# an easy way to do water changes?



## Howzit (Aug 6, 2003)

So I take my gravel sucker fill up a bucket of old water, haul it to the sink and pour it out, then take a bucket and fill it up with new water and haul it to the tank and pour it in.

Basically Im a pretty lazy guy is there an easier way to do this?


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## Mack (Oct 31, 2004)

http://www.pythonproducts.com

God's gift to fishkeeping.


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## doctorvtec (May 15, 2004)

Mack said:


> http://www.pythonproducts.com
> 
> God's gift to fishkeeping.
> [snapback]959626[/snapback]​


I have a python 50 but only used it for the initial fill. I like to get my refill water as close to temp as possible, and unfortunaly can't do it with the python. Works great for less anal people though!


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## Mack (Oct 31, 2004)

The temperature just needs to be close, hell, it just needs to be within like 15 degrees unless you're doing like a huge water change.... you can use a thermometer if you want to get it exact.


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## doctorvtec (May 15, 2004)

Our faucet fluctuates too much. I do 10 gallons of a 30 fgallon tank at a time, so I like to keep it with 1-2 degrees.


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## BigChuckP (Feb 9, 2004)

Get a python there the best, or make a diy python, much cheaper.

I had though about doing this but have not tried it yet. Get a temp strip and put it on the python tube where it connects to the sink and then you can make sure the water is the temp that you want it.


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## Howzit (Aug 6, 2003)

So the python is like a hose that goes to your tap to tank, with a gravel vac on one end, and a faucet adapter on the other.

so when you are taking out the old water you just gravel vac all the water through the long hose and into your sink.
And when you fill it up you just attach the adapter thingy to your facet and pour it all into your tank

RIGHT?


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## Mack (Oct 31, 2004)

No, the thing is attached to your sink through the whole water change. You turn on the sink, and the water flows straight through the sink attachment -- this creates suction in the hose, allowing you to suck water out of the tank. Then you flip a switch on the hose which allows nothing to flow through the hose. You go to the sink and get the water temperature close to that of your tank and then twist the bottom of the sink attachment, which stops the water from flowing straight through and forces it through the hose. You go [quickly] back to the tank and open the hose again, and fill up the tank.

Hard to explain.


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

Get yourself a pond pump and attach it to a garden hose. Put the pump in the bucket where you drain your dirty tank water. As you are draining into the bucket, the pump will pump the dirty water right out. Then switch the pump to your clean water and pump clean water back in. This's the easiest way and no lifting is required.


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## Mack (Oct 31, 2004)

That sounds alot more complicated and expensive than just using a python.


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## piranhasrule (May 31, 2004)

I just use a gravel cleaners and syphon the dirty water into a bucket, chuck the dirty water down the toilet and then fill up from the tap. But iv quickened the process by knocking the liitle valve in the syphon out. Now it sucks water up alot faster


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## cooldudectd (Mar 4, 2004)

A company called Lee's also makes a product called a "ultimate grave vac" that's basically the same thing as a python, only cheaper.


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## the grinch (Feb 23, 2004)

Why fill it in a bucket when you can take it out the window, or hell you can drain it right to your toilet it will automatically go down, or out your door. The more gravity the more sucking power. Also those attachments dont work for shizzle. I went to home depot and got an adaptor that goes from 1/4 in to the size of my faucet. I just gotta unscrew my faucet thingy(?) and screw my hose on my faucet. The one that came in the bag has a totally different size thread than my faucet, and most faucets.


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## HyBrid (Feb 25, 2005)

ok so with this python thing, how do you get the chlorine out the water when you fill up your tank?


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## the grinch (Feb 23, 2004)

Dont need to. You can use dechlor if you want while filling it up but you will find that there is a lot of piranha keepers that dont dechlor for a water change. Piranha's get used to your water, and wont be affected. Most LFS will tell you to use carbon in your filter as well, it is not needed, unless you are taking out a chemical that was used for treatment. They need you to waste your money in their products.


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## FormulatedFire (Jan 3, 2005)

or you could go to walmart and pick up one of those waterbed fill/empty kits and turn ur normal hose into a python and then take it off when ur done and still have your hose.....think the kits pretty cheap


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## smithgrind_who (Mar 26, 2004)

HyBrid said:


> ok so with this python thing, how do you get the chlorine out the water when you fill up your tank?
> [snapback]961875[/snapback]​


Hey HyBrid, do you know if your water source has Chloramine?



the grinch Today said:


> Dont need to. You can use dechlor if you want while filling it up but you will find that there is a lot of piranha keepers that dont dechlor for a water change. Piranha's get used to your water, and wont be affected.


If your water does contain Chloramine then you will need to use a water conditioner to break the chlorine-ammonia bond.


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## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

Moved to Tank and Equipment Question


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## Outie (Feb 19, 2003)

I just use a common toilet plunger and basically plunge all the gravel until all the waste is floating in the tank. Then I use a garden hose to suck out the water to a sink. The first few times you do it there will be tons of crap floating, but after awhile there won't be that much.


