Water changing technique

[Scrumpy]

It's such a palaver changing the water in my tank that I tend to do one big change every fortnight. It's not emptying out the water, but returning it bucket by bucket that's the problem...trooping all through the house with buckets of water and a toddler under my feet.
Anyway...I've been thinking of buying a hose long enough to go from the kitchen taps to the tank and filling it from there. I'm planning on getting a splitter should such a thing exist) so I can add the right temperature.
The thing that worries me is the dechlorinator/heavy metal remover. I tend to take out all the water from the tank but for 6 inches at the bottom ...and then add a little dechlorinator to each bucket of water before I add it back into the tank.
Would it work if I put the whole amount of dechlorinator straight into the 6 inches left at the bottom of the tank... and then just let the tank fill up from the hose?

 

[SoulFish]

why not just by a python system or make a DIY one, there directions somewhere in the forums do a search for it, just add the dechlorinater as you add the water

 

[madhippoz]

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/diy_python.php

Here's a link to the DIY yourself job. I built one myself and it worked out pretty well, makes things a lot easier, and aireates the water a lot better than just dumping it in from a bucket.

 

[Saint]

Python is the way to go!

 

[Laura]

I use a hose, and an attachemnt for my kitchen faucet.

To get the water out is way eaiser, too, siphon.

 

[cholula]

I wouldnt use a python because I like to
treat my water with Prime prior to use...
I take a 30 gallon pastic trash can and
fill it up .. .add Prime, then submerge a
powerhead with air tube feeding its output.
I let run for a couple days.....
Then I vaccum the 150g tank letting the
water run out into the yard.....
Then I drop a cap-5000 into the 30 gallon
trash can with a water hose connected to
it and fill the tank back up... works good.

 

[Slacker]

So its cool to fill a tank with striaght tapwater with dechlorinator in it?

 

[Coyote]

For me, I do 25% water change every 2 weeks. I use tap water without dechlorinator and my residents are still healthy and robust.