The Puffer Forum

Hello.

I am convinced that there is an easier way to do my water changes so just wanted to hear how other do theirs and the techniques used.

I have a 6' x 2' x 2' and change roughly 25% of the water each week. Basically I syphon the water out in a 30l water butt and repeat this about 5 times. I then fill 5 15l buckets with dechlorinated water at the right temp to top up the tank, I repeat this twice. Overall it takes just under an hour but is a pain as I have to stand on a chair when tipping the buckets back in due to the height of the tank.

Happy to keep syphoning the water out manually as it gives me the chance to remove detritus which as we know puffers produce in large quantities! When it comes to replacing the water could I not buy an appropriately sized container (i know some people use small pond fish vats). I could fill this with coldwater, put a heater in and dechlorate. I've seen submersible pumps in my LFS, can these be used to pump the water from the vat back into the tank? That way I can just sit down and watch it all happen?!

If this approach is correct can anyone recommend where to get the vats from and recommend a good submersible pump. If I am totally out pls point me in the right direction!!

Cheers.

For my freshwater tanks: I use a python (purchased at walmart for about $35 I think) it hooks up to the sink in my kitchen or my water hose outside, I syphon the water out of the tank, sometimes I water my plants sometimes I drain it down the sink. After removing about 50% of my water I add my prime to the tank then I refill using the python. During the summer I can use water from the faucet outside, during the winter I have to use the water from inside so that I can adjust the temp.

For my Saltwater tank: I use ro/di water, run it into a 55 gallon drum. Mix the salt in the drum and let it sit for no less than 24 hours. I use a heater and a power head in the drum to keep the water circulating and the salt mixed. When I'm ready for a water change I use a python, drain the water into the sink, once the water is drained I take a piece of hose (purchased from lowe's) hook it up to the powerhead and pump the water back into the tank.

I waterchange my 6x2x2 tanks at least once or twice per week, usually 2-3 times i too remove say around 25% i use this via syphoning and fill straight from the hospipe on the showerhead setting as it helps remove clorine quicker as its a gas. I dont actually add declorinator unless i do HUGE waterchanges. But this works for me its what ive always done and do at work.

If you have a tap nearby, for sure look into the Python Clean and Fill.

I rarely use the system to drain, as that wastes a lot of water and I get a stronger siphon by draining the hose out the back door or the tub drain, but in winter or for a tank that's low to the ground and you can't get a siphon going, it really helps. I just siphon and gravel clean like I normally would, just don't have to worry about buckets, the hose is draining out wherever I put it. Of course, if you have small children, pets or drains that run slow, watch out for overflows (that's why I prefer to drain out a window/back door into the yard).

Where its a huge help is refilling freshwater tanks, you hook it up to your sink, adjust the temperature, twist and push a valve and your tank starts filling up. Add the dechlor to the tank before you start filling, most of them perfectly safe to do this with (Wardley's, Yamato Green's, Prime, Amquel, etc). Personally I don't like Bogwoodbruce's method, simply because most water companies no longer just use cholorine that dissipates quickly, they use choloromines that are meant to last quite a bit longer and do a better job of killing bacteria, etc. And I don't want to risk my biofilter because I didn't bother dripping in a few drops of dechlor.

And yes, you can certainly fill up a large container/tub of water, heat it to the temp you want, mix in salt (if any) and then use the pump to pump it back to the main tank. Many people do that, especially for salt water tanks. Ideally, you want a container that's food safe, but for the life of me I can't remember what the stamp on the plastic is that shows that.. most people just use a rubbermaid garbage can

Myaj wrote:If you have a tap nearby, for sure look into the Python Clean and Fill.

I rarely use the system to drain, as that wastes a lot of water and I get a stronger siphon by draining the hose out the back door or the tub drain, but in winter or for a tank that's low to the ground and you can't get a siphon going, it really helps. I just siphon and gravel clean like I normally would, just don't have to worry about buckets, the hose is draining out wherever I put it. Of course, if you have small children, pets or drains that run slow, watch out for overflows (that's why I prefer to drain out a window/back door into the yard).

