filters then you should be fine.
Bare in mind you will loose a certain amount of bacteria in your substrate so unless your tank has very low stocking it will be worth doing more regular water changes until bacteria re populates.

Otherwise Staples do a nice big storage container that i use for £8

 

[michj]

would i just need to be extra vigilant with my testing?

thanks
michael

Do people still do this!

cant speak for anyone else but i do, just seems to make sense as my tank is pretty well stocked and im in no hurry to lose fish even though i have been lucky enough to have no water problems at all since stocking.

what you say makes sense re the water change i just wondered if i would encounter any problems with regards to changing the substrate as well as the water. eg should/would i expect any spikes in the water quality (not from the fish) with the changes i had planned and the fact that the tank would be populated straight away?

thanks
michael