Duke3d Posted July 18, 2005 Report Share Posted July 18, 2005 Have been reading thru and I see some of you have some great automatic ideas - which lets face it is better than the below idea but not all Mrs's want hoses etc going everywhere through the house. I want a simple manual way. I have been trying to work out a system that would be less painful on the body and time and was debating the "Super Sump" which attaches to your tap to fill directly from tap - would possibly have a spray attachment going into tank so a few chemicals would be aireated out, and then adding the Aqua Plus scenario to the tank. For the out was debating the old style syphons - which I think were for petrol which has a bulge type system which you pump to get going then a long hose which can be directly put into garden. Would probably put a simple tap in the middle of the line somewhere so it can be stopped immeadiately if you need to for any reason? Thoughts and suggestions please. Some of you out there must be doing this more cleverly than the bucket back aching up the stairs, down the stairs scenario............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachy Posted July 18, 2005 Report Share Posted July 18, 2005 Our laundry isnt to far from my tank, so i just connect a garden hose up to the washing machine taps. At the mo i just use the cold and put a few buckets of hot in, but im gonna go to the hardware store and buy a t joiner so i can get the mix perfect. I use some water conditioner, just squirt it straight into the tank. I have used this method for ages, and havent had any probs, i usually change 100 odd litres every week so this helps, instead of going back and forth with a bucket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucid Posted July 18, 2005 Report Share Posted July 18, 2005 we just use a garden hose to syphon out of the tank, and put the outlet end out the closet window, then it rolls up and gets put out of the way till the next one as for filling in comes the garden hose and a couple of buckets of warm water and again the hose gets wound up and stored. Easy B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke3d Posted July 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2005 I see those magic words "buckets" still coming in!! Ballistic you have the idea with the T section. What do you use to syphon out the tank? How do you hold the hose in tank etc. Whats stopping overfills, over empties etc?? Mistakes Mistakes. Sorry I meant Beachy you have the idea of getting the T section..... Apologies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted July 18, 2005 Report Share Posted July 18, 2005 I'm doing water changes at this very moment while typing this. Geez... The wife sounds like she is having a real hard time he he. Joking of course. On a more serious note... I just nip in the bathroom... unscrew the shower head and connect the garden hose to it. I then just run the water till the temp gets right, and it goes straight in my tanks. Cleaning out is done via a long hose that goes straight out of the window and onto one of the paddocks I'm on tank water BTW.. not town supply. Piece "o" cake... but I STILL hate doing it. Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachy Posted July 18, 2005 Report Share Posted July 18, 2005 Ok i use two right angle elbows the same size as the garden hose. Cut two small pieces of hose, say three or four inch. connect one of the elbows to the end of the hose to go into the tank, then connect one of the short pieces of hose, then connect the other elbow, then the other piece of hose. You should end up with a u shape that you can hange over the lip of the tank, by cutting the middle piece it can be adjusted to fit the tank, i use 3-4" because i have bracing along the top of my tank. As for over filling and over syphoning, i just keep my eye on it . Hope you can kind of understand, i would post a pic but me digi aint working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucid Posted July 18, 2005 Report Share Posted July 18, 2005 hadn't thought of the attach to the shower hose idea Bill Must try that one( muttered to himself as he treks down the hall towards the bathroom wqith garden hose in hand) B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke3d Posted July 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2005 Good on you guys. I can see I am on the right track at least. For the outlets are any of you adding a larger piece so can do your vaccuuming at same time or is that another whole project. With the aqua plus added straight to tank no one has noticed problems with fish getting stuck with some chemicals straight out of tank. No one doing the spray idea?? Of course you lucky people with rain water tanks (except for drought seasons) don't have to worry about this. Mrs is understanding, understanding enough to know fish are worth more than her!!!!! KIdding kidding (*if she ever reads this*) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachy Posted July 18, 2005 Report Share Posted July 18, 2005 Well i havnt had any probs with clorine and stuff like that, i even done changes this way with discus, on town supply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted July 18, 2005 Report Share Posted July 18, 2005 For the time it takes and the risks incurred if you don't, it doesn't take long to water down any additions you may make to your aquarium. Alan 104 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jude Posted July 19, 2005 Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 I must be going loopy, I am sure I've already written this once. I fill my tank from the hose and add chlorine remover to the tank first. The fish seem to love swimming through the colder water and because the tank is reasonably large it doesn't lower the overall temp much. I might consider the laundry taps idea though. I hate carrying buckets, it hurts my back. Getting a long piece of hose started by sucking on it doesn't appeal and I would have to do it several times because the bracing across the top of the tank means I have to stop and start vacuuming the gravel. I am considering looking for a long piece of very soft, flexible hose - kinda like the stuff on vacuum cleaners, hooking it up below the tank and running it outside. I would then syphon directly into that hose and just store it when its not in use. It would have to be very flexible because struggling thru doorways and around corners etc with a stiffish pipe would be aggravating. Does anyone have any suggestions about what type of hose I could use and where I could get it? Cheers Jude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heather Posted July 20, 2005 Report Share Posted July 20, 2005 My idea for my 250L tank which i havent set up yet is this: For the outflow drill a hole in the floor (its my own house so i can and the floor is wood with a crawl space underneath) under the cabinet and pass some permanent piping from there to the drain outside. And then use a normal short easily storable piece of garden hose with a 'u' bend attached (like you can find on the hose going from the washing machine to the laundry sink) that will reach from the top of the tank to the pipe sticking out of floor. For the inflow i have a 60L plastic container which i use to age water and i thought i would