I don't understand how people do water changes.

[To3kn33]

I always feel like I am wasting water using my python, I often use buckets to get water out and then fill it from the sink.... Means I don't put so much water down the plug hole each time I empty the tank.


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[aussie pride]

It helps having my biggest tank is near a window so water goes out onto the turf and in with the hose but every other tank has buckets for everything.

 

[sorberj]

I got tired of all the water waste from my python with my 6 tanks ( including a 90 and a 72 with victorians that requires heavy water changes) so I hooked up a PVC "candy cane" with a submersible pump on one end and a garden hose on the other. I use it to drain the tanks into the bathtub and use the python only for filling the big ones. I do still use the python for draining the 10 gallon tanks but I could use a bucket for those I suppose. The benefit is that I can do the water changes a lot faster now too.

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[Narwhal72]

If you have a pump on hand to do it, the difference in cost between water and electricity makes it better to do it that way. But if you have to buy a pump the payback may not be economical.

A gallon of water in my area costs $0.0024 on average. If I do a 50% water change on my 120 gallon and waste 4 gallons for every gallon drained my cost is $0.58 per water change.

A 45 watt pump (Mag drive #5 for example) pumping out the tank would take at least 15 minutes and at current electric rates that would work out to $0.0014 in electricity charges (kWh) (based on We Energies Rates). So basically one venturi based water change will have the same cost as 414 electric based water changes.

Sounds great huh?

However if you have to buy a pump that costs $80 in order to do this it would take 139 water changes before you made your investment back on the pump. If you changed water every week that works out to 2.67 years. If you change water once a month then it's 11.58 years.

Of course there are intangible benefits such as the convenience of speeding up the process so that needs to be considered. And in some places of the country where water is scarce (Southwest US, Urban areas) and more expensive, the payback is much sooner. Additionally you may have environmental concerns about wasting water which there is nothing wrong with that too.

Just thought I would break down some of the economics in case anyone was interested.

Andy

 

[kiddevo]

I use a method no one else mentioned yet, I run a garden hose from a faucet outside into the house and fill up my tanks that way. Super easy.

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[Star_Rider]

I use the python and siphon water out to the yard or garden. simply detach from the 'pump' and start the siphon with the hose out to the yard/garden.
remember the python uses typical hose/bib fittings so if it's not long enough I just add a garden hose for draining.. but since then I have acquired the 50' python so it's not a problem.

 

[nasomi]

After reading this thread, I'm truely confused.

You have a bathroom or kitchen in your house right? Ther'es a spigot, and it screws off. You can get an adapter that changes that spigot to a 1/8" hose. 1/8" hose is cheap, I have 50' of it. I screw on the adapter and the hose, then run the hose to my tank, turn of hte warm and cold water and fill them up. Draining I have a siphon with a squeeze thing, a couple pumps with the other end being held in place by a down toilet lid, and away she drains.

Turn off your filter before hand. Toss in some treatment, wait 20 minutes, turn your filter back on, and you're good to go.

 

[Narwhal72]

1/8" hose? How long does that take to fill the tank? 1/8" is smaller than airline tubing (3/16"). It would take all day to fill my 120!

Andy

 

[lolliemck]

Do you just treat the water for Cl after the tank is filled? I'm hoping to get a 55 in a month or so- what a time saver!


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[nasomi]

Hooked up to the bathroom faucet next to my 135g I installed last weekend, It took 3 hours to fill. My 125 was there before that which I also filled that way. Since I'm mid cycle right now, I'm doing 40g water changes daily on my 135g and it takes about an hour, I just put in the hose and leave it go. I got the adapters to use with my RODI system, but it didn't work well because my water pressure isn't high enough in my house.