My Drip Acclimitization Set Up. - Page 2 - DIY Aquarium Projects

Homer_Simpson · 11-08-2007, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawslover

I know some people use a thermometer to measure the temp of the water coming out of the faucet and try to adjust it to the temp of the tank. I don't because I got a python to do water changes on multiple tanks and they are not all at the same temp. I just hand check the water coming out of the faucet and usually aim for just slightly warmer than lukewarm or tepid. Water a little bit warmer doesn't seem to have any effect on the fish IME although a plunge with colder water will as I found out the hard way.

I had hooked up the python and thought I was draining my rainbow tank. I always use just cold water when I'm draining the tanks. I didn't have it on drain, it was on fill. I left the room to go look for something and when I came back, there was a disaster of water pouring out of the tank, COLD

Besides the mess I had to clean up, I lost the rainbows from temp shock eventhough I quickly drained the water and refilled with room temp water.

The other warning is to make sure that you don't attach the python to a faucet with a slow running drain as I have had the sink overflow on me on occasion. Despite the mishaps, I love my python and would hate to go back to lugging buckets. My fish/plants would hate it too as I am much better about doing regular WC with the python. Back to the original question, I have not noticed any real temp swings doing the WC the way I have been. I also quit worrying about too much after reading a post from someone who said that fish handle temp changes all the time in nature when there is an influx of rain/rainwater.

Thanks for posting the instructions on the drip acclimitization method. I had been meaning to try it and now know how to proceed.

You're welcome. Thanks for sharing your experience with the python water change hook up. I recently saw the setup for sale at a local fish store and was debating about whether to buy it or not and what to do about water temperature differences. Your post clarified this for me. I am getting sick and tired of lugging buckets of water to the tank to do a water change and laziness is beginning to sink in that it becomes more and more of a pain everytime I have to do it, lol.

pawslover · 11-08-2007, 02:30 PM

I forgot to mention. I usually aim for about 20-30% on WC, never intentionally do WC of 50% so temp may have more an impact depending on how much water is being replaced.

dekstr · 11-10-2007, 08:02 PM

Hey Homer_simpson,

Nice drip acclimating method! I've been doing since I first started fishkeeping and it's really effective.

I do pretty much what you do except more lazy. I just tie a knot on the airline tube, suck some water in and clamp it down with the hood panel to the tank. I dump my fish in a bucket, put the bucket on a chair, let the water drip for 1 hour or so, net the fish and dump them in. Then I get an automatic 10% water change.

As for WCs, I have a massive bucket (like 50 gallons) in the basement that stores old peat filtered water. I pretty much use a 5 gal bucket and hose, vacuum clean one part of the tank, and dump the fish water onto the lawn. Then I fill up the bucket with the old peat water, check the temp with spare thermometer, add some hot tap water until the temp matches tank water.

So how does the python work? Does it drain the tank water into the drain? It seems faster than hose and bucket.

Homer_Simpson · 11-10-2007, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dekstr

Hey Homer_simpson,

Nice drip acclimating method! I've been doing since I first started fishkeeping and it's really effective.

I do pretty much what you do except more lazy. I just tie a knot on the airline tube, suck some water in and clamp it down with the hood panel to the tank. I dump my fish in a bucket, put the bucket on a chair, let the water drip for 1 hour or so, net the fish and dump them in. Then I get an automatic 10% water change.

As for WCs, I have a massive bucket (like 50 gallons) in the basement that stores old peat filtered water. I pretty much use a 5 gal bucket and hose, vacuum clean one part of the tank, and dump the fish water onto the lawn. Then I fill up the bucket with the old peat water, check the temp with spare thermometer, add some hot tap water until the temp matches tank water.

So how does the python work? Does it drain the tank water into the drain? It seems faster than hose and bucket.

Thanks dekstr. I never even thought of tieing a knot

but the clamp was only 69 cents and I really like it, so no big deal.

My understanding is that the the Python has a built in siphon and drains the dirty siphoned water directly into your sink drain while automatically refilling your tank with the tap water from the tap. Proper water temperature of the refill water is the only thing that concerns me. Right now I have the water sit in a couple of buckets for at least 24 hours or more in preparation for weekly water changes, that pretty much assures me that the water and tank temperature will be pretty close.

Adragontattoo · 11-14-2007, 05:29 PM

I use the drip method for everything but plants and I have NO issues. I dont leave the fish/shrimp in the bucket long enough for temp to become a serious issue.

If you are worried about the temp drop you could put a small heater in the bottom of the pail BUT you would have an issue with an extreme temp differential between the heater, the tank water and the bucket water which COULD cause different issues.