Having Water Change Issues With 29 Gallon Tank

So I am having a difficult time doing water changes in my 29 gallon fish tank. I use a siphon and a 5 gallon bucket and I can get some water out of the tank but I can't get any water back in. As much as I would love to be able to lift a 5 gallon bucket and pour it into the tank I can't. What do I do? I already completed one water change with help lifting the bucket but I can't keep asking for help. How do you people with bigger tanks then mine do this. I can't imagine.

 

Just put less water in the bucket.

Or you could get a Python water changer. It is basically a gravel vac with a really long hose (you can get 25' or 50' hoses) that has an attachment on the end that hooks up to your faucet. You put the piece attached to your faucet in one position, turn on the water and it cause a suction so you can remove water from the tank. Than you put the attachment into another position and it starts filling the tank. It might be the greatest invention ever!

This video will explain the Python better than I did:
Python Products Inc. Videos

 

I use a gallon plastic pitcher to refill. I can control the rate and location better

 

Just put less water in the bucket.

Or you could get a Python water changer. It is basically a gravel vac with a really long hose (you can get 25' or 50' hoses) that has an attachment on the end that hooks up to your faucet. You put the piece attached to your faucet in one position, turn on the water and it cause a suction so you can remove water from the tank. Than you put the attachment into another position and it starts filling the tank. It might be the greatest invention ever!

This video will explain the Python better than I did:
Python Products Inc. Videos

I've heard of that and that might be the play here but i've also heard of something else. Its a pbc pipe water changing system with a valve. You flip the valve and the pump sucks the water down to however deep you put the pipe. Not sure what the official name is.

I use a gallon plastic pitcher to refill. I can control the rate and location better

If you do that with a 29 gallon fish tank that takes forever. I have a 2 gallon bucket. What would also make that take longer is contantly dosing the bucket with the proper amount of prime or other water conditioner because a 1 gallon or 2 gallon water change is simply just not enough for a 29 gallon fish tank but more of a smaller fish tank.

 

I've never heard of that system, so sadly I don't know the name of it either. But to me the problems with a system like that is that you cannot vacuum the gravel with it, and secondly, where do you store it?

I used 5 gallon buckets for 7 years (luckily my aquarium is against a half wall, so I could put the bucket on top of the wall and siphon into the tank) but finally succumbed and bought a Python. After using it once I kept hitting myself in the head screaming "WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG!!?"

 

I've never heard of that system, so sadly I don't know the name of it either. But to me the problems with a system like that is that you cannot vacuum the gravel with it, and secondly, where do you store it?

I used 5 gallon buckets for 7 years (luckily my aquarium is against a half wall, so I could put the bucket on top of the wall and siphon into the tank) but finally succumbed and bought a Python. After using it once I kept hitting myself in the head screaming "WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG!!?"

Yeah the system I described is for much bigger tanks and you would store it next to the tank. I guess I'm gonna get the python. Pretty pricy for what I get for my allowance. But I'll get it.

 

I got tired of lifting the 5 gallon bucket to add water and bought this water pump (the 400 GPH) along with a clear hose.

Makes getting water back in the tank a breeze.

 

What I did was, I siphon water out the normal way from my tank and into a bucket. Then, when returning water into the tank, I hooked up a hose fitting on the faucet and just plug in a hose and fill my tank up that way

 

Yeah the system I described is for much bigger tanks and you would store it next to the tank. I guess I'm gonna get the python. Pretty pricy for what I get for my allowance. But I'll get it.

If money is an issue, I’m sure there are also cheaper knockoff brands for pythons that work just the same.

 

If money is an issue, I’m sure there are also cheaper knockoff brands for pythons that work just the same.

By any chance do you of any?

I got tired of lifting the 5 gallon bucket to add water and bought this water pump (the 400 GPH) along with a clear hose.

Makes getting water back in the tank a breeze.

Interesting.

What I did was, I siphon water out the normal way from my tank and into a bucket. Then, when returning water into the tank, I hooked up a hose fitting on the faucet and just plug in a hose and fill my tank up that way

Did you dose prime or a water conditoner during that process?

 

BettaFishKeeper4302 not that I know of. But then again, depending on where you purchase the python from and what size it is, money may not be so much of an issue

 

BettaFishKeeper4302 not that I know of. But then again, depending on where you purchase the python from and what size it is, money may not be so much of an issue

Well I think I am purchasing it off amazon and its 40 bucks on there. My bedroom is right next to the bathroom and my tank is across my room so I think a 25 foot one would due. If its at any local stores like walmart and its cheaper that's even better because I live right next to one.

 

I fill a larger container with water, bring it to temperature, then ladle out of it with a half gallon liquid measurer. You can do one large dose of prime in the container, or, if you just have chlorine and not chloramine, just let it evaporate.

 

What would also make that take longer is contantly dosing the bucket with the proper amount of or other because a 1 gallon or 2 gallon water change is simply just not enough for a 29 gallon fish tank but more of a smaller fish tank.

Folks who use a python generally dose prime for the entire tank volume, then fill with untreated (but temp matched) water direct from tap.
For myself, I use a combo of 3 and 5gal pails, a pond pump capable of lifting from floor to tank, and a 2L pitcher (sounds complicated but this is for 3 tanks in 3 separate location). I got one of the tiny 50ml Prime bottles, which has a dropper cap. I refill it as needed from a larger bottle, and dosing 2 drops per gallon (or 1 drop per 2L) is dead easy.

 

I fill a larger container with water, bring it to temperature, then ladle out of it with a half gallon liquid measurer. You can do one large dose of prime in the container, or, if you just have chlorine and not chloramine, just let it evaporate.

That's a good idea! I might do this till I can afford a python.

 

I do a 30% (16 gallon) water change on my 55 gallon tank every week and use buckets to do it. I have 1 - 5 gallon bucket for waste water. 1 -4 gallon clean water bucket and another 2 gallon clean water bucket for pouring the water back into the tank.

While siphoning the waste water out I siphon out 4 gallons (that is about the limit of my lifting power) 4 times. I water my indoor and out door plants with the water I have pulled out 4 gallons at a time. Then I set the 4 gallon bucket in one side of my double sided kitchen sink and fill it with temp matched and treated water. I use a needle-less syringe to add 1ml of prime to each 4 gallons of water. I then transfer 2 gallons of that water over to the 2 gallon bucket and carry that bucket to the tank. For me the weight of 2 gallons is totally doable.

Sounds like a lot of steps but I have done it for so long I just breeze through it now.