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Multiple large tanks and water changes

9K views 63 replies 15 participants last post by  cwmorrow 
#1 ·
Because I don't have room for any more tanks right now, I like to do a lot of planning and dreaming. I've got some setups worked out that I'd like to try in the future. But one of my hangups seems to be water changes. I've got a python and am more than capable of doing them. Right now I mark off Sunday as water change day, and get them done then. It doesn't take more than a few hours, but I only have one large tank (55 gallon). In the future I would like to have at least four tanks in excess of 50 gallons. Doing them all on one day seems a bit daunting and very time consuming.

For those of you who have multiple large tanks, how do you organize your water changes? All on one day? Spread them out through the week? I'm curious to know others' solutions for this problem. These tanks won't come to fruition for at least another 5 years, so all of this is merely speculative. I don't need a solution right away. I just like to plan ahead.
 
#40 ·
Because I'm not too sure where I will be living when I finally get my large setups, I might need to make mixtures with RO. I love the softwater fish and if I'm living in an area with rock hard water, I will need to soften my water.

:lol: Randy, you are crazy! That's a ton of buckets!!
 
#41 ·
So of us dose nitrate, cuz yes its hard to maintain nitrate in a densely planted tank. If you do a heavy fertilizer regime 50% weekly water changes are kinda required. Then I bump nitrate up to 20ppm after ever water change. And thats just one of 5 fertilizers.

I know quite a few ppl do water changes without dechlor, but depends on your tap water and the size of the water change. At my old apartment I wouldn't worry if I forgot dechlor since it was chlorinated weakly, my new place has chloramines and they are pretty heavy.
 
#42 · (Edited)
Jaysee: I was planning to put a pump in the 40 gallon mixing "drum" (a heavy duty garbage can on castors), wheel that sucker up to my aquarium, put the hose into the sump or aquarium and pump away. Sound like a plan?

Mikaila: If we are doing smaller scale water changes we can often "get away with" not using dechlorinator. But since my hammerheaded fish killing goof up 15 years ago I don't feel much like gambling anymore, regardless.

Izzy: "crazy". Guity as charged!
 
#43 ·
Jaysee, I was planning to put a pump in the 40 gallon mixing "drum" (a heavy duty garbage can on castors), wheel that sucker up to my aquarium, put the hose into the sump or aquarium and pump away. Sound like a plan?
I would just get a powerful enough pump and a long enough hose as to not have to move the drum.
 
#44 ·
You young kids always want to do things the easy way!

Yes. Since this is a "fantasy" for me at this point, that would make sense.

And I would be able to afford it.

If I pumped into the sump instead of the tank, I wouldnt have to use such a powerful pump. Even a big ol siphon might work. Hmn. Jaysee, I like how you think.
 
#45 ·
No nonsense ;)
 
#47 ·
Yes, but you add the dechlorinator (conditioner) when you start the refill and these products work instantly. I have fish that like to swim in the current from the Python, and they wouldn't be doing that if the chlorine was burning their gills.
 
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#52 ·
I think another consideration is not just the price per ml, but the concentration.
Personally, I don't need it, but I like Prime, especially at 2 drops/gallon - 5ml per 50 gallons. It may cost a little more, but goes twice as far as some cheaper competing products. Worth the mention I think.
 
#54 ·
Yes, that is a very valid point. All of the conditioners I have used suggest 1 teaspoon (=5ml) per 10 gallons. But there is the issue of adding all those unnecessary (for me) chemicals to deal with ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, and I simply do not want those in my tanks. If i didn't have plants, or had any of these in my source water (as I know you do) that would be very different.
 
#57 ·
Forgive me for being dense, but I am confused about the python. I understand that you can refill your tank with it but will the dechlorinator work on the tap water when you put it into the tank first?

If I had a python, I could dose the tank with dechlorinator and then fill er up? It seems like a scary proposition; but I don't understand how long the dechlorinators work after being added to the tank.
 
#58 ·
Forgive me for being dense, but I am confused about the python. I understand that you can refill your tank with it but will the dechlorinator work on the tap water when you put it into the tank first?

If I had a python, I could dose the tank with dechlorinator and then fill er up? It seems like a scary proposition; but I don't understand how long the dechlorinators work after being added to the tank.
Yes, the dechlorinator added to the tank will instantly neutralize chlorine in the tap water entering the tank, as it enters. I have used a Python for over 15 years now, and I start the tank refill at the faucet, then go back to the tank and squirt in the conditioner. Or you can squirt it in first, then refill. Only in very small tanks, like my 10g, do I not use the Python, because it fills too fast.:lol:

Conditioners tend to remain effective for 24-36 hours.
 
#64 ·
Okay, this is very cool.
I bought the Aqueon water changer. It leaks about the faucet, I'm going to try and find a brass replacement for the fitting and use teflon tape.
I did the two fifties in the fish room, put a thermometer in the sink, adjusted the temperature, and after syphoning less than twenty gallons out, put in 1 ml of API water conditioner turned the appropriate valves on.

Again, this is very cool.

Thanks, Byron and all.
 
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