re-fill, no spill water change hose...

[moonstream]

so I'm planning to use my 40g as a goldfish tank, and as such will be needing to do frequent ~50% water changes. the prospect of lugging multiple bucketfulls of water to and from the tank and my sink is not something I am looking forward to doing weekly... its the re-filling the tank that is a pain, as I can pretty easily use a syphon to get the fish waste out and the dump it into a nearbye toilette.

for re-filling, I was thinking about creating something like a python no-spill waterchange hose, but without the fancy stuff and the huge price tag. it would probably be an adaptor on my sink allowing me to attach a long hose leading to the tank, with a long piece of vynil tubing. something like this, but for a vynil hose instead of a garden hose: http://www.spaandpoolstore.com/faucetadaptor.html?utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=cse

when re-filling the tank in this way though, how do you de-chlorinate the water? just add the dechlorinator as you fill it? how much do you dose? the amount of water you are replacing, or enough dechlorinator for the whole tank volume?

any help is appreciated...

 

[Rbishop]

Using Prime, they recommend dosing for the volume of the tank if treating the water on the refill directly vice buckets. I do it that way all the time for years.


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[verbal]

What Bob said about prime.

Could you fill with a garden hose?

I use a garden hose with a Y-valve and Jehmco safety siphon.

Jehmco Safety Siphon(if you are handy you could build one with PVC):
http://www.jehmco.com/html/safety_siphon_aquarium_drain.html

Y-valve:
http://www.homedepot.com/Outdoors-G...splay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051

I use python hoses and the smaller safety siphon, but you can use a garden hose. I usually have water in my hose, so I can just open the Y-valve and the siphon starts. If you don't you can prime it by feeding some water into the tank and then turn the water off and open both Y-valves(from tank and out onto the ground).

 

[moonstream]

if garden hoses are safe to use, then yeah I could use one. actually, that would probably be better than using some other kind of hose, because they wont leak at the connector with the adaptor since its a tighter connection. hopefully this weekend I can get what I need for this. it will certaintly make water changes much easier.

 

[countryboy]

I have read somewhere on this or other forum that garden hoses are not good to use for refill.

 

[moonstream]

that was my first thought as well, I'll have to look into that more

 

[Slappy*McFish]

Just use a food-grade/potable water hose. They can be bought at Walmart and most home improvement stores.

 

[Jumko]

About a year ago I tried making my own python with one of those cheap faucet adapters and a garden hose. The adapter leaked and I couldn't seem to create enough suction in the hose to get it to work correctly. I was sorely disappointed to say the least.

So, about two months ago I tried my hand at making another one, but decided to buy an "official" faucet adapter http://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-06092-...qid=1346432547&sr=8-2&keywords=aqueon+adapter and use vinyl tubing and pvc from home depot. This one works like a charm and makes water changes a breeze. I've since added a "quick-disconnet" adapter to the faucet adapter. This allows me to easily remove the faucet adapter from the sink spout and place it in my shower so that I can use gravity to do most of the siphoning without wasting water.

 

[verbal]

Yeah looking around I am thinking I may get a food grade, or at least lead free water hose.

 

[countryboy]

Try an RV center