How you do w/c?

Phyroath

Senior knowledge seeker
Jan 30, 2008
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Phnom Penh
Hi everyone,

I just would like to know how you do your w/c. I find it difficult and messy when doing w/c for my two planted tanks. Do you use pump? automatic w/c?

I usually siphon out manually using bucket and refill my tank from the tape with a pipe and most of the time, I uproot my plants.
 
I do it the old fashioned way with a gravel vac and a bucket if I'm cleaning the gravel. I use a bucket and a hose to do regular water changes. I also have a python that I use to clean my turtle (RES) tank.
 
When I had a 20, the bucket method.

Now that I have a 55g, I made a DIY python. Much faster and easier. I use the "pump" only to start the suction (turn off hose/faucet when suction is sustained) and refill.
 
I also use a gravel vac syphon, but I fill a bucket up with the water I want to add back to the tank from the bathtub if I'm doing it from the tap. Then I use one of those large plastic hospital cups to scoop it from the bucket and pour it into the tank. It's a slow and painful process but it's how I manage to keep from disturbing the gravel and plants.
You might be able to try adding a piece of wood or slate to angle the pipe you're using to refill your tank towards; that should deflect most of the flow from being so direct into your substrate.
 
I use a python from the faucet of my kitchen sink. Doubled up the hose line from an old python (that had a cracked intake tube) to reach other rooms since my tanks aren't all together. The python doesn't uproot anything, but my goldfish do whenever they can. So I'm still replanting a lot.
 
Syphon the water out with a hose out my window, fill it up with an attachment to the faucet, wait a couple hours and shake the plants around to get rid of the bubbles.
 
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