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Stress Free Water Changes - no more carting water around

tlethere

Seedling
Joined
16 Mar 2008
Messages
10
Location
Surrey
Is it me or does anyone else find lugging 50lts of treated water back and forth just back breaking work? I bought a 50lt water container from the LFS, using a clear piece of tubing I then suck out the water and let the tank self drain.

If was getting water in that killed me and also doing so without causing a huge disturbance to the plants.

In the end I seached for a small submersible pump - the GP8815. It cost me £20..
http://whalepumps.com/documents/brochure/Caravan_Brochure_2005.pdf
look for self venting submersible pump

Tomorrow Im off to B&Q to buy some tubing and my theory is to fill the 50lt container with treated warm water and then just get it close to the tank but resting on the floor. Using a 12v supply, pop the tiny submersible pump with the tube attached into the full water container and direct the pipe coming out into the fish tank, switch on and then leave the pump to fill up the fish tank. This saves me having to lift a huge container up on to a ladder whilst I let gravity do its work or walk back and forth four or five times with a bucket and then slowly pouring it in.

Anyone else have a better solution?
 
Ive now got the pump and happily changing my water out in 20 mins or less and that includes getting everything from the garage - and completely effortless!

The pump works a treat, it’s pretty quick but as mentioned earlier, keep an eye on the pipe going into the tank otherwise it will rise up and shoot water everywhere. I've bought a foot operated inline switch from B&Q for £2 so that I can operate it whilst making sure both ends are in water.

I'll take a few pics and post them tomorrow.
 
Ok doke, all done. I even timed the water change and I can easily do it in 10 mins flat with out breaking a sweat and everything packed in the garage..

Fish Chasing water as it goes in - certainly not too strong
Fish%20chasing%20bubbles.jpg


Foot switch from B&Q £2
Foot%20Switch.jpg


Water container and foot switch
Water%20container%20and%20foot%20switch.jpg


Water pump in view
Whale%20Water%20Pump.jpg


Tony
 
Hi Tony. What's the overall diameter of the pump? I love the idea, but my butts are a lot smaller than yours (cos I'm a weakling lol) and the hole is smaller too, so I'm not sure it'l fit.
 
amy4342 said:
Hi Tony. What's the overall diameter of the pump? I love the idea, but my butts are a lot smaller than yours (cos I'm a weakling lol) and the hole is smaller too, so I'm not sure it'l fit.
No need for butts just get a pump with some hose and then it doesn't matter how "weakling" you are ;)

Have a look here: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=1729

Good idea though Tony, but I prefer not to carry anything ;)
 
No need for butts just get a pump with some hose and then it doesn't matter how "weakling" you are

My R.O. unit is in my fiance's house. I did think about asking the council if it was ok to run a 20 mile hose across the borough, but they laughed at me, I have no idea why :lol:. I do use a pump in my fiance's house - it rests in the RO tank and it's sooooo easy to just pump it in, but I'm afraid it's a 4 x 10litre jerry can job for my tanks in my house lol.
 
Hi Amy

Its 36mm across, pretty slim ;)

What I've done now is to fix the container to one of those folding suitcase trolley things you buy from airports - no lifting what so ever, how cool! :lol:
 
Hi, thanks for the measurement - I can't belive it! It's a scabby 8mm too wide, gutting. I think I'll have to look out for some vats with wider holes :D.

What I've done now is to fix the container to one of those folding suitcase trolley things you buy from airports - no lifting what so ever, how cool!

That's awesome!!!
 
I've just bought one of the 12v whale pumps.

Not sure how to power it though. Doesn't look like it plugs into the mains??

How do you power yours???
 
tlethere said:
I had a mate give me a 240v to 12v adapter (he's an alarm engineer)

http://www.simplypowersupplies.com/...&Product_Code=EPA-121DA-12D&Category_Code=09B

I'll up load a pic, but this one works fine and has a nice long lead that I stretch across the lounge.. just pop a plug on one end and wire the red/back into the foot switch

Thanks for that.

Just ordered one.

How do you find the pump??

How quickly does it fill up your tank?

Any issues with having it running for a while???

Do you have a link to the foot switch you use too mate????
 
Hi Ya,

Foot switch I got from B&Q for £1.99 (they have the same one here):
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BLACK-INLINE--FOOT-SWITCH---FOR-LIGHTING_W0QQitemZ110267697642QQcmdZViewItem

Pump I got from Marcle Leisure: 1 x Whale - submersible pump GP881/GP1352 (for caravans & campers) - MLP-GP1352
http://www.marcleleisure.co.uk/store/

Tubing I got from B&Q

I also bought a pack of white plastic elbows from B&Q so that I could put a U bend 5" from the end so I just hang it over the edge of the tank and it stays in place.. literally handsfree - so I can make sure I have my hand free to stop the pump - or foot, what ever I fancy ;) Same idea as in the U bend of a washing machine pipe.

To fill the tank with 50lts of water from the white water tank, about a minute and a half. Enough time to put the kettle on (hence hands free!)

Just make sure the pump doesnt run dry...
 
tlethere said:
Hi Ya,

Foot switch I got from B&Q for £1.99 (they have the same one here):
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BLACK-INLINE--FOOT-SWITCH---FOR-LIGHTING_W0QQitemZ110267697642QQcmdZViewItem

Pump I got from Marcle Leisure: 1 x Whale - submersible pump GP881/GP1352 (for caravans & campers) - MLP-GP1352
http://www.marcleleisure.co.uk/store/

Tubing I got from B&Q

I also bought a pack of white plastic elbows from B&Q so that I could put a U bend 5" from the end so I just hang it over the edge of the tank and it stays in place.. literally handsfree - so I can make sure I have my hand free to stop the pump - or foot, what ever I fancy ;) Same idea as in the U bend of a washing machine pipe.

To fill the tank with 50lts of water from the white water tank, about a minute and a half. Enough time to put the kettle on (hence hands free!)

Just make sure the pump doesnt run dry...


Brilliant stuff mate thanks for that. Wow, that does work quickly.

Already got my whale pump and the mains adapter you suggested. Just ordered the foot switch now too.

You should be on commission :lol: .

Keep checking back mate because I'm sure I'll need help putting it all together.

Thanks again.
 
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