DIY adding H2O to tank from 2nd floor with PVC pipes

[PICKLES]

So anyway, this is kinda silly but we've always had a hard time adding water to the tank during a water change. None of the faucets are higher than the tank so we have to fill a lower tank and then pump the water up. (We are not allowed to attach any fittings on the first floor faucets to allow hoses to be attached to them.)

We finally decided to fill the tank from the second floor. We could have just bought a longer hose but we already have a 25' hose and didn't want to buy a 50' one (expensive) and we didn't want to bring a dirty outside hose indoor. So we went to Home Depot and bought two 10' PVC pipes and a few angles for less than $10.

We set it up thus, the pipes supported by 2 tripods and a couple of boxes and up the stairs:



We then ran the 25ft hose from an upstairs faucet to the PVC pipe on the stairs. (A 50ft hose would also have sagged and needed support at more than 3 points.) It worked like a charm. It's the quickest we've ever added water and after we were finished, we just took the pipes apart and put them in a spare bathroom. No more messing with pumps or buckets! I guess a real dedicated person can install PVC pipes inside the walls, but we're not that dedicated!

[Hoppy]

Why do you feel it is necessary to have the water faucet higher than the tank? You can fill the tank easily from 10 feet below the tank, because the tap water is under about 40 psi pressure. The problem with your PVC solution is that anyone who bumps the pipes may cause a joint to open up, spilling a lot of water on the floor.

Where you might have a problem is with siphoning the old water out of the tank. To do that the end of the siphon hose has to be lower than the aquarium, but you can just run the hose out a window or door and dump the old water on the plants outdoors.

[RoyalFizbin]

I'm going to be brutally honest here. This is just stupid. Get yourself a faucet to garden hose addapter and then run a hose instead. Or if you have a laundry tub faucet in your basement, those usually already have the garden hose threads on it.

[PICKLES]

We only have 2 faucets on the first floor. The one in the kitchen is banned from my use. The other one needs a fitting on the faucet to attach a hose to it and because it is a rather ornate faucet, we are also banned from doing that. Thus, the only way to fill the tank is with gravity.

(Lol, I guess I should have said that at beginning so I don't get called stupid!)

[Darkblade48]

Originally Posted by PICKLES

We only have 2 faucets on the first floor. The one in the kitchen is banned from my use. The other one needs a fitting on the faucet to attach a hose to it and because it is a rather ornate faucet, we are also banned from doing that. Thus, the only way to fill the tank is with gravity.

I am curious as to the reason behind the ban; is it a husband/wife/partner issue, or a landlord issue?

[PICKLES]

Originally Posted by Darkblade48

I am curious as to the reason behind the ban; is it a husband/wife/partner issue, or a landlord issue?

1) Kitchen is wife's domain [looks over shoulder], she's lazy about the dishes so the sink is always piled high with them.
2) The powder room faucet won't allow a hose fitting to be fitted to it. I might have to dissemble it every time, therefore I'm banned from doing it. It's simply much easier to do it from the second floor with the PVC pipes.

[sapphoqueen]

LOL!
I'm scared to think how do you put fishes there... :P

[Aquaticz]

you mean to tell me your wife has banned you from using a faucet! simple solition- divorce her and be normal....lol


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[Shangrila]

That is a real ghetto setup you got there. Not having the pipes glued together is a disaster waiting to happen. If those pipes come apart you are going to have one hell of a flood. Get yourself a hose and tell your wife to do the dishes. I really can't believe what some people go through.

[Virto]

I agree that it's far from an ideal solution, but hey, do whatever works for you, man. I would rather use a long hose securely threaded to the sink, but as long as you're slow and careful, this will work, too.

As for all the "marriage counseling" you're getting in this thread, pay it no mind.

[kevmo911]

What about an outside spigot? First floor, so you should be able to go straight in through a door or window.

[hedge_fund]

this is hysterical lol

[Hoppy]

Craig's List is your friend: "Will trade wife who won't let me modify faucets for one who will do anything to have a beautiful planted tank in the living room".

Seriously, I suspect all of us who are married have to work around whatever disagreements we have with our spouses about our hobby. I certainly do. Fortunately there are multiple ways to do most of what we need to do.

Can't you use a hose adapter on an upstairs faucet, and run a hose instead of the pipes? I hate laying out and rolling up a garden hose for water changes, and usually spill some water when I do, but I would never trust un-glued PVC pipes to stay together when doing a water change. It certainly can work, but Murphy's Law says it will come apart just when you will suffer the most harm.

[Razorworm]

There is a hidden benifit to your system that I think you are overlooking. If you were to stragecially place the dirty dishes on the stairs, they would get a proper cleaning from the waterfall caused by the inevitable seperation of the pvc pipes. Seriously, I would invest in a couple of 5 gal buckets and a maid.

[bendzuch]

Lol...