alright experts I need a good idea

[twilliard]

Well does any one out here have a tank with a canopy where it is just a pain in the butt to do a water change?

I have to take off my canopy to do a simple water change. The problem is that it takes 2 people to lift it off at night when the lights go out.
You know disconnect all the wiring to the lights and fans, pull the canopy off drain the 20G of water and then add the new, put canopy back on then rewire the lights back in.
I neglect the changes because it such a pain to get good access to the tank!

What is your guys tricks out there to simplify this?
Thanks!!

 

[wrightme43]

Quick disconnects. Lids that open, Doors on the front. A step ladder.

 

[wrightme43]

Like that, it fixes the whole problem.

 

[twilliard]

hmm

quick disconnects?? I like that Idea. have any visuals?
sorry but the way I built the hood doesnt allow for front doors an error on my part
actualy my canopy opens from the top.
So you meen drain the water through the disconnects then pump the water back in?
I am used to pouring the water back in with 5 gallon buckets.

 

[wrightme43]

No pictures of the disconnects. Go to car audio store. home electronics store.

 

[szidls]

Yep my canopy has front doors and the top is hinged. If you have a sump you could siphon the sump and refill.
Scott

 

[twilliard]

I have thought about doing it through the sump but I can only get about 5 gallons of water out of it due to the height of the overflow.

 

[twilliard]

ohhhh

disconnects on the electrical gotchya

but the wife doesnt like to be bothered by removing the hood

 

[ronj]

do you have any pics??? how are your lights mounted under the canopy???? i'm guessing they are vho's

 

[twilliard]

ya 3 4' VHOs and 2 250W pendants

the VHO's dont have a quick disconnect but the halides do.

 

[tankrupt]

hey Twillard, how bout a pic?? cant you just set up a siphon line and a small pump, something must open so you can feed the fish, Steve

 

[twilliard]

Ya that what I do now is siphon to the bucket. But for some odd reason I cant get a siphon going with the hood on. It wants to flow back into the tank.

Like its too much of a "U" over the front of the hood.
The hood is 12" tall on top of the tank.

 

[twilliard]

Does any one have a bulk head in the back of the tank just for water changes?
Like a valve on the back so a person doesnt have to worry about a siphon?
That would be cool

 

[jsmkmavity]

you could get a 1 " clear acryllic u-bend, put a bulkhead screen on the end and connect clear vinyl hose to it with a ball valve at the end. once you get a siphon shutting the valve will allow you to stop the flow without losing the siphon. make the hose long enough so you can leave it hanging down in the sump when not in use and run it out the stand doors for water changes.

 

[diablo]

longer hose should help in the department of siphon. the outlet(part to bucket) needs to be about 1-2 feet below the inlet(part inside the tank).

or drill a hole for your hose in the side of the canopy. something you can hide the hole but still have access.

or hook a hose to a powerhead.

 

[sryder]

stick a 1/2 inch hose onto a maxi jet and pump it in

 

[wrightme43]

You really need to get into the tank to shiphon detirus out. It might be a good idea to build a MKII canopy. Then you would be happy, your fish would be happy, and for toppers your wife would be happy. Every body wins.

 

[diablo]

twillard what size is your tank??

 

[james734]

Hook a hose up to a power head and pump away.. No need to worry about a siphon that way.

 

[Krish]

Powerhead should do the trick like the others mentioned. I built this last canopy of mine high with doors in the front for the same reason why you are having problems with yours now. As a result, the canopy no longer needs to be removed for anything. It does make life easier