Hello,

I currently have a 10 gallon planted tank and I perform a 50% water change weekly. The new water is prepared (heated, treated, increase GH and KH) in a 5 gallon Home Depot bucket the night before the change. 5 Gallons is not hard to manage.

I am installing a 50 gallon tank and now I have to think about how I will change 25 gallons on a weekly basis. I could probably get a large trash can or other container that will hold 25 gallons, but it will take 10 trips to drain and fill using my 5 gallon bucket.

I have seen the Python product and I could connect it to my Kitchen sink faucet. I could adjust the tap water to match the tank temp easy enough, my concerns are over the water treatment.

My local utility adds Chlorine to the water ( average 1.5 ppm, no more than 4.0 ppm based on water quality report). Will adding water to the tank and treating with Seachem Prime in the tank cause any issues?

My tap water has a GH of about 1 and a KH of less than one. Will treating the water after it is in the tank to increase GH and KH cause any problems?

If this method wont work I could still use the Python to drain the tank. I probably need to find a 25 gallon container on wheels and add an underwater pump for refills. That way I can pre-treat the night before like I am currently doing.

I know that others have much larger tanks than 50 gallons. Any ideas on how you manage 50% water changes would be much appreciated!

Best Regards,

Brian

When I add water during a 50% change, I just judge the temperature with a finger, and use tap water for the fill. But, I always add Prime as I begin adding the new water. I don't bother with GH or KH, and both are pretty low. It would probably be better for me to raise both of them a couple of degrees, but I haven't seen a need to do so yet. The only time I can see going thru the conditioning process you use is if you are keeping very sensitive fish in the tank, that absolutely need special water conditions. (I have no idea if there even exists such a fish.)

I have a 75 gallon fish only tank and a 30 gallon plant tank. I do some pre treatment of water by mixing dechlorinator and sometimes baking soda for kh in a couple liters of water. I use a python and slowly pour the treated water in as I fill the tank. I have regularly changed 50-70% of my water with no problem.

Henry

It's a good arguement for smaller, more frequent water changes. I have a 125G marine macro algae tank, and a 75G freshwater tank, both of which receive water changes via 55g plastic drums that I purchased from a surplus dealer. The drums look like oil drums, but are white plastic, and have standard 3/4" threaded fittings for hoses and such.

I always have the drums (2) filled, and they are in the same room as the tanks, so temperature isn't much of an issue (I don't have heated tanks) - however, you could easily heat them in the 12-24 hours leading up to a water change.

RAS

I use the 5g buckets to drain my 50g tank...and have 3 of them for that. I usually have two siphons going at once.

When it comes to filling, I typically use my hose to fill it. I have a brass wye that allows for two outputs both on their own valve. One is free flowing and the other has a water diffuser I got from Home Depot (Looks like an old style microphone if you know what I mean). I use the free flowing end to flush water through the hose outside (at least a minute to get fresh water in all the pipes and hose). Then I shut off the valve and bring the end into the tank. I crack open the valve with the diffuser on it and let the tank fill very slowly. My Eheim 2126 Thermofilter does a good job of heating things up quickly and safely. In the really cold months I've been know to drop in an additional heater to help it out. It helps that my water isn't usually more than 20 degrees off from the tap and I fill very slowly.

I needed to move my 10 gallon to make way for my 50. I drained just under 5 gallons into a bucket and marked the water line on the back corner of the aquarium with a sharpie marker for future draining reference.

I connected the Python that I purchased today, adjusted the tap water temp and then filled the tank. I added Seachem Prime to the tank while I was filling it. Nothing in the tank (plant or animal) seemed to mind after it was complete.

Now that my 50 gallon is getting set up I had to put my 10 gallon back on a fermentation CO2 bottle. I will dose with Excel and save my pennies to get another CO2 setup in the new year!

Thanks for all of your suggestions and inputs.

Brian Ferguson

Water is mixed from R/O. Same Temp, Same Basic Chemistry, and pumped in, and out at app. 600 gph. by switching the circulating pump. Water is directed up through a diffuser with very little turbulance. 15 Minute waterchange ! Prof M