Water changes
- Thread starter stevent
- Start date
GoldLenny
Senior Member? Do I get a 5% disc.?
Is your middle name Kaz? Just kidding! ;-)
That question would be comparable to changing a diaper on a kid or paper training a new puppy. It's not a matter of whether we like it or not, it just has to be done. It's one of the responsibilities we take on when we have pets... or kids.
That said, if you have big tanks or enough tanks, a Python (or other brand) water changing system sure does make life easier!
Filter maintenance is the biggest burden for me since the Python makes vacuuming the gravel and doing PWC's so much easier. I still do my weekly maintenance on ALL of my tanks though. Keeping them lightly to moderately stocked keeps things healthy in between the weekly maintenance.
It only takes me around a half hour every weekend now that I'm down to just two tanks. At least with fish, I'm not having to change diapers all the time or step in dog poop when I'm not watching where I walk... of course, my fish aren't very good guard fish compared to my dog. ;-)
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with 7 tanks yes I enjoy water changes. I do use a python. Buckets get heavy for a 52 yo woman. LOL
You do need to be careful though that the water doesn't get into your computer keyboard and cause your caps lock key to stick.
I have never seen those python things in australia. I can't belive u guys r filling ur tanks with tap water!!
I fill 3 80l bins every monday and let them sit with small dose of prime.
Then every wed i take out interal sponge filter and clean,throw a hose out the window run downstaris suck and syphon ,run back upstairs, vacum gravel then re-assemble interal filter and fill with water from bins with a bucket!!!!
I live by myself so it really sux!!
I scrub inside of tank when i do this and lids etc
than finaly clean all outside glass
Massive job when its a 6 foot tank!!
But after i am all finished i can sit back and look at a perfectly clear tank and it makes it all worth it
I fill 3 80l bins every monday and let them sit with small dose of prime.
Then every wed i take out interal sponge filter and clean,throw a hose out the window run downstaris suck and syphon ,run back upstairs, vacum gravel then re-assemble interal filter and fill with water from bins with a bucket!!!!
I live by myself so it really sux!!
I scrub inside of tank when i do this and lids etc
than finaly clean all outside glass
Massive job when its a 6 foot tank!!
But after i am all finished i can sit back and look at a perfectly clear tank and it makes it all worth it
On some tanks, it can be a fun chore. For me that means shrimp tanks and especially the CRS tank. These guys are so active and curious with the hose in there, sometimes it makes it difficult. But ... I'm working on a new system to make my changes easier.
Jill-O
All American Girl (all grown up)
90% of the time I enjoy doing water changes. I haul buckets for all of my tanks, with 2 of my tanks upstairs. I have a python I use to vac the gravel,but I refill with buckets cuz I dont like the idea of untreated water in my tanks.
GoldLenny
Senior Member? Do I get a 5% disc.?
Just add the appropriate amount of dechlor to the tank first and start refilling. The dechlor works almost instantly and the tap water is being mixed with the tank water (since the filters are running) and the dechlor is working almost instantly so the chlorine/chloramine is detoxed before any chlorinated water ever comes into contact with the fish... as long as your fish aren't swimming right up to the incoming water flow from the Python. Just make sure your incoming water is close to the temperature of the tank. I just use my finger under the water flow of the Python and the HOB discharge and if they feel the same, that's usually pretty accurate. If you're only doing a 25% PWC, even if you're off by 4 degrees F... and that's a LOT... (a human can easily tell the difference between 76F and 80F... at least I know I can tell when it's 74F in my home... nice and comfy and when it's 78F in my home.. HOT AS HELL!!! LOL). Up to a 4F difference in incoming water temperature will only change the tank's temp by 1F, with a 25% PWC, and even that will be over the time period that it takes to refill the tank so the fish will easily accept that slight change since it will be so incremental during the refill.
I've been doing it this way for many years with never a problem.
On a side note... During the coldest months of the year, when the tap water is really cold and I have to add a little more hot water to the tap flow to bring the temp up, make sure you allow the incoming water to splash into the tank to further help release the extra dissolved gases that are in the very cold tap water... and the hot water also benefits by added aeration.
On another side note.. you need some more fish in that BIG tank. ;-)
