View Full Version : How do you refill your tank?
During water changes, I do a two bucket drill where I empty one while the other is filling. Now that I've planted my 75gal, I'm having a hard time getting one bucket empty before the other one is overflowing.
Does anyone else use a 5 gallon bucket to refill your tank? If so, how do you empty it into the tank without blasting your plants?
If there is a better way, I'd like to hear it. I do have a bathroom door right next to the tank in case that will offer any ideas.
Thanks.
For a 75 gal. tank a Python is a must have, especially if you intend to do weekly water changes. You will change 30-40 gallons of water with this tool, in 15mins. MAX!!!
It's easy and safe.
Len
I age my water in separate reservoirs before use, so it is pumped from the reservoir to the tank. But the water is removed from the tank by Python, and the reservoir is refilled by Python. IMHO, the Python is best single invention since external filters.
Len, I guess I've always been leary of putting unconditioned water into the tank. But I may give it a try.
Thanks for your input guys.
Timmain42
03-07-2004, 4:07 PM
Well, you can put conditioners directly into the tank right before adding water. You don't have to, according to some folk, as long as you have temperature control.
Those folks who do not add any chloramine/chlorine neutralizers with their partials tend to very small changes, have wells, or have undue faith in their water company IMHO. Not in my fish tanks, I value my fish too much to risk them for a few cents savings on conditioner.
Adding conditioner during or before adding tap water works just fine.
Yeah, I'll definitely be treating the tank as I add the water. I don't even like drinking our unfiltered tap water. I'm certainly not going to trust it with my fish.
Thanks again. I just ordered my Python.
vicious
03-08-2004, 8:05 PM
For my saltwater tank I mix the water in 5 gallon jugs and make sure it's treated, salinity is ok, and the temperature is matched. Then once everything is ok, I attach a small powerhead to one end of my python and pump the water into the tank. This helps with two things, I don't spill water everywhere, and the flow of new water doesn't blast the tank.
Just a thought if you'd rather not have tap water enter your tank.
-Mike
Tap Water Conditioner will remove harmful Chlorine and Chloromines that may be in your tap water.
I set the temp. at the tap before closing the nozzle that pushes the water out to the tank. Then I go to the tank and add the water conditioner as the tank is filling. This works fine for many of us and eliminates the need for holding tanks.
My Tap Water Condition instructs the use of 1drop/gallon of water. In other words if you are doing a 50% water change in a 50 gal. tank, you add 25 drops as the tank STARTS to fill. This will take care of the above chemicals for you.
As soon a I've added the conditioner I check the temp of the water in the tank against the fresh water coming in. I can tell if it's close by touch. A couple of degrees is not that critical, especially in a large tank. Even in my 10 and 5gal. I rarely see a difference of more than 1° +/-.
Len
beviking
03-08-2004, 9:00 PM
Len must have good eyesight to see me all the way from Jersey! That's exactly what I do...and I never even asked him.:rolleyes:
I don't think I will need to worry about a holding tank. It's just that some days our water smells more like chemicals than others.
It's funny how neighboring cities with the same water source can have two totally different smelling and tasting finished products. I grew up in a neighboring city, and I always liked their water. Now that I moved upstream, I can barely stand to let this city's water touch my lips.
125gJoe
03-09-2004, 7:06 AM
A water change for us is around 40 gallons. We use a small pump to get our R/O water back in the tank. No 5 gallon buckets..
TFo -
It's always a good idea to request a printout of your tap water's parameters from your provider.
If they balk at it(which at times they tend to do) tell them that you have a child with allergies in the household and the family doctor as ask that one be provided.
Len
Well, my Python arrived yesterday, and I got to use it this afternoon. WOW! What a great invention. No more buckets in my future.
I went ahead and ordered the Filstar XP3 that so many people are raving about at the same time as the Python. I don't have anything to compare it to since it's my first canister, but it sure is a nice kit. The only thing I added was some of their stars for bio filtration.
Timmain42
03-13-2004, 5:30 PM
Just make sure the sink you are using is rated for the amount of outflow you will be creating when you use the "DRAIN" setting. My first sink did NOT (it had less than 2GPM capacity) and I had to clean up... but only once. IF your sink can't handle it, use this handy method:
Take the far end of the Python to your toilet. Flush once. Lift both lid and ring, place end of Python down in bowl, lower ring to keep hose in place, leave lid up for monitoring.
Take gravel vac end of Python to tank. Take tube and a couple of feet of hose and submerge. Turn open end of tube toward ceiling, let tube and hose fill with water. Lift tube, open end up, into the air. Water will begin to run down hose, after tube is about half empty, push whole tube back underwater. Vacuum as normal.
When completed, coil Python slowly from vacuum end to drain water into toilet.
promethean_sprk
03-15-2004, 2:17 AM
I have two normal gravel vacs, and just got appropriately sized threaded hose barbs and adapters from hose barb threads to garden hose threads. I have an adapter that goes from hose to DI column and use that for refill. The flow rate through the DI column is pretty slow, and I've found that the heaters on my tanks turn on and keep the water temp from going down.
If you put threaded parts together that don't have gaskets, you need plumbing tape to seal them.
I pretty much do the same thing as djlen, but I am most interested to know the best way to 'set' the temp at the tap when refilling. My hot drifts so much that what was a nice 72 when I started filling becomes a scalding 84+ 30 seconds later. So I'm running back and forth constantly tweaking the faucets. There's gotta be a gadget to regulate temp out of the faucet :)
Mark_b
03-18-2004, 5:44 AM
Until yesterday i have always used buckets to do water changes on my tank! That was hard work i tell you! I do weekly changes of a third on my 100 UK gallon and the top of my tank is about 5' above the ground! Anyway yesterday i invested in a piece of hose and a tap connector. Took about an hour to siphon out (didnt suck hard enough obviously and couldnt be bothered emptying the pipe to start again). I then filled it up again slowly over about two hours putting in water conditioner as i went. All a lot easier and less work than the bucket method!:D