PPulcher
Oct 4th 2007, 11:38 AM
On water change day, I like to pre-treat my water with Prime before I put it into the tanks. This allows me to add anything else that I might want like salt or other water conditioners. Also, during the winter our mains water seems to contain a lot more dissolved gasses, as the cold water temperature is very low. You've all seen those unsightly bubbles in your tanks right after a water change? I don't like them, and I've read that they may be responsible for 'gas bubble disease.' Thus, I like to age and agitate my water whenever I can to remove the bubbles.
I've got a bunch of tanks, and I was looking for a more efficient way of draining and filling the tanks. I have a python, but I don't like wasting water when I don't need to. Those with tanks lower to the ground will also know that using a python can be a problem, as the sink faucet is usually higher than the tank.
Anyway, this is what I came up with. I need to make some changes (discussed below) but it works pretty well for me.
Stuff:
Plastic HDPE barrels. I got these from a family member who had collected them for use as food containers for Boy Scout canoe trips. These are the ubiquitous 'blue' drums. Mine hold just over 10 gallons of water. I have two. I'm looking into getting one or two of the big boys though as my tank collection grows.
Submersible water pump. I use a small Rio pump, put it does not have enough 'oomph' to push water much higher than about 4' head. For the tanks I have higher on a rack, I need to move the bucket up on to a step stool. I'll be replacing the pump with a larger Mag pump some time soon.
DIY filling rig. I purchased CPVC plumbing parts to create a 'U' shaped filling rig that I can hang over the rim of the tank. A ball valve is used to modulate the flow of water. The vinyl hose is slipped on to a hose barb.
Remote control box. I spotted this thing a few years ago around Holiday time. It's meant for controlling your Christmas lights or something. I plug the pump into this box, and it's controlled with a small remote.
Drain siphon. I keep mostly small, bare bottomed tanks, so I rarely use the python anymore. I have a smaller diameter hose and rigid plastic tube that I use to drain the tanks into 5 gallon buckets.Process:
With the python, I fill the HDPE barrels with water, and add Prime and other stuff as needed.
I plop the pump into the barrel and hook the fillling rig on the side of the bucket so the output goes into the bucket. I then fire up the pump with the remote and allow the water to agitate for a bit.
While the water is churning away, I begin draining the first tank. I'm careful (well mostly) to keep an eye on the buckets so they don't over flow. Good think I have an unfinished basement with a concrete floor...
Once the first tank is complete, I transfer the syphon to the next tank. The pump is turned off, and the filling rig placed over the lip of the just-emptied tank (I'll add a photo later). I turn the pump on with the remote control, adjust the flow and then turn my attention to tank that is draining. I'm pretty cautious, so I kind of trickle the water in on small tanks.
Lather, rinse and repeat, as they say until I'm done.The good:
I meet most of my goals. I pre-treat the water with the correct amount of Prime and I have no worries that any chloramine is getting into my tanks. Also, the tanks are drained/filled at the same time meaning things don't take me as long as they could. Using the Python, I've run into problems with temperature swings when filling tanks. This might be a pecuilarity with my home, but someone always wants to run the dishwater or flush the toilet when I'm working on tanks. The remote control box was an awesome find (if I do say so myself). The whole system would not work nearly as well as it does without it.
The not so good:
If I use the Python things get done faster (but I hate the tiny bubbles). The pump that I picked was way undersized. I've compensated by putting the barrel up on a step stool, but ultimately I would like to have the barrels away from the fish area so I can move around a little better. I'll be getting a larger pump, likely a Mag drive model.
My barrels are really too small. I need about 40 gallons of change water per week, so if I want to age the water overnight I can only change half the tanks. I'm looking into some other barrels that I can use. That said, I rarely age the water for long anymore, just enough to agitate it for 15 minutes or so.
One has to watch out for back siphoning when turning off the pump if the filling rig outlet is below the water level in the tank.
Neutral:
Siphoning tanks into buckets and lugging them to the sink is a pain but it also allows me to make sure that no fish or fry have escape. I've had this happen on several occasions and I was able to remove them from the bucket. I'm thinking of making a 'bottomless' bucket with a hose that goes right to the floor drain. That way I can pull the bucket around on the floor and use a screen over the outlet of the bucket to make sure that fish and other junk don't go down the drain. I'm still mulling the idea over, though.
