how to ease water change without hose?

[gentle]

i have been using a pail to change my office tank...it is pretty tiring carrying full loads of water for 4-5 trips (~30m) every water change

i am thinking maybe a jerry can and a trolley would save some effort - but wonder where to get one, and whether there are other alternatives

ideas please?

[acit]

You can buy those big blag waste bins that comes with cover.
The cover ensures you don't spill water all over your office.
Also you can use an electric water pump to pump water from the waste bin into your tank.

Good Luck!!!


Cheers
Acit

[gentle]

but then how do i top up the black waste bin? by using pails? =)

[vratenza]

but then how do i top up the black waste bin? by using pails? =)

"Also you can use an electric water pump to pump water from the waste bin into your tank."

I think you miss this part

[Shadow]

I think he mean how to put water in to the waste bin in the first place.

You put roller on below the bin so you can just push it around

[vratenza]

hahaha...now i see...

ok....in summary:

1) get a trolley + black rubbish bin with cover
2) but the black bin onto the trolley
3) push the trolley to the water point
4) turn on the tap and fill the back bin sitting ontop of the trolley
5) cover the black bin with the cover to prevent water splashing
6) push the trolley to the tank
7) place a water pump at the bottom of the black bin with a hose directed up to the tank
switch on the pump

[EddyTing]

I have an idea when i have my own house one day....have a water tank (enough for water changing capacity) at the back of my house with tap just on top of it. Get a power head and dump in together with some ceramic rings and stuff. When comes to water change, just suck the water out from tank straight to drain with a long hose and then pump in water from water tank with the help of the power head and the long hose. Good?
This way, no more heavy pails and spills anymore....

[vratenza]

i think the threadstarter has the tank in his office...so doubt he has space for the storage tank.... also to get a 30m hose is no joke!

[Shadow]

I actually have 20 meters coiled hose , the one use to spray garden. This way I can connect it directly to bathroom. But again this may not applicable to office, people will start complain trip by the hose

[vinz]

Had one in the office before... same advice: trolley and pails. Fortunately, it's only a 2.5 feet long tank and my office has a trolley.

Depending on his office/cubicle setup, it may be hard for him to stow a large trash bin and trolley.

Frankly, I would not trust the large trash bins too much... without a good scrub and wash with detergent. Plastic manufacturing involves chemicals and I don't think most company's would bother to make trash bins food safe (and hence, presumably safe for livestock).

The normal pails perhaps would be safer, though I admit it's just a unsubstantiated perception. Anyway, multiple smaller pails are easier to store... just stack and shove under the desk. A small trolley will take less space too. You may need to make multiple trips, but you have the trolley.

As far water spilling while pushing the trolley around: simple. No need cover. Just leave something floating in the pail... something that is at least half the diameter of the pail. Maybe a scoop or a recycled plastic food container. This will prevent the water from sloshing around too much and spilling. It will work for normal movement, but not if you insist on driving the trolley like a F1 driver wannabe.

The pump is a good idea.

[BFG]

I would use a hose instead of a bucket. Reason being if by ANY chance the bin topple over, your tank place in the office is history. Using a hose is neater and easier for the owner of the tank as he do not need to lug the heavy bin and trolley around the office. Office people do have their very own version of politic and you might be the talk of the office.

Gentle, you have to make it look like it is a breeze to maintain the tank in the office, not to make people see you doing the hard work and making them think that the aquatic hobby is such a chore. Kind of like a rep point in the office world. The more work you show the office folk, the lower the rep you get. And if you spend more time on the tank, the higher the chance someone might be jealous and complain to the ' top dog'. You know that happen when someone hints you about you coming to work to do maintenance on the tank.

I would also advise you to get a lot of rags and place them in your cabinet where the tank is. Spill will always occur even if you are ultra careful. You do not want to make a mess and to have the office head honcho intervene to get the office maintenance worker clear the mess you've made. You could do the tank maintenance when no one is present.

