Suggestion on setup for changing water

Does anyone have any suggestion on how to easily change the water in a large aquarium without physically having to bring in many large bucket of water?

I have my aquarium near a window where I can bring in a water hose by the window. I was thinking about using one of those pythons gravel vac, but wasn't sure whether the cichlids would like water that hasn't been dechlorinated before I dump it into the tank. I can always add dechlorinator afterwards, but is this ok?

Yeah its fine, just dont forget the dechlorinator!!! I always add it to the tank first before i fill it back up.

I don't like to do that. I like to age my water. Well that don't really matter since i use RO water and have a holding tank. What i would do is get a 35gal trash can that has a wheel set up like the BRUTS. Then drop a power head with a hose attachment and plug the Powerhead after Declorrinated. and for empting the old water just run hose out side of the window.

I use a python for all of my tanks and have never ever lost a fish. It works so nice. They are very easy to use. I add the dechlorinator after I re-fill the tank and it never has caused any issues. Let us know what you choose.

When I had a Python, I would add the dechlorinator while the tank was filling.

As far as the large garbage can, make sure it is heavy duty enough to support the weight of the water. I tried that when I was cleaning a 175 gal saltwater tank and almost lost the whole salt mix when I tried to move it. Remember that your water will weigh quite a bit more than those cans are designed to handle. They are designed for volume, but not weight.

Another thing I learned doing it that way is to make sure your powerhead is strong enough to pull the water the necessary distance. Certainly works for aged or mixed water provided the pumping system is strong enough.

As for running the hose out the window, check to see what plants need a good watering. Aquarium water (not saltwater) is a great fertilizer for flowers and shrubs. Just don't use it on your veggies or they will have a slight fishy flavoring.

Right now, I have all my tanks in my office where there is hardwood floors. I am debating on using the method with the best safety control; that in which if a leak or spill happens, I can shutdown the water the quickest. I might just buy a heavy duty garden hose with an attachment that I can turn on and off the water without any leaking.

the gravel vacs that hook to a sink can be attached to a hose

i age my water first when i have a chance.
i use the blue food grade drums. i bought it off craigslist, 20 bucks!
i bought a pond pump off petsmart, bigger than the smallest one they had. it didn't fit into the binghole, so i made the hole bigger. i pump all over the house using the pythion and a extension.
the barrel is hidden in a closet so its not a eye sore.

if you really want i can post some pics if you want.

I use a big trash can and a power head hooked to about 20ft of hose. Ya, the trash can will not move when full, I fill it where I want it to be.
I would like to see pics Alan, I'm going to be getting a 350g plastic tank to do the same thing with, so seeing yours will help me out a bunch!

I just purchased a 20ft 1 1/4inch flex hose from a local plastic supply store and inserted the garden hose at the tank end to create suction and fill as i am sucking out, Never had any problems and that 1 1/4inch hose can empty my 120gl in minutes. The hose cost about $25 but i do water changes in my 75gl and 120gl in about 15 minutes with very little mess.

Oh yea i forgot, be careful if you have 2inch fish or smaller, I have had to rescue a few red tops and labs from my front lawn. Good for sand substrate, I keep it about 4inches from the bottom and it sucks everything good.

Always dechlor the tank before adding water, I use garden hoses and pythons. To many tanks in to many spots. I use to dechlor after but I found that to much damage and death occurs that way.

each python hose is 20 ft. so very convinient.

i add some PVC to the pump to make it easier on me.


theres also a digital thermometer hanging in the bucket

I wish I could get away with that. I need 5 of them barrels. lol

I wish I could get away with that too...but my wife would kill me if I tried to put those blue barrels anywhere in my house..lol

airball2006 wrote:

I wish I could get away with that too...but my wife would kill me if I tried to put those blue barrels anywhere in my house..lol

Put a table-cloth over it and call it an end table!!

I usually use a mag pump or powerhead to drain the tank right out the window. goes pretty quick if you use 3/4-1" hose. And to refill i use the kitchen sink. I made up a attachment to screw on the faucet and just run the hose to the tank, I dose a capful before i start and every so often i dump another. Smaller tanks i just siphon the water into a bucket and dump it outside, drain, toliet..whateva is closer. Some days i do all the water changes togather and every tank gets filled with the kitchen sink and drained out the window.

Thanks everyone for their suggestions. I am going to go with a heavy duty garden hose with a on/off switch through the window technique. I will drain my fish tank through the window as well saving me from having to carry in many buckets of water.

Alan, that's sort of what I was envisioning doing with the 350g water tank I will be getting... I was hoping you had some fancy trick or something to make it work better

K I S S
i like things to be as simple as possible.

the reason why i use the barrel is cause i change 90% of water in my juvenile discus tank. and i have 2 other tank i change weekly.


once a long time ago i change water using the python and sink water. i had it down to a science.
the rest went down hill in my tank. never again.

Here's how I do mine:







The filter is much easier to carry than bucket after bucket.

I have fifteen tanks in several rooms. I have one hose running outside for the siphon, and one from the sink to fill. If I'm not doing any "rearranging", I can be filling while I siphon.

Nice setup. I just tried on Friday the technique of siphoning the water out the window and adding water from a hose outside the house and all my cichlids did just fine. It took me a total of 15 mins to remove 50% of the water and fill a 55 Gal and 40 Gal.

Unknown, What kind of water filter is that?

it looks like the filter you hook up to your tap for drinkiing
my parents had one back in the day.

they work well, but there made to filter so many gallons of water, then carbon/filter needs to be changed out.

i like the idea!

the filter is one that hooks up for drinking water that goes on the tap. i had one 10 years ago for my tanks and it worked well. i got this one off of ebay for $45 that included shipping and handling. instead of filling the tank with cold water, we can adjust it to the temp needed so there are no drastic water temp variations.....

mrs unknown.