I'd like to have an open and honest discussion: water changes

[Dawn T]

1 - MESS - the clean-up needed for water I spill on the floor, down the front of the tank, and on me. Never fails.

2 - Lugging water - hauling out buckets of water, adding back in gallons of water. What a pain! Literally! With back issues, I hate lugging water, especially large volumes of it.

Those are the reason I sought to learn about planted, no-water-change tanks several years ago when I got back into aquarium keeping. I don't mind topping off a tank as it needs it. Each of my 29g tanks has needed about a gallon a week over the past 5 years.

Lately, I've been doing water changes as I'm making changes to various tanks and generally causing mayhem. LOL Hauling around/out a filled 5g bucket from water being removed from tanks is a non-issue, since I leave it in place and just use the water large cup by large cup in houseplants. Eventually, it's gone or so low, the bucket's easy to manage. Filling tanks? Not so much fun, and it takes a lot of time. I have to haul water gallon-by-gallon. Sucks big time. I don't have a Python, and no way to hook it up even if I did since the none of the faucets in this house have the right nozzle or whatever you call it. Not my house, so I can't change it to one that would work with a Python. When we get a new house and moved in, you can be sure I'll be changing out the faucet to accommodate a Python!

[Fish Folk]

Time and mess is only troubles with WC. Rather enjoy it, actually. I like to see fish a bit happier. My major issue is chronic over feeding. So... the nitrogen cycle builds up. Because we do lots of breeding, the heavy feeding + lots of water changes is normal rhythm. 

[tolstoy21]

On 3/4/2021 at 4:40 PM, Will Billy said:

However i must confess i am a bit of a tinkerer. Every time i look at something I think how can I make it better. With my tank, I have to be careful sometimes and ask myself “is this better for the fish, or for me?

Guilty as well. I sometimes think I keep fish to just to have something to plan and build. 

[MJV Aquatics]

I think most hobbyists start out with a mop bucket or two and a siphon hose and the bucket brigade gets old quick so many are looking for the easy way out. And it really doesn't work with a larger tank, or multiple tanks. But you just gotta clean the cage regular or it becomes a stinkin mess!!

Siphoning with a Python like tool is okay, but using an inexpensive submersible pump makes life much easier and the hardest part of the job is watching the refill so as not to overflow the tank (ask me how I know).

There is no such thing as too much fresh, clean water!

[Hobbit]

^ I just got a submersible pump and it’s wonderful!!

[CT_]

200% i got an 8$ submersible pump and its great.