# 300 Gallon water change



## Dragster (Aug 3, 2004)

I did my first water change today with my new 300g and my back hurts from lifting buckets and it taken me over an hour,i only removed about 50g of water.
What i want to ask is,can i just add warm tap water straight from my tap with a hose,i was thinking with the size of the tank it might not bother the P's.


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

That's the ONLY way I do water changes, is with the Python.

I siphon the water out... 
(Forget about using the attachment that you have to run the water at the same time with... that's a huge waste of water, and it comes out faster if you just let it go on it's own- provided it's downhill... it can empty into a toilet, sink, out the window...)

If you put the hose in the toilet, just stick the end in and don't worry about flushing it... toilets are self flushing.

I would never dream of doing water changes in my 150 gallon with buckets, I can't imagine doing it to a 300 gallon!

Also, hardware stores sell "Universal hose/sink attachments" that will allow a garden hose to be hooked up to your sink.
Try to match the temp as much as you can, and you should be fine... a 300 gallon tank should be "Temperature stable" enough.

I have the luxury of not having to remove chlorine from the water here in Central Oregon... but you can add your dechlorinator as it fills.


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## Dragster (Aug 3, 2004)

I think i will try it next week and check the parameters after.


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Yeah, I always check the parameters right before and right after each water change.
Filling from the sink vs. filling from buckets will dictate no difference in water parameters though.


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## BlackSunshine (Mar 28, 2006)

really you need a python. REALLY 
hehe yes you can go right off the tap the python will provide everything you need to do this easily. You just want to add your water conditioner directly to the tank water as you fill it. You probably don't want to do a 100% change all the time. more like 50%. one thing you do want to consider is testing the water as it comes out of the tap and see how far off it is from the condition of the water in the tank. PH /hardness etc etc. As well try and match the incoming water temp with that of the tank. this will reduce the shock the fish get from the waterchange. A good tool to have for filling off the tap is a digi thermometer. they are about 8 bucks and are worth every cent. eventually you will learn to test the temp by touch.


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

BlackSunshine said:


> really you need a python. REALLY
> hehe yes you can go right off the tap the python will provide everything you need to do this easily. You just want to add your water conditioner directly to the tank water as you fill it. You probably don't want to do a 100% change all the time. more like 50%. one thing you do want to consider is testing the water as it comes out of the tap and see how far off it is from the condition of the water in the tank. PH /hardness etc etc. As well try and match the incoming water temp with that of the tank. this will reduce the shock the fish get from the waterchange. A good tool to have for filling off the tap is a digi thermometer. they are about 8 bucks and are worth every cent. eventually you will learn to test the temp by touch.


I wouldn't want to do a 100% change *anytime!*








50% max.


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## Dragster (Aug 3, 2004)

LOL 100% water change that would take me like 7 hours even with a python hehe,i normaly change around 20% weekly depending on what they have been eating.


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

Wow....you really, really, really, really, really need to invest in a Python No Spill Clean 'N Fill gravel vaccuum system. It will save you a lot of time and the only work you do is standing there to hold it in the water and poking it into the gravel to suck up the buried sediment. Plus, as said in the name, it's no spill!
~Taylor~

_*considers getting a job as a sales person to sell this wonderful product*_


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## alan (Mar 11, 2004)

Dragster said:


> I did my first water change today with my new 300g and my back hurts from lifting buckets and it taken me over an hour,i only removed about 50g of water.
> What i want to ask is,can i just add warm tap water straight from my tap with a hose,i was thinking with the size of the tank it might not bother the P's.


thats what i do


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## AKSkirmish (Jun 24, 2005)

Well i just would like to throw this out as well-since no one has mentioned it-Do not use a regular water hose to fill your tank-You'll be sorry-If you do just make sure it is one that used on rv's-to fill and drain the water system with-you know the white hoses-Otherwise you will have a hose smell that will be hard to get rid of and is quite annoying as well-Just my 2 cents-

Yep you need a python and like stated instead of useing the attachment it comes with to drain-You would be better off with something along the lines of a mag drive pump or something simuliar to drain it much faster-And just use the attachment it (python) comes with the refill your tank and you should be good to go man-Buckets is a major pain in the rear and will eventually discourage you in the long run-


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## LGHT (Nov 9, 2005)

Piranha_man said:


> That's the ONLY way I do water changes, is with the Python.
> Also, hardware stores sell "Universal hose/sink attachments" that will allow a garden hose to be hooked up to your sink.
> Try to match the temp as much as you can, and you should be fine... a 300 gallon tank should be "Temperature stable" enough.


