Better water changes

[BristleWormHater]

I am currently doing water changes with a measuring cup and throwing water out my 2nd story window how should I do this better? Right now I have a bucket, measuring cup, and my window. I want to use a gravel siphon and pump but is there as specific type of pump I need or just a standard return pump?

 

[theMeat]

If the tank is higher than your shower floor or toilet let gravity do the work. No pump needed. Just a long enough hose

 

[exnisstech]

All my waste water goes down the drain.
EDIT check out gravel vacuums. I like to take out a fixed amount that will be my normal water change. Then I'll make a mark on the glass somewhere showing the level when that amount has been removed. Makes measuring much easier. I also make a full mark before I drain

 

[TheRealDmorty217]

I am currently doing water changes with a measuring cup and throwing water out my 2nd story window how should I do this better? Right now I have a bucket, measuring cup, and my window. I want to use a gravel siphon and pump but is there as specific type of pump I need or just a standard return pump?

Get a long enough hose and take it to the shower or toilet. As far as measuring amounts of water get a gallon jug of some sort and count how many you took out, also mark the line on your tank with a marker.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

You throw saltwater out your second story window? Hopefully you check before throwing lol Just flush it!

You should get a spare powerhead, it will make mixing water so much easier. Get another bucket. Get a syphon (or gravel hose). Use one bucket to syphon water out of the tank into the bucket, then flush down the toilet! Then add the new water to the tank.

Get a bucket from home depot, and a syphon from any pet store, and get the cheapest powerhead from amazon, you should be able to get it all under $25.

 

[BristleWormHater]

You throw saltwater out your second story window? Hopefully you check before throwing lol Just flush it!

You should get a spare powerhead, it will make mixing water so much easier. Get another bucket. Get a syphon (or gravel hose). Use one bucket to syphon water out of the tank into the bucket, then flush down the toilet! Then add the new water to the tank.

Get a bucket from home depot, and a syphon from any pet store, and get the cheapest powerhead from amazon, you should be able to get it all under $25.

Do I need a pump of some kind to start the siphon?

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Do I need a pump of some kind to start the siphon?

No. Simply have one end in the tank, and with the other end dip it in to get some water so that way most of the tube is filled with water. Then quickly take the one end out into a bucket (or to wherever you want that water to go), and put it lower than the tank. It should create a siphon if done correctly.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Do I need a pump of some kind to start the siphon?

No, you just suck the hose to create the syphon. Like in the movies when people syphon gas out of cars

 

[BristleWormHater]

No, you just suck the hose to create the syphon. Like in the movies when people syphon gas out of cars

Ok thanks

 

[KrisReef]

I am currently doing water changes with a measuring cup and throwing water out my 2nd story window how should I do this better? Right now I have a bucket, measuring cup, and my window. I want to use a gravel siphon and pump but is there as specific type of pump I need or just a standard return pump?

You needs a submersible pump with a nozzle outlet that fits your siphon hose.

A good submersible pump with a hose that is longer to reach across a room is worth a lot of money to me. My current setup has a 3/4 inch vinyl tube probably 8 feet long that pumps ~600 gph and can siphon out at about the same rate for water changes on tanks that require 5 gallons or more just for top off purposes.

Having really good setup for moving water makes doing maintenance work much more enjoyable and so the task gets done quickly and more often than when it is a dread.

Tossing water out the window, Do you have a water closet upstairs?

 

[aSaltyKlown]

A Python no spill & fill was a game changer. I first siphoned it into a bucket, well buckets to so I could draw a line on the tank marking 10% and 20%. Once that is done the next water change is easy, hook up to a sink and drain. For the refill, I do have a 20g brute, but it is in the basement. For that, I got the 25' extension for the Python and a $65 sump pump off Amazon that can do a 25' head height. A WC takes me about 15-20.

The Python was the 2nd best thing I got after an ATO.

 

[H@rry]

No, you just suck the hose to create the syphon. Like in the movies when people syphon gas out of cars

I've never been in the movies but have done that a few times. We called the hose an "Oklahoma Credit Card".

 

[Joe.D]

I bought a Python when I set up the tank and used a mark on the tank when removing 10 gallons. Didn’t like wasting the water with Python, so now I just use the large Python tube and hose and siphon into an empty salt bucket with a line drawn with a sharpie at 5 gallons. I fill it and dump into toilet twice to take out 10 gallons. No need to suck the hose, easy to start the flow by filling the Python tube and let gravity do the work. I mix my salt water in a brute on wheels. Have that marked at 10 gallons. I wheel it over and use a small Sicce pump to fill the 10 gallons.