# Water changing equipment



## frogwings (Aug 26, 2011)

I have been thinking about getting a water changer. Are there any recommendations or thoughts on the use of this equipment?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

There are few levels. You can do most with just a gravel vacuum and a bucket. If you wanted the full thing that will add or take out water and adapt to your faucet, I use the Aqueon brand.....Aquarium Maintenance and Water Changes: Aqueon Aquarium Water Changer To drain my water I just stick the hose out the door.


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## frogwings (Aug 26, 2011)

I really don't need the faucet attachment, so the gravel vacuum should be all I need. I have one of those vacuums that is just the 10" siphon tube with maybe 5 feet of tubing requiring manual labor to start. UGH! (I continually mess that up.) I was looking at both the one you recommended and one called "Mr. Clean Gravel Siphon" that is battery operated. Seems like there is better control with the little battery operated ones. The tip of the siphon looks smaller on the Mr. Clean version possibly preventing it from vacuuming up the fish. Have you heard any evaluations on the Mr. Clean version?


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## Rob72 (Apr 2, 2011)

never used that brand, i use python no spill same deal as what jrman has, they work great easy to drain and fill your aquarium


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## demuddy (Sep 22, 2011)

I would recommend watching some water changes being done on the many YouTube vids of that. I am suspicious of the battery operated gizmo:

1) small tanks require the smaller gauge clear tubing to suck out the smaller poo and debris since every little bit adds to the total amonia/m, nitrite/nitrate fluctuation; if the suction is too strong, not much cleaning/vacuuming is done before half the water is gone. Small tanks should not be changed much more than a third without risking shock to the fish (unless the fish are pretty sturdy like Angelfish).
2) large tanks require large gauge tubing (think garden hose) so that you don't spend the whole afternoon just to suck out 5 gallons of water and so that you can gravel vacuum effectively (small gauge tubing cannot gravel vacuum, for instance) and since larger tanks can handle some remaining debris left behind without having the amonia/m, nitrite/nitrate spike.

In this context, the battery operated tubing will not be needed in the small tank water changes since you wanna keep the suction weak to get at all the corners and the little floaters, and in the larger tanks, the power of the water mass being moved makes whatever that little battery operated gizmo contributes to the pumping negligible to the total effect or powerless to do anything about changing the flow rate.

I just use a soft rubber garden hose with a siphon/vacuum tube attachment at the aquarium end and the exit end going into the floor drain in the corner of the basement. After the cleaning and vacuuming is done, I just plug the hose into my faucet (without adjusting the temperature, since my tank is sufficiently large such that most water changes don't change the tank temperature by more than a degree Centigrade/Fahrenheit) and the aquarium end into the aquarium with something to deflect the power of the spray. With my smaller tanks, I fill a 5 gallon bucket with the temperature matched within a degree centigrade/Fahrenheit of my small tank (< 10 gallons or so), and then do the water change.

I've heard a lot of people recommending the python set-up, but it basically is just an attachment that screws onto most faucets, but since I have a kitchen sink and a bare iron spigot faucet near my tank, I just use the garden hose and plug into the spigot without screwing it or threading it in any way (and so far it hasn't fallen off under the water pressure).

When you watch the YouTube vids, a lot will make sense.


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

I don't waste my $$ and things like that. Just go down to Lowes and pick up a few feet of tubing and done deal. If I have to gravel vac (rarely), I just cut the top off a soda bottle and drill a hole in the cap just a little smaller than the tubing.


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## frogwings (Aug 26, 2011)

Great feedback! After studying everyone's opinion, I think my current method is satisfactory. I use the siphon that comes with the 10" tube (cheap one from Petsmart). I took the large plastic vacuum tube off and just use the little cap with the small, clear tubing - manual suction (blah). Of course, I start all siphoning processes with clean water. 

I have a ten gallon tank, heavily planted, so there are many tiny corners where debris can hide. This is the weird thing: I can see, what I would call, a lot of debris on the gravel surface, but all my tests (nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, and ph) come back perfectly normal. I test the water every few days and do 25% water changes every week. My vacuuming has been infrequent for the past month (foot surgery and can't put weight on it) but all seems well despite that. So, after my cast comes off, tomorrow, I will continue on my present course and increase the vacuuming to once a week when I do the water changes. Does anyone see any potential problems with this routine? Thank you all for your advice and recommendations!


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## Big Dog (May 17, 2010)

I like the Aqueon water changer. The stuff you by at lowes is junk. I should know. I did that and all I had was alot bent tubing. Spend the extra money. It's well worth it.


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

Big Dog said:


> The stuff you by at lowes is junk.


Curious here....how can the tubing be junk? It's the same tubing that they use on those dang syphon setups. LOL Too funny.


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## Big Dog (May 17, 2010)

It may be made out of the same stuff. The tubing is much thicker than the lowes stuff. At least at my lowes. LOL I bought 50ft of the stuff. I thought I could also save money here. I was wrong.


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

Ahhhh...I see.

It's all good. To each their own I recon. I'll stay the DIY route and save a dime or two.


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## Big Dog (May 17, 2010)

I do say the same ting. DIY is a great way to go. Just look for good tubing I would say. *w3


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## demuddy (Sep 22, 2011)

frogwings said:


> I have a ten gallon tank, heavily planted, so there are many tiny corners where debris can hide. This is the weird thing: I can see, what I would call, a lot of debris on the gravel surface, but all my tests (nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, and ph) come back perfectly normal. I test the water every few days *and do 25% water changes every week*.


25% water changes with a heavily planted tank taking up the amonia/m changing it to nitrite, then to nitrite is probably what is keeping your levels steady. 25% water change every week for a 10 gallon tank is more than sufficient, especially if you don't have massively piggish fish, like discus or angelfish or any others that eat a lot and then poop it all out.

My tank used to be heavily planted too (defoliated due to massive black brush algae outbreak) and I could never get all the poop and residual food out. This didn't seem a problem.


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## Shapeless (Sep 27, 2011)

I work at lowe's. We have tubing in several gauges. It's only about a quarter more per foot for the good stuff.


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## frogwings (Aug 26, 2011)

My tubing seems to be of a good quality as it doesn't kink (which is what the cheap stuff does I presume). Therefore, the DIY system is the way to go unless I get too discombobulated by the whole thing in which case I will check out the Aqueon water changer. I want to save up for a bigger tank, lots of plants and fish. Again, great input! Thanks!


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## Big Dog (May 17, 2010)

I live in a small country town. The Lowes by us is small. I happen to go to a Home Depot about hour and a half from me. Boy did this store had everything. I guess the larger the store the more stuff they carry.


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