Water Changes in a 55 gallon tank...?

Question

Every week, about 2x's a week, I change the water in my 55 gallon freshwater aquarium, b/c there is alot of poopies. I've only been able to take out 5 gallons each change, b/c I only have a 5 gallon bucket to put the old water, and a 5 gallon bucket with the heated new water.
What I'm trying to find out is how I can change more than 5 gallons at a time. I have just one heater I can use for the water changes, and even the 5 gallon bucket can be too heavy for me to lift up to put in the tank.
Does anyone have any experiences, suggestions or ideas that may be able to help me?

The thing is with the siphon that connects to the faucet just won't work for me. The temp in the faucet is either too hot or too cold and the hose cannot reach all the way to my bathroom. I do appreciate all your suggestions, but do you think there is any thing else I could do, besides getting another heater and bucket? ....probably not, right.
The thing is I need to have total control over what comes out of my tank and also what goes into it.
Thanks in advance.

Pythons can be used with a bucket? For example, I can have my bucket on the ground and switch the python into reverse to have it suck the water from the bucket into the tank on the stand? If that's how that works, I will definately get that too.
But still need to know how to replace more than 5 gallons of water.
Thanks again!

Well, the hot water from the faucet is tainted and I wouldn't even use it to make pasta. And I don't want to put cold water into my tank and shock any of my fish.

Answer 1

I use one of those plastic totes (10 gallon), and a 2 gallon bucket for my water changes. When the bucket gets full, I dump it, and then resume syphoning. When it's time to fill the tank with clean water, I use a 2 quart pitcher and make trips from the tote to the aquarium. You could probably get a larger tote, 16-20 gallon, and use a gallon pitcher.

Answer 2

I change water on my 75 gallon with only one bucket. You siphon out 5 gallon, pour it down the drain (or where ever you pour your old water), siphon another 5 gallon, etc. Once you have finished taking water out, simply fill a bucket, pour it in, and repeat until you have refilled the tank. Just make sure you unplug your filter and heater in the tank so the water won't get too low for them. The heater will crack if it's out of water and trying to heat.

As far as the water temp from your faucet, just try to get it close. It doesn't have to match perfectly. If you replace 10 of 45 gallon (probably what you actually have in your tank after you add gravel, plants, decorations, etc.) and the water in the tank is 78 degrees, even if the 10 gallon you replace it with is 60 degrees (and I'm sure you can feel it and et it closer than that), you would still only drop the water temp in the tank by about 4 degrees.

As for the weight of the bucket, get a small 1/2 gallon container and dip the water from the bucket to pour in your tank. That's how I do it on my 29 gallon tank when I'm only doing a 5 gallon change and don't want to hook up the python. I never try to pour directly from a 5 gallon bucket into the tank.

Answer 3

I also have a 55 gallon tank and I do my water changes with 1 5 gallon bucket. I use a gravel vac and siphon the water into the bucket until the bucket is 3/4 of the way full. Then I just dump the water and do it again. Once I have the amount of water out that I want I rinse the bucket and fill it with fresh water, pour it in the tank....etc.... It is really quite easy and only takes about 15 mins for the whole process. I would definitely buy a siphon though.... The ones that hook up to the sink don't work for me either so I just bought a cheap $10 one and it works great for what I need. Good luck!

Answer 4

It has been a while since I've seen them but there used to be at least, a hose that you could attach to the faucet of your sink. In the attachment there was a way to allow the water to run out with the faucet on. This created a siphon to suck water out of the tank and down the drain in the sink. Then you could close the valve and push water into the tank directly from the faucet. The pros, no buckets, no back-aches. the cons: it's harder to control temp and ph before it hits the tank so you have to do it after, you really have to watch it or the tank can overflow(did that a couple of times).

Hey in the course of writing this I found one with a cheesy picture.

http://www.futurepets.com/cgi-bin/FULLPRES.exe?PARTNUM=PY20GT

But this really helped when I was working at a pet store and had to do water changes on 27 tanks.

Side note: Just for my piece of mind I have to mention that you only really need a 15%-50% in water changes a week. The water changes are for removing amonia at the end of the natrual cycle in your water. Water changes are not for "poopies" removal. If you are that concerned astheticly, might I suggest getting a fine mesh net(like for baby brine shrimp) and netting is out. There is also a product siphons the water into a mesh bag and pushes the water back into your tank. Unless you don't have a filter on this tank at all or if it's part of a larger breeding program that is going on in the tank, there is no need to do water changes twice a week.

Answer 5

For $25- you can get a Lee or Python syphon that attaches to you sink faucet and it drains out the water from the tank,and fills again by reversing the knob on the hose. Get a thermometer to make sure the new water temp. matched the existing water. Add a little de-chlorinator and conditioner and do this once a week. You can clean the poop by moving the hose end around under the gravel while you syphon.

Answer 6

This is how I do it. I've got several of those 5 gallon ozarka bottles that I go fill up with reverse osmosis water and the water dispensing place by my house. I buff it with Kent's R.O. Right and Neutral regulator. (the tap water in Dallas cannot be used to keep fish no matter what conditioners you put in it) To get it the right temp, I put all the full bottles in my bathtub and fill it with warm to hot water, about half way up the bottles. Then I go start my water change and by the time I need to fill the water is close enough in temp to fill. Only colder water hurts the fish not warmer, but I still get it close. If you keep it with in 5 degrees you should have no problem unless you are raising discus or salt water then I'd get it within a degree or two. Hope this helps you out. Changing 5 gallons at a time 2 times a week is a lot of work for little gain. I do 50% per week, sometimes once every two weeks.

Answer 7

You could always just take out more buckets before you refill the tank or you can buy a gravel vac that hooks up to your sink. There are 2 brands that I know of that do that, the Python and Lees ultimate gravel vac.

http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441776792&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302030123&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023693&bmUID=1173710645972&itemNo=0&Ntt=python&In=All&previousText=python&N=2
http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/product/productInfo.web?infoParam.mode=1&infoParam.itemKey=204222

I don't understand why you can only take out 5 gallons. I use a 5 gallon bucket too but I remove 2 or 3 buckets (depends on the tank) before I refill the tank. I don't use a heater to heat the water that I put back in, if I need it warmer then I turn on the hot water so it comes out the faucet the temp that I need it. It just seems like you are making things a little too difficult for yourself by heating the water in a bucket.

Answer 8

i had the same problem, Walmart and other pet stores sell a kit from Python that attches to your sink check this out, it will suck the water out of your tank rapidly and with a twist of a knob it puts fresh water back in to your tank all by running the water. its called the "No Spill Kit". Now for temp figure your temp in the tank and with the thermometer match the faucet. and ur good to go. Your changing your water whey to ofen its recommended 1/3 change a week what kimnd of fish do you have? [e-mail]

Answer 9

definately buy a python. You don't have to pick up anything heavy all you have to do is hook the hose up to your faucet and it sucks the water out. Once you're ready to replace the water you can get something huge and fill it with water... then use the python to suck that water out and put it back in the tank....You can add the water as slowly as you like.

Answer 10

first of all, I like how you called it "poopies"....that's funny :)
The siphon would work fine. Of course you don't want extremely cold or hot water but somewhere in the middle would be fine. In a 55 gallon tank there is enough water to equalize the change in temp and wouldn't be a big deal.