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## alan (Mar 11, 2004)

temperature wont be right will it ?


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## Outie (Feb 19, 2003)

With my piranha tanks, I usually just do a finger test, typically the thermometer will change by about 2 degrees, nothing that drastic....


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## rbp75 (May 2, 2004)

Nobody should have a large tank without a python, there can be no easier way to do a water change period. Just get a thermometer and place it under the running water until the temp is right on or atleast close when you go to fill it back up.


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## KRS one (May 28, 2004)

if u do get a python use ur shower faucet, atleast for me it has 3x better suction


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Howzit said:


> So I take my gravel sucker fill up a bucket of old water, haul it to the sink and pour it out, then take a bucket and fill it up with new water and haul it to the tank and pour it in.
> 
> Basically Im a pretty lazy guy is there an easier way to do this?
> 
> ...


Get your mom to do it for you.


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## sadboy (Jan 6, 2005)

Man a lot of people love to spend money on things that make things look easier. Just go to an hardware store buy yourself like 50ft to 100ft long hose. Put the end of the hose by some plants (not to waste water) and get the other end next to your powerhead. then the powehead will pump the water in the hose, getting it started and then you can move the hose around to clean. Afterwards just get your water hose and fill your tank. Simple and cheap and you dont waste the water.


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## sicklid-holic (Mar 25, 2005)

Python is the key:

I have 3 python.

and i use it for my (2) 125gallons, (1) 150gallon, (1) 75gallon (1) 10gallon.
Its a piece of cake to use and I enjoy using the damn thing. sh*t I just did a water change again last night on my 125gallon, 150gallon, 75gallon at the same time!!!(draining that is)









BTW, I always use the bathroom faucet, full blast for gravel cleaning, and I turn the faucet water off for just regular water change, i leave the python tube to where its hitting the middle of the tank (50%). 
When filling up I use medium hot/medium cold to match the temp of tank water. and fill it up full blast. (Make sure you dont do 2 things at onetime because you can easily flood your house if you forget and overflow you tank while filling.)


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## mashunter18 (Jan 2, 2004)

python for refilling
:nod:









5 gallon buckets for gravel vacuming

old garden house, to the drain, for just draining


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## corbypete (Jan 24, 2005)

Howzit said:


> So I take my gravel sucker fill up a bucket of old water, haul it to the sink and pour it out, then take a bucket and fill it up with new water and haul it to the tank and pour it in.
> 
> Basically Im a pretty lazy guy is there an easier way to do this?
> 
> ...


Yes.

Easiest way is to use easybalance, now available in a yellow tub. You dont have to change the water for upto 6 months, i'm on about week 5 now and waters still great, tests show nothing bad in the water, and no green water either. Fish are happy as ever.

The water will evaporate over the weeks, so just top up with some fresh water when you do your weekly adding of the salty globby solution, aswell as some tap water conditioner.

cleaning my filter with red hot water when it clogs up has had no detrimental affects on the tanks water coditions, i dont believe its relying on the bacteria anymore.

If you stop using it you will have to recycle your tank to go back to the old way of fishkeeping, ie. bacteria counteracts ammonia levels+ water gets tired weekly.

good luck


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## ICrazyChrisI (May 10, 2005)

If using the Python, how do you condition the water before putting new tap water? This is assuming the tank is already cycled and have healthy fish


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## Mack (Oct 31, 2004)

> Yes.
> 
> Easiest way is to use easybalance, now available in a yellow tub. You dont have to change the water for upto 6 months, i'm on about week 5 now and waters still great, tests show nothing bad in the water, and no green water either. Fish are happy as ever.[snapback]999474[/snapback]​


See, that's such BS.

All that crap and nitrates and stuff -- it has to go somewhere, and it probably goes to something that isn't detected with test kits.

Eventually your tankwater is just going to go stagnant and stink like crazy. Are you gravel vacing?


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## NavinWithPs (Apr 3, 2003)

i use a 1" hose and a 30 gallon trash bin. fills up in like a minute and i use a water hose, which i split from the washing machine to refill. 20 minute water change where i can change about 25% of a 200 gallon tank.


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## ICrazyChrisI (May 10, 2005)

ICrazyChrisI said:


> If using the Python, how do you condition the water before putting new tap water? This is assuming the tank is already cycled and have healthy fish
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## iceman32333 (May 7, 2005)

My python fit every place I moved until now







I JUST saw an adapter in my new petsolutions catalog that is like rubbery with a hose clamp, called universal python adapter, gonna have to order it. I am sick of the old bucket refill I have been doing here


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## Mack (Oct 31, 2004)

"If using the Python, how do you condition the water before putting new tap water? This is assuming the tank is already cycled and have healthy fish "

Just put it in afterwards, everything should be just fine.


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## ICrazyChrisI (May 10, 2005)

Mack said:


> "If using the Python, how do you condition the water before putting new tap water? This is assuming the tank is already cycled and have healthy fish "
> 
> Just put it in afterwards, everything should be just fine.
> [snapback]1025975[/snapback]​


Sweet, thanks!


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