Pics:
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee104/Ppulcher/hdpe_barrel.jpg
10 Gallon HDPE Barrel
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee104/Ppulcher/fillrig-1.jpg
Filling Rig
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee104/Ppulcher/remote_01.jpg
Remote Box. The Brand is "Skylink"
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee104/Ppulcher/rig_action_03.jpg
Filling rig in action
I've got a bunch of tanks, and I was looking for a more efficient way of draining and filling the tanks. I have a python, but I don't like wasting water when I don't need to. Those with tanks lower to the ground will also know that using a python can be a problem, as the sink faucet is usually higher than the tank.
Anyway, this is what I came up with. I need to make some changes (discussed below) but it works pretty well for me.
Stuff:
Plastic HDPE barrels. I got these from a family member who had collected them for use as food containers for Boy Scout canoe trips. These are the ubiquitous 'blue' drums. Mine hold just over 10 gallons of water. I have two. I'm looking into getting one or two of the big boys though as my tank collection grows.
Submersible water pump. I use a small Rio pump, put it does not have enough 'oomph' to push water much higher than about 4' head. For the tanks I have higher on a rack, I need to move the bucket up on to a step stool. I'll be replacing the pump with a larger Mag pump some time soon.
DIY filling rig. I purchased CPVC plumbing parts to create a 'U' shaped filling rig that I can hang over the rim of the tank. A ball valve is used to modulate the flow of water. The vinyl hose is slipped on to a hose barb.
Remote control box. I spotted this thing a few years ago around Holiday time. It's meant for controlling your Christmas lights or something. I plug the pump into this box, and it's controlled with a small remote.
Drain siphon. I keep mostly small, bare bottomed tanks, so I rarely use the python anymore. I have a smaller diameter hose and rigid plastic tube that I use to drain the tanks into 5 gallon buckets.Process:
With the python, I fill the HDPE barrels with water, and add Prime and other stuff as needed.
I plop the pump into the barrel and hook the fillling rig on the side of the bucket so the output goes into the bucket. I then fire up the pump with the remote and allow the water to agitate for a bit.
While the water is churning away, I begin draining the first tank. I'm careful (well mostly) to keep an eye on the buckets so they don't over flow. Good think I have an unfinished basement with a concrete floor...
Once the first tank is complete, I transfer the syphon to the next tank. The pump is turned off, and the filling rig placed over the lip of the just-emptied tank (I'll add a photo later). I turn the pump on with the remote control, adjust the flow and then turn my attention to tank that is draining. I'm pretty cautious, so I kind of trickle the water in on small tanks.
Lather, rinse and repeat, as they say until I'm done.The good:
I meet most of my goals. I pre-treat the water with the correct amount of Prime and I have no worries that any chloramine is getting into my tanks. Also, the tanks are drained/filled at the same time meaning things don't take me as long as they could. Using the Python, I've run into problems with temperature swings when filling tanks. This might be a pecuilarity with my home, but someone always wants to run the dishwater or flush the toilet when I'm working on tanks. The remote control box was an awesome find (if I do say so myself). The whole system would not work nearly as well as it does without it.
The not so good:
If I use the Python things get done faster (but I hate the tiny bubbles). The pump that I picked was way undersized. I've compensated by putting the barrel up on a step stool, but ultimately I would like to have the barrels away from the fish area so I can move around a little better. I'll be getting a larger pump, likely a Mag drive model.
My barrels are really too small. I need about 40 gallons of change water per week, so if I want to age the water overnight I can only change half the tanks. I'm looking into some other barrels that I can use. That said, I rarely age the water for long anymore, just enough to agitate it for 15 minutes or so.
One has to watch out for back siphoning when turning off the pump if the filling rig outlet is below the water level in the tank.
Neutral:
Siphoning tanks into buckets and lugging them to the sink is a pain but it also allows me to make sure that no fish or fry have escape. I've had this happen on several occasions and I was able to remove them from the bucket. I'm thinking of making a 'bottomless' bucket with a hose that goes right to the floor drain. That way I can pull the bucket around on the floor and use a screen over the outlet of the bucket to make sure that fish and other junk don't go down the drain. I'm still mulling the idea over, though.
Pics:
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee104/Ppulcher/hdpe_barrel.jpg
10 Gallon HDPE Barrel
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee104/Ppulcher/fillrig-1.jpg
Filling Rig
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee104/Ppulcher/remote_01.jpg
Remote Box. The Brand is "Skylink"
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee104/Ppulcher/rig_action_03.jpg
Filling rig in action