That's the best thing to do, but you don't want to use a standard garden hose as it will kill your fish in a few minutes if it contains rubber and almost all standard hoses do.

You MUST get a "DRINKING WATER SAFE" hose like they use for RV's and camping. They are usually colored white. 

If you really want to help out your fish and want to save money on dosing a 300 gallon tank just get a nice 3 stage filter. Only thing you want to change is the carbon filter to a .01 micron filter.

3 STAGE BIG BLUE

Hook this bad boy up to your kitchen sink and use the same hose that you drain with on one end and the python on the other and you will put Crystal clear water in your tank each time.

To ensure that all my water has proper GH and KH I use a Montmorillonite rock that last about 2 months. Water changes take 30 minutes to drane and fill using this method. Filter is a little pricey up front, but a lot cheaper than buying meds for a 300 in the long run.


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## platinum1683 (Nov 17, 2006)

Yeah I need to invest in a python as well.


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

In over 30 years of fishkeeping and water changes, I've never killed any fish by using regular garden hoses.


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## AKSkirmish (Jun 24, 2005)

Piranha_man said:


> In over 30 years of fishkeeping and water changes, I've never killed any fish by using regular garden hoses.


Yeah-But that doesn't mean thats the smart way of doing it!!!


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## LGHT (Nov 9, 2005)

Piranha_man said:


> In over 30 years of fishkeeping and water changes, I've never killed any fish by using regular garden hoses.


I don't think you understood my post correctly so I put the KEY words in BOLD to avoid additional confusion.

"That's the best thing to do, but you don't want to use a standard garden hose as it will kill your fish in a few minutes *if it contains rubber* and *almost * all standard hoses do"


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

LGHT said:


> In over 30 years of fishkeeping and water changes, I've never killed any fish by using regular garden hoses.


I don't think you understood my post correctly so I put the KEY words in BOLD to avoid additional confusion.

"That's the best thing to do, but you don't want to use a standard garden hose as it will kill your fish in a few minutes *if it contains rubber* and *almost * all standard hoses do"
[/quote]

Then I guess "30 years" is the longest damn "Few minutes" I've ever heard of.


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## dark FrOsT (Sep 23, 2006)

a python is the best fish invention of all time ... get one so you can store you buckets in a closet


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## BlackSunshine (Mar 28, 2006)

Piranha_man said:


> In over 30 years of fishkeeping and water changes, I've never killed any fish by using regular garden hoses.


I don't think you understood my post correctly so I put the KEY words in BOLD to avoid additional confusion.

"That's the best thing to do, but you don't want to use a standard garden hose as it will kill your fish in a few minutes *if it contains rubber* and *almost * all standard hoses do"
[/quote]

Then I guess "30 years" is the longest damn "Few minutes" I've ever heard of.:laugh:
[/quote]

lol yeah really. hahah this half information confuses people. 
Rubber has nothing to do with what kills the fish. Rubber? I mean come on, does that even sound like it makes sense?
Its that they treat some (never used this type myself, not sure what one it is.) with mold and mildwew inhibitors. These are going to be your more expensive hoses. Just get the cheapies. they are not treated with anything special. They are just a rubber hose. And theres nothing wrong with rubber. I've never had a fish die in all the years I've kept fish from using a garden hose to fill my tank. 
You could use the PVC hose like mentioned but really once your into getting specilized hoses you really might as well just get the python system. 
I ask


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Well said Black.


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## Kyle2154 (May 12, 2006)

I know some bluegill farms who sink car tires in their ponds for minnows to hide in. Last I knew they had at least some rubber in tires, just sitting there for years

Kyle


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## LGHT (Nov 9, 2005)

Bottom line is if you use the wrong hose your fish will die. Although it may not be rubber that kills them it's the chemicals in the rubber hoses that do.

My apologies for confusing everyone I thought it would have been easy to figure out, but I guess I was wrong.

Like blacksunshine mentioned just get a python to be on the safe side if you can't figure out the using a hose made with harmful chemicals is harmful to your fish.


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## CaptMicha (Mar 29, 2006)

You don't need to spend that much money on a python. My dad made me one with clear hose (I have NO idea what it's called, look in plumbing I guess), a sink adapter and a faucet at the fill end. You turn the sink faucet on and turn the faucet at the fill end on when you're ready to fill.

But yeah, I use a regular siphon out the window.


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