Help with a water changer

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chinnp

In denial of MTS
Mar 24, 2005
540
3
0
I am now doing a planted tank w/ferts and according to everything I've read I'm supposed to do a 50% weekly water change. The problem with this is it's very time and labor intensive. My tank is 75g so it's about 30-35g I've got to replace which is about 6-7 buckets I have to lug. So I'm looking for ideas to improve this system. Before anyone suggests a Python, I have one. I use it to drain the water from the tank and it does make life easier in that regard. It's puttting the water back in that gets me. I'm not at all comfortable with putting chlorinated water back into the tank regardless of what anyone on here says.

My original idea was to use some sort of holding tank. Pump the water in there, dechlorinate it, then empty it into the tank. I had the idea of using a cooler with a spigot on it. Fill up the 30-35g cooler, dechlorinate the water, lift it up over the tank and pop the spigot. The problem is lifting a cooler that weighs 300lbs. I'd have to do some serious working out to make that at all practical. I thought of constructing a stand, or purchasing a stand of some kind, but I'm not sure of the practicality of that either. Anyone have any ideas?
 

loaches r cool

Snail Terminator
Feb 15, 2006
1,830
0
0
Gahanna, Ohio
tristan.homelinux.net
Thats what I do with my brackish tank since the water needs treeted with salt first. I have a plastic trash can (not used) in the cabinet I fill up with water and treat with dechlor, salt, and heater in there to get the temp right (if not from the tap already). Then I have a small pump to pump into the display tank.

As for your worry about a very small amount of chlorine (well depending on your water co) getting diluted yet even weaker with tank water and your fish being exposed to this for just seconds... I would wager the fish are more effected by being confined to a small tank of water there whole life than a water change using a python. There are some that even beleive the little bit of chlorine in the tap water isnt harmfull at all and have never dosed conditioner at all. But I wont support that, just saying folks actually do that. But I dont try to sway peoples opinions, if you dont feel comfortable dont do it. I just throw in those 2 cents.
 

chinnp

In denial of MTS
Mar 24, 2005
540
3
0
Thats what I do with my brackish tank since the water needs treeted with salt first. I have a plastic trash can (not used) in the cabinet I fill up with water and treat with dechlor, salt, and heater in there to get the temp right (if not from the tap already). Then I have a small pump to pump into the display tank.

As for your worry about a very small amount of chlorine (well depending on your water co) getting diluted yet even weaker with tank water and your fish being exposed to this for just seconds... I would wager the fish are more effected by being confined to a small tank of water there whole life than a water change using a python. There are some that even beleive the little bit of chlorine in the tap water isnt harmfull at all and have never dosed conditioner at all. But I wont support that, just saying folks actually do that. But I dont try to sway peoples opinions, if you dont feel comfortable dont do it. I just throw in those 2 cents.
Yeah, I've heard all that about the chlorine, but I'm paranoid. I didn't realize pumps to move water were so cheap. I just picked one up on ebay for $10 shipped. I'm gonna have go get a trash can or small barrel that can hold 30 some odd gallons of water. This sounds so ridiculously simple. I'm a little ticked at myself for not doing something like this before. I can easily wheel the trash can to all 6 of my tanks and do water changes in no time.
 

loaches r cool

Snail Terminator
Feb 15, 2006
1,830
0
0
Gahanna, Ohio
tristan.homelinux.net
Sounds good. Just make sure the pump is strong enough. Its going to have to push water up from the bottom of the can over the top of the tank. Something like a small powerhead isnt going to be able to do it. Hopefully your pump you got will. I just bought a Quiet One 2000 I think it was, for the water change tank. And even that takes quite a while for 15 gallons of water.
 
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