Where its a huge help is refilling freshwater tanks, you hook it up to your sink, adjust the temperature, twist and push a valve and your tank starts filling up. Add the dechlor to the tank before you start filling, most of them perfectly safe to do this with (Wardley's, Yamato Green's, Prime, Amquel, etc). Personally I don't like Bogwoodbruce's method, simply because most water companies no longer just use cholorine that dissipates quickly, they use choloromines that are meant to last quite a bit longer and do a better job of killing bacteria, etc. And I don't want to risk my biofilter because I didn't bother dripping in a few drops of dechlor.

And yes, you can certainly fill up a large container/tub of water, heat it to the temp you want, mix in salt (if any) and then use the pump to pump it back to the main tank. Many people do that, especially for salt water tanks. Ideally, you want a container that's food safe, but for the life of me I can't remember what the stamp on the plastic is that shows that.. most people just use a rubbermaid garbage can

Im in a completly different country so i dont know what out water companies use. Also i have such large and numerous filters that it doesnt really affect my bacteria and bio-load

Myaj wrote:most people just use a rubbermaid garbage can

Be very careful with rubbermaid garbage cans, I was using one until I realized my carpet was soaked. It was a very slow leak and the garbage can was in the conrer of a room. The carpet was soaked all around the corner and I didn't notice it until it started to get wet in front of the garbage can. It was a smelly mess for a while.

My Rubbermaid mixing can is in the basement. I have an external pump for mixing salt & then with a turn of a valve, it pumps the SW upstairs.

Myaj wrote:If you have a tap nearby, for sure look into the Python Clean and Fill.
Where its a huge help is refilling freshwater tanks, you hook it up to your sink, adjust the temperature, twist and push a valve and your tank starts filling up. Add the dechlor to the tank before you start filling, most of them perfectly safe to do this with (Wardley's, Yamato Green's, Prime, Amquel, etc).

Hey I'm just wondering how you get the temp of the water right straight out of the tap?!

Do you use a tap that combines both your hot and cold water ie 1 tap with both hot and cold going into it?

The reason I ask is because I thought you were'nt suppose to use the warm water out of a tap for the same reasons you don't drink the warm water from a tap (maybe I'm thinking of places that have a big container of hot water that feeds the hot tap).

Also adding the declorinator to the tank and then pumping in untreated water, I didn't realise you could do this as I've always been told to make sure the water and declorinator are mixed together thoroughly before adding the new water to the tank?!

If it is ok to do this then I may get myself a Python asap because that is just so easy to do

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is how I do my water changes at the moment

I bought a cheap storage container from the £1 shop which holds 60Litres/15.6usG of water (so that's 6 buckets of water if you go by the 10L markings in the bucket which I did to measure the right ammount of declorinator). I syphon my entire gravel floor into it and then let it fill to the top I then empty it and put it on my cabnet next to my tank and add 60L worth of declorinator to it and fill it with a hose from the tap, I then add some hot water from the kettle and when it's at the right temp I syphon the water back into the tank If you don't have something higher to put the container on you can always use a powerhead/pump to get the water back in like you said or do what I do with my salt water tank and put the container directly ontop of the tank This has saved my loads of time and there's no more lifting buckets of water to the top of the tank which is great

Yes, you must use a spigot that offers both hot & cold water, so you can add warm. It may take a while (& a few trips back for adjustments), to get the water the same temp as the tank. There are directions on the bottle of Prime on how to add directly to the tank.

Pufferpunk wrote:Yes, you must use a spigot that offers both hot & cold water, so you can add warm. It may take a while (& a few trips back for adjustments), to get the water the same temp as the tank. There are directions on the bottle of Prime on how to add directly to the tank.

Do you know if I can do this with TetraAquaSafe Declorinator?

I buy it from a guy that buys it on bulk and splits it inot smaller bottles so I don't have the bottle lable to read

Either pick up a bottle at the store and read it or call the manufacturer.

As far as hot/cold, with a Python, it runs through the attachment and down the sink drain so you just turn on the water with the hose to the tank turned off, adjust your temp (use a thermometer if you'd like, I just go by feel) and then when its correct, open the hose to the tank.

The hot water thing just blows my mind that people still believe that myth. Personally, and yes, I am not normal, but still.. since I was a kid I have actually preferred to drink hotwater out of the tap. I don't do it very often because people think its weird, but I think it tastes better. I think the warning came from old hot water heaters that had some weird elements in them, but I would think anything nowadays is fine.. remember, you don't need a lot of hot water to bring it to tank temps, its still mostly cold.

I have been doing WC this way for 30 years, even with cheap Dechlor.