How do you do your water change?

My nitrate shot up to 40 so I did a 30% water change dragging a heavy garbage can full of water that I prepared couple days ahead. Is there any easier way other than the traditional bucket method? On a positive side, nitrate is now lowered to about 15.

 

You could use pumps to drain the new water from a container to the tank and vice versa. you could even drill a hole in the lower portion of the container, plumb it, and set it up with valves so one pump can drain old tank water and fill it back up with new water.

 

I use python to drain the water so that's easy but filling up? Is there any illustration on how to install pump and valve to pull the new water into the tank from the container?

 

I have my water mixing station downstairs and my tanks upstairs. I got tired of carrying buckets up so I got a big pump (I think it is a mag12 or something) and hooked up a 1" hose onto it. I then drilled a hole in the floor and ran the tubing up through that. I placed a turn-valve on the end of it so I can block the flow of water from going everywhere when I turn on the pump. (I live alone) So I just simply remove the water from the tank with a 1' hose and then go downstairs and plug the pump in, go up and open the stop-valve and refill the tank When I want RO/DI water, I just switch the pump over

 

I usually hook up a pump.. I have trash cans in the garage where i make the water. BTW... 30% is huge water change.. I think I would do less unless you got a real emergency. Do a smaller water change then another after a day or two.

 

Also If you get a pump for this.. Don't make the mistake I made by getting a 200gph .. It will barely pump the water and takes a while for me to pump 25 gallons. It can't even pump it up to the top of the tank. I can only pump it to the sump ... very weak pump.

 

I mix the water a day ahead of time in a garbage can next to the tank. Then I use my old Rio 2100 to pump in what I have taken out. The hose I use to pump in the water has a ball valve attached so that I can control flow.

 

Thats a pretty sweet system you got there shackmel. K+ to you for figuring that out.

 

thanks....It works well!

 

i use a hose thats made to syphon gas never used with gas and it works great for 8$ (i got it on sale for $1) no metal parts so it's good i only have a 10 gallon so it works fine for me