How do you change your water in your fish tank?

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Ashley

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I was wondering for some of you people who have incredible big tanks.... How in the world do you clean them out and fill them back up? Its got to take forever. I have a 10g tank and it takes me forever to change the water. So whoever has the most efficient way gets the best answer :}.

I would like some ideas on how it is the easiest this is why im doing this. :}
I dont have a syphon or whatever its called i cant see it while typing this so yeah. Iv never seen one of those before but thanks for telling me about them ill try and find one.
 
We do not change the whole water out.
25% weekly followed by 30-40% monthly maintenance.
I take no more than half our doing all this.
If you are taking longer you might be doing something wrong. Careful.
 
Use a syphon! you can go to your local fish shop and buy a gravel syphon filter. It is a plastic contraption than has a nozzle at the end which looks abit like a hairdryer! at the other end is a long tube, like a hose. You submerse this in to the water leaving the end of the tube out then you suck until just before the water enters your mouth. Then you turn the tube at a downwards angle into a bucket of some sort. The other end (the nozzle) use it to suck up debris from the gravel. This device is great because you clean your gravel as well as removing water at the same time. To refill, as water using a jug and funnel or fill your bucket with fresh water and syphon (similar process- use a tube or hose put one end in the bucket, suck the water and put the other end in the tank) make sure the bucket is higher than the tank or else it won't work
Hope that made sense. It's easier done than said
Changing saltwater is slightly different as you must be careful not to startle the fish and usually i empty water directly from the external filter then refill the tank via a syphon and air tube back into the tank.
 
I use a clean and fill gravel siphon that hooks to the kitchen sink or the garden hose
 
i have a 40 gallon and it takes me about half an hour to do a 20% water change once a week
i have no idea how it takes you so long
i syphon the water including gravel vac the substrate into 2 buckets,
rinse sponges in the tank water from filter
empty buckets
fill both buckets with clean water adding some warm to bring to temp
add water dechlorinator and aqua plus (for live bacteria)
using water jug fill back up

seriously takes half an hour once a week
never fully empty your tank

plus i also have a 20gallon goldfish tank and this takes me less time same as above only i dont have to warm up the water so its waay quicker
 
In my 150 gallon, I still do it the old fashion way. I just use a gravel vacuum and vacuum up and debris or detritus (waste) on the bottom of the tank and in the gravel and also take in about 10% of the water each week. You could also use a siphon from some vinyl air tubing, suck on it slightly and then put it face down in a bucket.

I also scrub for algae. And clean up and debris on plants. I then dose any ferts for my plants.
 
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