View Full Version : Tank Cleaning
The Dude
09-03-2003, 4:20 PM
I'd like to hear about how other people do their water changes/gravel cleaning...I have a 75 gal, and 2 29 gal tanks...I use large siphon/gravel sucking hose-thingy and a 5 gallon bucket...every week or so, I do 4-5 buckets full from the big tank and 2 buckets from each of the small tanks...seems like there's got to be a more efficient way of doing business...what do you guys have going?
I use python to do the job. I have 3 tanks. 2 big and one small. Since all my cichlids are messy eaters, I clean the tank twice a week about 20% water change.
The Dude
09-03-2003, 5:33 PM
I've seen those before. Are they pretty easy to use? Need any special hook-up on your kitchen sink? I may have to invest in one of these puppies...
Tightdog1
09-03-2003, 6:09 PM
well to do my water changes i use a regular siphon/gravel vac and vacumn the gravel and the output goes out my window onto the front lawn, so as i change my water i water the lawn also. and my lawn always looks so nice and green. to refill the tank i use the hose right outside my window, i do that on all my tanks shown on my signature.
i like the python design and have considered upgrading , but im happy with what i got and the hose fills up my tank a lot faster than any sink can. and i also dont like putting tank water into the kitchen sink vs the front lawn.
Matt W
09-03-2003, 8:32 PM
and i also dont like putting tank water into the kitchen sink vs the front lawn.
The python will connect to your outside water tap :)
Matt W
09-03-2003, 8:34 PM
Originally posted by The Dude
I've seen those before. Are they pretty easy to use? Need any special hook-up on your kitchen sink? I may have to invest in one of these puppies...
It comes with the attachments needed for basically all faucets...
mkpeters6
09-03-2003, 8:40 PM
there defiantly worth it. I do not think I could care for my tanks the way i do with out it. And if you wanted to save money, some pet stores sell the faucet/hose connector for like 6 bucks. Then u can buy hose and any other faucet adapter u need at a hardware store.
It is not as nice as buying the whole package from python but it saves a lot of money.
If your LFS doesn't have those connectors, you can go to this website, ask them for catalog. They have python connectors too.
And yes, python is very easy to use.
t_h_e_s_a_c_k
09-03-2003, 10:46 PM
isnt it bad to take water directly from the sink into your tank? i usually condition the water before i put it into my tank....
ussmickey
09-04-2003, 12:37 AM
i would imagine it would depend on your water quality straight from tap. i would think that the garden hose water would be way too cold. i personally use a gravel vac. and put water out of the sink back in. i do let it go out the window. but in my big tank i use the 5 gallon bucket. seems to work well for me so far and i dont add chems to my water. only to repair a fin or two. other than that, my water and perim. is excellent. never a prob. like i said it would depend on location and water quality. imo.
The Dude
09-04-2003, 1:09 AM
I always use Tetra's "Aqua-Safe" water conditioner when doing water changes...once a month or so, I'll add a couple spoonfulls of Doc Wellfish Salt into the tanks...When using one of these Python automatic syphoning deals, how would I know how much I've taken out so I'll know how much conditioner to use, and would I just throw the conditioner into the tank before I start filling it back up, and everything will be OK?
JSchmidt
09-04-2003, 8:09 AM
It's pretty easy to calculate the volume of water you've removed... I have marks on many of my tanks, in places that are more or less out of sight to casual lookers, that indicate volume of water removed from the top. Here's a calculator that will help you figure out how much water has been removed: http://pw1.netcom.com/~ddougal/AquaVol/aquavols.html .
Just be sure to measure dimensions from inside the tank to get accurate results.
I wouldn't change larger tanks (e.g., 75s) without a Python. If your sink's threads don't match up with the Python's, most hardware stores can sell you an adapter.
Good luck,
Jim
Originally posted by t_h_e_s_a_c_k
isnt it bad to take water directly from the sink into your tank? i usually condition the water before i put it into my tank....
If you take all the water out of the tank and put in the tab water in the tank...yes, that's bad. If just doing 20% water change, it isn't that bad. That's why there are Stress Coat, Stress Zyme, and etc medicine to use after water changes.
I have always used a python but now in my new house the python setup doesn't work so well. I am now forced to use a couple 5 gallon pails and a 5 foot syphon and I'll tell you I like this setup better. That siphon sucks up more crap than the python & I'm not using any water for suction like I was before. It's more work doing it this way but I think overall it's a better way to clean the tank, that's my opinion.
Originally posted by JSchmidt
I have marks on many of my tanks, in places that are more or less out of sight to casual lookers, that indicate volume of water removed from the top.
I use the mark method also. Wish I had known about that calculator when I started. I filled my tanks with a five gallon bucket (lets see, 120G@ 5gal a shot ....= tired arms!!) and marked off at 5G, 10G 15G, etc up to 40G from the top on my 120G. Now when I do water changes I change to the mark I want (usually 25G mark on my 120) and I know how much water I'm replacing.
DarthV
09-05-2003, 8:43 AM
Yep, I marked off the top 25gals in my 55 at 5 gal intervals. I usually do 2-3 10gal changes each week on it. Pythons make the job very easy :) I still use the bucket method for my 20gal tank...I only change 3gals 2-3 times a week and haven't gotten around to marking it yet. Maybe I'll do that tonight and start doing 5gal changes.
Originally posted by t_h_e_s_a_c_k
isnt it bad to take water directly from the sink into your tank? i usually condition the water before i put it into my tank....
I have approximately 5500 gallons of water in fish tanks and a pond in my home. I do a weekly water change (30-75% depending on the tank) using a submersible pump and standard hose to clean gravel. I don't use the Python becasue you have to USE water to make it work. With the amount of water I use weekly it would be an unessecary waste.
The water goes right from the spiquet via hose to the tank and is then treated for Chlorine and conditioners added. As long as you don't have an extrememly high level of chlorine...and as long as you treat it as it is going in or immediately afterward you will be fine.
Tiger15
09-06-2003, 4:24 AM
I don't use python, just an ordinary garden hose with a quick disconnector. You can start a siphon by filling up the hose with water and an easy way to do it is hook up the garden hose to the washer room faucet with a quick disconnect and start filling the tank. As soon as the water comes out steady, turn off the faucet and unhook the hose and relocate to a low point for discharge. The quick disconnect makes the hose connectionand cisconnection task easy in seconds. In winter, I drain the tank water to the toilet and in summer and dump the water to my garden. On the tank side, I hooked up the garden hose to a gravel vacuum siphon. So it functions almost the same as a python for a fraction of the cost: $5 for the bronze quick disconnect from hardware store, $10 for a good quality 50' garden hose, and $10 for a gravel siphon funnel.
I do 75% water biweekly in all my tanks. I don't pretreat or adjust the pH, just add declorinizer to the tanks before filling directly from the tap. I adjust the temperature by mixing hot and cold water and using my hand to feel. Don't over do temperaure adjustment because the temperature from tap water shifts somewhat as the water is filling but at the end, I was able to achieve the desireable temperature within a couple degrees. If you have to maintain multiple big tanks, you have to make the water changing job simple and easy--Never buckets, it will make a mess.