[Shadow]

by the way how big is your office tank? I have 2ft tank and for 40%-50% water change, I only use 2 trips. One trip from cube to toilet to throw the water, fill in the bucket and second trip from toilet to the cube.

[vratenza]

I would use a hose instead of a bucket. Reason being if by ANY chance the bin topple over, your tank place in the office is history. Using a hose is neater and easier for the owner of the tank as he do not need to lug the heavy bin and trolley around the office. Office people do have their very own version of politic and you might be the talk of the office.

Gentle, you have to make it look like it is a breeze to maintain the tank in the office, not to make people see you doing the hard work and making them think that the aquatic hobby is such a chore. Kind of like a rep point in the office world. The more work you show the office folk, the lower the rep you get. And if you spend more time on the tank, the higher the chance someone might be jealous and complain to the ' top dog'. You know that happen when someone hints you about you coming to work to do maintenance on the tank.

I would also advise you to get a lot of rags and place them in your cabinet where the tank is. Spill will always occur even if you are ultra careful. You do not want to make a mess and to have the office head honcho intervene to get the office maintenance worker clear the mess you've made. You could do the tank maintenance when no one is present.

hmm...you can write a sticky in the "Office politics of Aquarium maintenance"

[BFG]

hmm...you can write a sticky in the "Office politics of Aquarium maintenance"

I could. It is quite an unnerving sight when you see an office worker being laid off and seeing him/her pushing a trolley with a large bin and tank equipment out of the office. They could be remembered by their colleague as the person who does less work in the office but more on his tank.

[unclerobin]

I could. It is quite an unnerving sight when you see an office worker being laid off and seeing him/her pushing a trolley with a large bin and tank equipment out of the office. They could be remembered by their colleague as the person who does less work in the office but more on his tank.

For me not a problem in changing water if i got a tank in my office, my office come with attach toilet. Actually was thinking of setting a 2 footer but need to scrape the idea for some reason as what bro BFG quoted and worst if you are leading a team of office staff .

[Goodfish]

If got carpets, then you can't really push the trolley around. Chances of topple over high! I remember using those mineral water drums, a bit heavy though.

[Fuzzy]

I could. It is quite an unnerving sight when you see an office worker being laid off and seeing him/her pushing a trolley with a large bin and tank equipment out of the office. They could be remembered by their colleague as the person who does less work in the office but more on his tank.

For me not a problem in changing water if i got a tank in my office, my office come with attach toilet. Actually was thinking of setting a 2 footer but need to scrape the idea for some reason as what bro BFG quoted and worst if you are leading a team of office staff .

There is an incredibly simple way to avoid all of these potential issues, surprised noone has brought it up yet.

Only do maintenance before or after office hours, even during your personal lunch hour...That way if anyone gives you grief about it, you can tell them to go die in a fire

[BFG]

There is an incredibly simple way to avoid all of these potential issues, surprised noone has brought it up yet.

Only do maintenance before or after office hours, even during your personal lunch hour...That way if anyone gives you grief about it, you can tell them to go die in a fire

Ahem.....my 1st reply in this thread has covered that part already, in general term.


But if something major happen, would the tank owner have the time to rectify the situation before the other office worker return to the office? My thinking is no. So, in summary if you want to have a tank in the office, make sure it looks effortless and do not spend too much time around it during working hour. Use equipment that are in good working order and always be prepared for something bad to happen to the tank from equipment failure, over feeding and right down to sabotage. This is no joke.

[gentle]

thanks everyone for your replies...

my planted tank is 2.5ft, i usually do water change on friday after work

our management is supportive of our hobby...another collegue has a 2ft marine tank, and we help setup a communal 4ft tank from hand-me-down equipment

this healthy hobby has also becoming a topic of discussion, and brought people closer (fellow hobbyist as well as admirers)

back to the topic of water change...

so far it seems like trolley and pail (with something on the surface) would be the most practical way...(my collegue uses mineral water for his marine tank - so no such problem)

thanks for the lively discussion...