get a pond pump to sit at the bottom of it, attach the piece of garden pipe to it and have the water pumped into the tank. The plastic container has wheels on it so it can be filled and stored anywhere. If i get a powerful enough pump it wont take too long and if it works well i might even be inspired to do changes twice weekly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiverJohn Posted July 20, 2005 Report Share Posted July 20, 2005 I got annoyed with carrying buckets from bathroom to lounge too. I went to bunnings bought a 70l rubbish bin for $9.95. I take the bin to the bathroom and fill with water. Drag it up to the lounge, pop in a heater, and an air pump and leave it going overnight. Come saturday morning I syphon out 7 small bucket loads and chuck them over the garden. Add 4 squirts of aqua plus + Ferts to water in large bin, hook up a pump and pump the water fresh water in. Could just as easily use the pump to pump out water from tank down a long hose (also partially syphon i spose). Easy way to stop a sypon or pump sucking out too much water.... dont stick it all the way to the bottom. ( I gravel vac about once every 2 months and that only takes 20-30l of water) John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peanuts Posted July 23, 2005 Report Share Posted July 23, 2005 ok so now from a novice point of view I am totally confused. water changes are essential, and often - or so I have read. and I thought the water had to be aged. now you are all stating that you take water straight out of the tap when doing the changes - so its aged by what 60 seconds. so please clarify how often water changes and how often is the gravel needing to be vacummed - and the most important does the water have to be aged. my tank is a metre tall by 450mm square. fish are guppies, platies and tertras with apple snails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madcookie Posted July 23, 2005 Report Share Posted July 23, 2005 Hiya Peanuts, Guess this thread could seem 'cowboyish' to many....There sure are lots of people not taking as much thorough care as all those clever books out there are telling us we should take. Some variables are: NitrAte monitoring. Stock levels. Substrate type. Quality of Tap water (location). Tank size. Two buckets of water in a 54 litre tank IS considerable. Two buckets out of a 400 litre tank is nothing. Being blase with water changes with 10 small fish in a 400 litre tank is fine. Relaxed water changes when having (for example) ten small fish in a 54 litre tank is not wise. Most books, and most of the 'experienced' fish people I know, still recommend: 1- Dont overstock. 2- 10% to 20% waterchange weekly, or 30% fortnightly. 3- 'shallow' gravel vacuum (if using gravel only) every 2nd waterchange, or every fortnight, or when NitrAte levels are high. I honestly belive that people new to the hobby should follow these basics till they decide it is too much work - and are in a position to watch fish and tell when they look stressed, and figure they may be stressed because the water is a bit yuck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jude Posted July 23, 2005 Report Share Posted July 23, 2005 Hi Peanuts Water has to be aged if there is chlorine in it. This gives time for the chlorine to escape. Alternatively you can use a water ager or chlorine remover like aqua plus. Most of those who put their water straight in are either using water ager or are on bore water that has no additives. Cheers Jude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachy Posted July 23, 2005 Report Share Posted July 23, 2005 Yes a water change weekly is recomended either aged or with chlorine remover, but in so saying that i have seen some tanks that are apsolutely disgusting, hardly never had a water change. The fish in the tank were fine, i would go as far as saying that they were better than fine, they looked really healthy. I wouldnt recommend doing this, but it goes to show that fish are a bit hardier than we think( well than i tought ). My brother has a tank of community fish, and when he does a water change he never uses aged water or water ager, its just straight out of the tap, his fish are fine and breeding. Something to think about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickybabe Posted August 11, 2005 Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 So how if you have a tropical tank, do you use hot tap water? and has anyone thought of using the gravel cleaner that connects to the tap and has a knob on it to adjust the flow, they are roughly 80.00 from pet shops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluetom Posted August 11, 2005 Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 bucket from warehouse 89c and the pleasure of spending even more time with you fish..... priceless :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted August 13, 2005 Report Share Posted August 13, 2005 Hey Bluetom! You should contact Mastercard and ask them to add that to their commercial...as long as you get a big chunk of money for the idea :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ormali Posted August 16, 2005 Report Share Posted August 16, 2005 For the vacuuming while you change water idea - i went to Bunnings, spent 99c and got a connector that joins two hoses. Joined the hose from the vacuum and the garden hose and run that out the lounge door. Easy peasy starting the syphon - that's what the vacum is designed to do. As for filling, I do the bucket thing - think I will be introducing my shower head to it's new job though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachy Posted August 16, 2005 Report Share Posted August 16, 2005 I have a cool idea that seems to work well for me. This works if you have a sump. I connect the garden hose to my laundry taps, then put the hose into my sump. Then start the syphon with gravel cleaner in the tank, and turn on the hose and match the flow. This way i can do a water change and gravel clean without the water level dropping at all. I find my fish dont stress as much, and i can keep the water flowing through my trickle tower. I could probably keep changing the water all day, but cause im using cold tap water this wouldnt be to good for the fish, and my biological filtration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jude Posted August 16, 2005 Report Share Posted August 16, 2005 Hi Ormali what is the vacuum thing you use to start the syphoning? Is it just one that uses an up and down motion in the tank to start it off because I have never been able to make that work ................ sigh Cheers jude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faran Posted August 16, 2005 Report Share Posted August 16, 2005 You gotta go real fast, like a ... job. Scares the hell out of the fish tho. I'm back to suckin an prayin I don't get a mouthful... No wise-cracks, aye! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted August 16, 2005 Report Share Posted August 16, 2005 I don't understand the problems most people have with sucking on the hose to start the siphon. You suck and watch the water come up over the edge of the tank and down, once it's past the water level of the tank you're done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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