Solution to Easier Waterchanges

We all know the backbreaking and time consuming way of doing waterchanges the traditional way. We still do it as it's part of the hobby and we love our fishes.

There are alternatives though, some people use automated pumps, and even automated water change systems. It's also possible to run many tanks connected to each other and hence only having to change the water in one spot. Another method that I have used my self is to have a spare tank above the rest filled with matured water, in a rack this can quite easily be transfered to lower tanks when doing waterchanges.

Our Danish inventor friend Rene Bannerskjold has come up with a brilliant yet simple DIY solution and was kind enough to send over these pictures.

This is probably what most of us do, it involves alot of carrying and is also time consuming:

To start of, Rene has modified the hose using a fine net so that no fry or smaller fish will be sucked out:

The water container is here replaced by a drain:

The drain is running out trough the back door, this is a very effectiv eand simple solution that most people can use and modify to their needs, fair play Rene!

I would also like to add that this "fish water" is a really good fertilizer for most plants. I always try to use it up either in the garden or for pots and am convinced that I have seen a difference in plant growth.

Power Cut, a Fishkeepers Nightmare

As some of you might now we had a 30 hour power cut here a couple of weeks ago. It came at a really bad time in that I was in the process of moving and hence had tanks at two different locations.

 

I was not prepared enough but some of the preparations I had made proved vital to my fishes survival. The losses that I suffered all came from one single tank which was on the small size (70 liters) and not insulated. 

The losses were of younger animals of Hypancistrus debilittera, L129. The adults suffered too and in the end I evacuated these animals to a larger tank, It is certain that these animals would have died too if they would not have been moved.

Unfortunately I have heard from friends who lost far more fish than me during this cut.

What worked?

Oxygenation: I was lucky enough to get my hands on a number of battery driven air pumps and these proved absolutely vital to the health of my fish. The oxygenated water seems to also have kept the bacteria alive in my filters (all sponge). My water tests have all come back good since the event thanks to the air pumps and the sponges that were floating in the oxygenated water.

Insulation: One of my tanks was insulated with a layer of Styrofoam and there was a very clear difference in the temperature between this tank and the others. Obviously other factors matter too such as size of the tanks but the difference was clear enough to point to the insulation. In the future most of my tanks will be insulated.

Improvements?

If this power cut of 30 hours would have lasted longer, there is no doubt that I would have lost more fish therefor I will need to improve my chances should this happen again. 

Many fish keepers keep a spare generator at hand and this seems like a very good long term solution. Unfortunately due to the location this is not an option for me. I have been looking at various electrical backup solutions and I will update this post when I have done more research.

 

As I am satisfied with how the battery driven air pumps worked my main concern is the temperature. Apart from covering all tanks with insulation, have spare duvets ready to cover the tanks I have been suggested to use various heat packs that can be activated at the time of a power cut and suspended into the tank. 

Another option is to keep a few large tanks that are well insulated; in an emergency fish from smaller tanks can be temporarily transfers to the larger prepared tanks which will hold the temperature far longer than the smaller ones.

These solutions are however only fine if the owner is at home at the time of the power cut; it’s a different story if the owner is away during the event in which case an emergency power generator would be more beneficial.

I would be interested in hearing from other fish keepers with experience in this matter.