How did you set up your AGED WATER??? Wc without 5 gal pails???

For my whole life I have only used buckets from the bathtub faucet with prime or other chlorine removers then add to the tank..... This is ALOT of work when changing a 180/230 gallon weekly..... I was tempted to use the python system but I dont feel comfortable filling an active tank with direct tap water???? Do you?

Im still prepping for a new tank downstairs and I think its time i start using aged water in 45 gallon plastic drums.... a 300 plus gallon tank and a 5 gallon pail just wont mix anymore
I have a place i can set them up and have a bubbler and heater in them but now the tricky part.....
How does this work LOL.
If i drain the tank 90 gallons i shut off my sump pump and syphon it to the nearest drain with a hose?
Then i use a diffrent pump (home depot sump?) i put in the barrels with the hose and fill the tank back up?
Ive seen the systems but i have no clue how to do this effortlessly lol
Help me out bro's

I was considering the aging method too, but now I am sold on the 24 hour water addition system used by forum member Rudy. Essentially Rudy has a pipe adding a small amount of water to his sump. The water passes through charcoal (like a brita water filter); the charcoal has to be changed every so many months to remain active. The water that passes through the charcoal is dechlorinated and then moves through the sump, which has a 1000 watt internal titanium heater in it; thus the water is instantly heated. And then of course there is an overflow pipe in the sump to remove the few gallons of excess water per hour that are added to the tank.

No prime or chemicals needed; no risk of overdoses. If the tap speeds up the overflow catches the excess water. If the tap stops, the overflow stops removing water.

It is as fool proof a system as I have ever heard of and is what I plan to install in my own 300 gallon tank.

Rudy posted a thread on his sump recently: Rudy's sump design

Rudy has successfully bred P. henlei stingrays (first in Canada to my knowledge), and so obviously the method works.

If I have made any mistakes in my explanation above, maybe Rudy can correct them

This is something i was looking into aswell for a koi pond a year ago..... never crossed my mind for an aro comm.... Hmmm
If the carbon filter takes out chlorine then the 2 canister filter for drinking water with the carbon and the micron filter would work for water changes as well? Is there a flow rate on them? I have my heaters in my sump as well so this could work out very easy and efficent.... But running a line from a water pipe to the tank, this may be a problem. does rudy have a walk through on this process other than that post?

I have had long chats by phone in which he described the system at length; I agree, we need to get it better described in print here, add to the earlier posts he made.

My plan is to hire a plumber and actually run a dedicated line with a shut off valve/tap specifically for use with this system.

I've never aged water...only straight from tap into tank....I've only recently been using Prime to add in due to the large amount bio and animals.....never ever had any issues...

Cirrus I would be very interested in doing a pic walkthrough on here..... If i knew what i was doing though.... I can snake pvc pipe through my joists in the basement from the laundry room taps and put a valve on the end by the tank and go from there.... but it would help to know the details lol.... Hope we can chat it out sometime

Chen..... you mean to tell me with an SR and an albino rtc nevermind rays you have put tap water in your tank without getting it in a pail and treating it prior to it hitting the tank???? (insert freakout face here) I had no idea this was common place, this explains the python hose alot better to me now.

Yes! I've never had any issues with that method for over 25 years so why change it now!

Keep in mind that i now change my tank water twice per week of approx 40-45% each change! That's almost 220 gal each change! Still from the tap.

I cannot count how many times ive had 1 day off a week and i spent them running back and fourth with 5 gallon pails from the bath tub to the tank im changing water in..... Mostly thinking it would kill the bacteria or hurt the fish with the chlorine and clhorimines..... You may have just changed my life...... and the number of tanks i currently own LOL

The quality of water is pretty good in Ontario.

Once you get the drip system setup you will be so mad at yourself that you never had done this earlier. Also not mentioned when setup properly you will not have to use heaters in your tank again. Depending on the type of prefilters you use to how many gallons a minute you can put through them without worrying. I use a 1 micron sediment filter and 2 5 micron chlorine filters in series with mine and do 400 gallons a day change out and need to replace the filters every month. This has also been a blessing as stingrays tend to give birth at night and there can be alot of discharge after really fouling up the water. So instead of having to do a 50% waterchange at 3:00 am I either turn up the drip system quite high and go back to bed or if I miss it there is no chance of the water getting to bad as it is getting replaced while I sleep anyways.

I'd love forsomeobe to set one up for me!

I've used both the aged water process and straight from the tap, and honestly once your fish are acclimated to the local water there is no difference. Especially for aro's; if your aro dies because of water quality issues, you've really f#!%#d up!

I do know that many of the big box LFS run on DAS units that employ a similar system to Rudy's. Essentially, the tanks run on an overflow and new water is trickled into the filter units via a direct line controlled by a sprinkler timer.

I notice you are all from ontario.... i hope there are guys in edmonton doing this aswell. Our water is very hard out here.
I would love to see some diagrams or a walkthrough of this kind of home set up.

