# water changes (how?)



## drakonorn (May 27, 2007)

i plan to get a 50 gallon tank and do 10% water changes weekly. my question is...

How do you go about doing water changes without making a mess? :?


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## trreherd (Aug 7, 2006)

First mix up a batch of salt the night before. Get the salinity and tempurature rite, leave a powerhead in it overnight to get some oxegen in there. Than stir up your sand,scrub the algea off your glass, scrub your lr, Change your filters. Do anything that kicks up detrus. Than use a siphon to get that water to a bucket, making sure to suck up any detrus. than add your new water.


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## usmc121581 (Jul 31, 2006)

If you have a sand bed 3" or more you dont want to stir up the sand that much. But What I do is use a siphon hose and run it out the window. Then when done with that I use a old sump pump to pump the good water back into the tank from a trash can I use for watwer changes.


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## caferacermike (Oct 3, 2006)

Yes get the trash can..... We all have one. You can get a nice 15g trash can for about $15 at any Hdepot. Get a small power head capable of lifting water 7' and can easily slide a piece of vinyl tube over the end of. As stated mix up the water the night before, add salt or water to get the correct salinity for your tank, leave the powerhead in the can without the tubing on it to stir it up. Next day, use your 10' of vinyl tubing to empty the tank water. I don't suck on my tubing, instead I submerge it into the tank and work the air out while underwater. Quickly lift one end out and the suction will start. Have a 5g bucket ready to drain the water into. Once filled (BTW a 5g bucket is full about 4" from the top.) begin refilling the tank. You can use the power head and vinyl tubing to lift the water out of the trash can and into the tank.


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