I have a 55 gal. fresh water tank, and now I want to get another tank, a much larger tank. The way I clean the tank I have now is to take out about 45% of the water and replace with clean water. This way of doing the cleaning would seem to me to be very hard to do with a much larger, is their a better way? I have asked the people at Pet Smart by my house and they are not of much use. I am going to make the new larger take a community tank, and the 55 gal. tank I have, I will put a couple of Oscars in it or something. Thanks for any help you can give.
Alittle help please
- Thread starter strout
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Doing water changes is the best way to keep the water clean and get the crud and stuff off of the bottom. If your doing this with a siphon and bucket, I can understand your apprehension. Heh, I wouldn't want to do that much on a 55 gallon myself.
What about a phython water changer? Are you using this, or thought about it? You can't really get any better as far as water changes go. They hook up to a faucet and drain, then fill up right from the same hose. When filling up it is a bit tricky getting the water temp right, but you get better at the more practice you have. (and if you don't have one and are going to buy one, might I suggest an online retailer rather than petsmart, as I've seen the prices at petsmart and the python is usually cheaper online.)
What about a phython water changer? Are you using this, or thought about it? You can't really get any better as far as water changes go. They hook up to a faucet and drain, then fill up right from the same hose. When filling up it is a bit tricky getting the water temp right, but you get better at the more practice you have. (and if you don't have one and are going to buy one, might I suggest an online retailer rather than petsmart, as I've seen the prices at petsmart and the python is usually cheaper online.)
Look into a python or similar product, petco and petsmart both sell this and makes water changes very easy, heres a link --> Aquarium Maintenance & Water Changes: Python No Spill Clean 'N Fill. I can do maintenance on all my tanks in less than 1hr.
Looks like orion and I were posting at the same time..lol
Welcome to MFT
Looks like orion and I were posting at the same time..lol
Welcome to MFT
Last edited:
Welcome to the tank! You could also do a smaller % change. I would think that you are using a 5g bucket, because you said you are doing a 45% change. I do not think you have to do that big of a change on a weekly basis.
It also seems like you might be getting MTS. If so, I would recommend using the buckt/python method. When pulling the water out, use the bucket. When filling the tanks, use the python. I have found that when using a python to remove the water, you send at least the same amount down the drain out of the tap. This is not a big deal with a couple of tanks, but if you are going to do a community tank with livebearers, you will have more tanks soon.
It also seems like you might be getting MTS. If so, I would recommend using the buckt/python method. When pulling the water out, use the bucket. When filling the tanks, use the python. I have found that when using a python to remove the water, you send at least the same amount down the drain out of the tap. This is not a big deal with a couple of tanks, but if you are going to do a community tank with livebearers, you will have more tanks soon.
The OP didn't state that he/she was changing out that much on a weekly basis.
This brings up a good point, namely how often you're changing out the 45%. A lot of us change 20-25% weekly, or larger amounts every other week for good water quality.
The Python is most definitely the way to go. No more buckets -- Yay!!! I get up on Sunday mornings, hook up the Python, and in a half hour or so, the tanks are good to go for another week. Can't beat it!
This brings up a good point, namely how often you're changing out the 45%. A lot of us change 20-25% weekly, or larger amounts every other week for good water quality.
The Python is most definitely the way to go. No more buckets -- Yay!!! I get up on Sunday mornings, hook up the Python, and in a half hour or so, the tanks are good to go for another week. Can't beat it!
One quick question: when do you add the water conditioner when using a Python?
I'm still doing the whole bucket-and-siphon method (I'm sure my wife would appreciate my spending less time cleaning my tanks). And, when I add the water, I condition it before it ever goes into the tank. That seems safest to me. Do y'all add the conditioner directly to the tank and then fill it with the Python?
I'm thinking of getting bigger tanks when we move (I mean, that's a good enough excuse, no?) and I won't be using the bucket-and-siphon method with anything larger than I currently have.
I'm still doing the whole bucket-and-siphon method (I'm sure my wife would appreciate my spending less time cleaning my tanks). And, when I add the water, I condition it before it ever goes into the tank. That seems safest to me. Do y'all add the conditioner directly to the tank and then fill it with the Python?
I'm thinking of getting bigger tanks when we move (I mean, that's a good enough excuse, no?
) and I won't be using the bucket-and-siphon method with anything larger than I currently have.