Hey guys I have been into fish for over 10 years Cleaning tanks with buckets and just last month Scott and Rudy showed me how to do a drip. I was so lost and fustrated but it really isn't very complicated that is of course with instructions from the pros. I now enjoy a 1300 gallon without water changes scotts right I am mad at myself because life is easier then taking care of a 10 gallon

Just think if you had to change water 2 x week on your 300 gallons with a 5 gallon pail, man you will have some big pipes!

Honestly, after seeing Scott's setup, the drip systems is the way to go! But with the basement finished, I wasn't going to tear apart the basement for this DYI project. Yes I am from Edmonton, and I currently change every 4 days 150 gallons each time with aged water. Takes about 1.5 hours each time, but that also allows me to spend that time in front of the tank. I bought one of those plastic tanks 120 gallons from that tank place on North side of Yellowhead and about 125 st. I siphon out water out to the lawn(summer, nice green lawn in that area) and floor drain(winter). Fill tank with aged water that is at correct temp and Seachem Safe added to it via pump, I guess I could get a bigger pump to shorten the about of time spent refilling the water. Another problem is when you go away for a week or 2, you have to get someone to change your water.

So in the end, if you have a choice in a drip system and need more info, check out some of Scott's posting here or on AA.

lol im not gonna say i have big pipes..... but i am 275lbs..... And i had a 380 in the livingroom before and i did it with pails every week.... Talk about hours well spent.
Do they have a controller you can set up with a drip system to monitor the amount its using? Ive seen flow monitors on timers for Hydroponics but i dont know if it would work with this application?
I would love to see pics

hustler said:

lol im not gonna say i have big pipes..... but i am 275lbs..... And i had a 380 in the livingroom before and i did it with pails every week.... Talk about hours well spent.
Do they have a controller you can set up with a drip system to monitor the amount its using? Ive seen flow monitors on timers for Hydroponics but i dont know if it would work with this application?
I would love to see pics

Click to expand...

I don't have one as I am dripping into my only tank now which is tiny in comparison at 300 gallons. Easiest way to figure out how much you are dripping is to check your water meter right before you go to bed and make sure there is no water used during the night other than the drip. When you get up check the meter again and divide by the hours. You can however buy low rate flow monitors

I have never aged water and have never had an issue but quite literally once you go drip you never go back. Mine have been as simple as a washer box installed under the tank with a hose draining into the sump or into the tank whichever you prefer and then a drain hole drilled on your sump where you want the water level to stay. For easy use a 1 inch bulkhead for the drain hole as you can buy a garden hose attachment that will fit any 5/8 hose and attach it to the bulkhead and run it to the drain.

Just a note however if you are going to drill your sump for the return (the drip) make sure it is signifcantly higher than the water level as first of all it is way easier to see how much water is dripping out and secondly and more important if you are not going to use a water filter such as carbon when the water drips into the water most of the chlorine will dissapate. Honestly though if you do not want to attempt a water filter for your drip it is just as effective to use a nipple and hang a filter bag full of carbon from it and let the water drip into the filter bag. It is somewhat ghetto and you do have to change the carbon more however it is just as effective.

Most Basic and effective set up for a drip is:

1. Get three 1 inch holes drilled in your sump. First one where you want your water line to be. 2nd the highest on the sump you can drill it. 3rd somewhere in the middle. Use 1 inch bulkheads threaded and go to the hardware store and buy 3 1 inch convertion to garden hose. You will probably find one in the sump section (flooding section). You may wonder what the 3rd one is for..... Safety. I have had a drain clog before and it sucked.
2. Buy some 5/8 id hose, garden hose attachements you will need for 5/8 hose and some hose clamps a washer box with a individual controlled hot and cold tap. (this is important as you will need to adjust your hot and cold individually to maintain the proper temp). ABS pipe to attach to a drain
3. Install a washer box (for a washing maching) WITH A DRAIN. If your handy do it yourself if your not get a plumber. This must be installed inside your stand or near your tank. Make sure it is installed at a level where the drain is lower than the lowest hole drilled in your sump. VERY IMPORTANT
4. Buy a t hose for your hot and cold of your washer box so there is one single hose attachment. This is just a black hose that looks like a y. Youll know what I mean at the store.
5. Hook up your drip first by attaching 5/8 hose from the Y hose to the highest bulhead. (this is your drip)
6. Attached the 5/8 hose to the other two bulkheads and run the hose to the drain in the washer box. You can either fasten the hose in there or simply run the hose far enough down the drain that it wont come out.
7. Turn the hot and cold on to the temperature point where you want the water from your tank to be. Hey gas is under $4 this morning so heating your tank with hot water beats the hell out of 1000 watts of electicity...

Drips done

For the water filter either use a bag of carbon:

For the filter the simplest way is to buy a "watkins whole house filter". Should be easy to find. You can buy 3/4 inch male fittings with 5/8 hose nipples so you can simply cut the hose running to your drip in the middle and place this filter there. Take out the micron filter they give you and buy a carbon filter, or get crazy and run two in parralel.


This is not the best drip you can do. If you want the cadillac talk to Scott However this method has always been safe, simple and has evolved believe it or not.

Personally I think drips changed my entire fish keeping life and surely they will change yours. Those of you with big ass arms can go back to lifting weights...not 5 gallon buckets.