My first bucketless water change

I've always used buckets and a short vinyl hose, but I finally got some python parts in a CL lot. The vinyl hose that came with the python was long gone. I've got a new garden hose, but I'm suspicious of the metal fitting. Alright to use the hose?

Also, what about Prime? I can't let my water sit in the bucket with the Prime for a minute before adding it to my tanks anymore.. What should I do? Add enough Prime to treat the entire tank's worth of water immediately before refilling?

Thanks!

On the Prime just add enough to treat the amount of water to be changed into the tank. If you are aging the water I have read that Prime clouds up in holding tanks and is recommended to do as above and add Prime to the tank as the water is going in.

-3de- wrote:

On the Prime just add enough to treat the amount of water to be changed into the tank. If you are aging the water I have read that Prime clouds up in holding tanks and is recommended to do as above and add Prime to the tank as the water is going in.

It shall be done.

How about the garden hose?

Never had prime cloud the water to be honest and that is with week old water but that is not to say it won't. I have also used prime right before I added water and it was fine haha. So safe either way I suppose.

If you're able to just go to home depot/Lowes and pick up some hose for it. Normally very cheap for the smaller pipe sizes.
If you mean the larger garden hose size fitting that are on some of the pythons as a drain tube then as long as the water is going away from the tank I see no problem with this. Most of the hoses I have owned are corrosion resistant anyways.

ryan drain the amout of water say if u have a 55 gal tank and u drain half when u go to fil it uo get the water at the right temp and start filling the tank put put a cap full of prime in the tank when u start filling the tank it will work on the spot just check the temp as youre filling sometimes it will change as u fill

strikingthematch wrote:

If you mean the larger garden hose size fitting that are on some of the pythons as a drain tube then as long as the water is going away from the tank I see no problem with this. Most of the hoses I have owned are corrosion resistant anyways.

I've been using a garden hose to drain - I cut off the fitting at the end that goes in the tank. The "python" (not sure it's actually python brand, but it's green) faucet adapter's 'refill' port is threaded and sized to fit a garden hose. So if I used the hose with the faucet adapter, the cut off end of the hose would still go in the tank. Now, the threads on the adapter are male, so I suppose contact between the water and the metal hose fitting would be limited. I don't even know what the thing's made of. Which metals should be avoided, anyway? Anything but SS?

I would stay away from just steel and maybe copper but the contact with the water is so limited I really doubt it would matter. Just clean it off before each use I suppose. Honestly I would not worry about it at all haha. If you are I believe they make some plastic fittings as well that should work.

Hey ! I use a hose some times for my water changes, the only draw back I find is the longer the hose..the longer it can take to clean, I guess it could have something to do with how strong a suction it can get though. I have a hose that is long enough to go from my fish tanks in the living room to out the front door, i'm not sure how long that actually is though, I need to measure it

If you use a outside hose, I would recommend to run the water a little first to clear the hose. Sometimes the water just sits in the hose when not in use.

The hose is new. It's only been used a few times to drain fish tanks for water changes.

I'm going to give it a shot, then. I'm excited - no more buckets!!

Are you on well water or City water ?
We use a Python here , but we are on well water . Suck the water out , adjust the temp . and reverse for water changes . We don't use chemicals , but then as I said , we are on well water here . We do 41 tanks weekly and 3 tanks every other day .
Ray

Well water here too but don't use the python. Wouldn't really work for me to use one as I have to age the water first due to low pH from the well; < 6

I toss prime in as I am putting the water from the python. Same time. Prime is very powerful so it will do it's job. never had a fish pass or water cloud. Prime and Metro (metro is a med) are the only things that go into my water.

I'm on municipal water.

Is there anybody who believes it'd be horribly stupid to use the garden hose? Last chance.

Thanks, all!

i just keep adding the prime where water in entering the tank. until i know how much to put for amount of water change...

the only way to go!!!

Are there controlled fluid dispensers out there for aquariums? I'm thinking something that would clip on the top frame and drip at a certain rate. I bet I could make one.

I have seen quite a few mentions of automatic top off devices. Even auto water changers too.

Oh, no doubt. I wondering about small, controlled dosing like for Prime or meds.

Like and auto fert doser maybe?

Maybe - I'll have to look into that. Good idea!

I was thinking more DIY, though. If I could find the flow rate from the faucet through the hose, I could figure an appropriate drip rate for Prime going in. Maybe I could make use of an inexpensive drip acclimation system?

Where can I find cheap roller clamps?

I wonder about garden hoses myself-when the water dont smeel good or is all foamy.Try industrial hoses for cars-goodyear makes them.You could get a 20- 40gallon trash can or plastic storage box(sterlite etc.)with-get this-a small electric pump-fill container,de-chlorinate,then use the pump to fill tank back up.no lifting required!