Boom Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 Can I use regular garden hose for draining and filling a tank at water changes? I'll be setting up a 180 gallon tank soon and it'll be about 15 feet away from a sink and floor drain. I was thinking of doing my water changes with a garden hose, just put one end in the tank, go to the other end, start the siphon and let it drain into the floor drain. I could vaccuum the sand with it too. Then I could fill the tank back up by connecting the hose to the faucet on the sink. Is garden hose safe? I also have one of those white houses from my camping trailer that's supposed to resist mold and mildew, would that be better? PS. I don't want to use a python because I think it wastes alot of water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qattarra Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 I use a gravel vac with an extra length of tubing I purchased because I drain my tanks right out to my flower beds most of the time , to the tub when I can't. I use a garden hose from the sink to refill . With one for out and another for in , I can work on multiple tanks at a time . I of course use Prime to treat the tank before I refill (thank you John). I simply run hot water through and gravity drain the hose after I'm done to prevent anything in the hose for storage between WCs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JORG Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 Garden hoses work I used to use them for filling my tanks I just don't like them for siphoning I find them a bit rigid and they tend to kink up. They are also a bit stiff to loop up after. I would go to a home reno store and get a long length of the clear tubing same stuff as what comes with the pythons and clamp your fittings onto that. It is also easier to locate the odd snail/gravel snag in a clear hose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boom Posted October 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 Is that clear tubing cheap? I have lots of extra garden hose, that's why I'm asking. If it's safe maybe I'll try it for a while first and if I have problems I can always go get the clear tubing later and just swap ou the fitting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairdeal Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 I have used garden hoses for siphoning and filling my tanks for a long long long time - but spend the extra money and buy a real rubber one to prevent all the kinking etc. associated with the plasticy ones. After a while the less expensive ones also tend to get holes in them from all that constant twisting and kinking. I use a simple plastic attachment (lasts a year or so) that fits over a metal insert in the faucet outlet to both drain and fill the tanks. The inserts come in plastic and metal and the plastic ones wear out in a year or so from all the constant putting on and taking off of the hose attachment. I've had the metal one for close to 3 years now and still no sign of wear. In that same time I've gone through 3 of the plastic hose attachments and I've not run across any of these in metal. I use this set up as I can just let the water from the big tanks run down the drain and while that is going on I can clean at least 5 or 6 foams from my aquaclears so I get 2 things done at the same time. Then while they are filling I strip some females or do maintenance so I'm doing 2 things at the same time again. With all my tanks I'm always looking to save time. LOL The pythons are too quick for me and since I'm not watching all the time while they drain and fill I'm always wondering how many fish would get sucked up from the force of the draining flow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boom Posted October 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 Thanks guys. Another question, to get the sifon started on the hose, do you just use your mouth and suck? Or I was thinking of setting up a plunger type thing to get it going. Maybe use a rubber stopper the same size as the inside of the hose, attach it to a stick, shove it into the hose before the other end is in the tank, then put the other end in the tank, pull out the stopper quickly, and that should start a sifon, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qattarra Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 I just dip the siphon tube (larger plastic hard) , scoop up the water , hold it up so it starts draining, refill it quickly before it's empty and leave it under water. At this point it's going and it's super easy. This works perfectly no mater the diameter or length of the hose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boom Posted October 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 I don't use a large plastic end, just the tube (or hose) same diameter the whole length so I don't think that'll work for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 I used to just suck on the end - at 30'+ long, I'm not worried about getting a mouth full. But, I was over at John's last week, and saw his pump method. I had a pump kicking around, so I just stuck it on the end of the hose and dropped it into the tank and plugged it in. Draining took about 1/2 the time of just normal siphon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seajays Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 I think the pump/ the hose is by far the easiest and fastest way to do water changes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boom Posted October 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 But with the pump method you can't clean the sand, can you? Will it suck up the poop? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punman Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 I have a python-type setup for my upstairs tank but not long enough for the basement tank - so - I use a green garden hose. I hook it up to the shower - run water into the tank for 10 seconds. Disconnect the hose from the shower and set it on the shower floor. With that much drop from upper tank to ground, even my 180 drains fast - no sucking or priming to get the flow going. Some worry about the green hose but I have bred frontosas, cyprichromis, featherfins, and tropheus in that tank with the green fill hose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Posted October 14, 2008 Report Share Posted October 14, 2008 I dont like that idea about the pythons wasting water either but I dont use the attachment. I also find them a waste of money, I by chance got one with an attachment for free. But to get to what I was saying, if you already have one put one end in the tank and suck on the other and let it siphon into your toilet. This way you dont waste water. This is cool finding this add because I was thinking about this last night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
African_Fever Posted October 14, 2008 Report Share Posted October 14, 2008 Do not use the white hose from your trailer - the chemicals that are added to keep the mold and mildew from forming WILL kill your fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firestorm Posted October 14, 2008 Report Share Posted October 14, 2008 A garden hose should be fine, as long as you drain all the water from the hose when you are finished, it should not create alot of mold or mildew. You can buy the python (or similar attachments) and just use it for filling, you don't necessarily have to use the tap to empty with a python either, just don't hook up the hose to the tap. I will just suck on the end of my hoses, once you get the hang of it you usually don't get a mouth full of water lol. Just one quick little suck will usually get the water flowing good. If you don't have a floor drain, just use a toilet, I do it all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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