I was wondering how everyone fills the tank during a water change. Siphon seems best but I have to rais the bucket so high. If I pour it in it stirs up all kinds of junk!

I pour the water in slowly just behind the bio-wheel on my filter, so it goes back into the tank the same way it would if it were being filtered. I have a small tank, though, and I don't think that would work for more than a couple gallons.

How big is your tank? For my smaller tanks,I just use gal. milk jugs.I don't really have any problem with stirring things up. I've actually done water changes on my 75 gal. that way too. I finally had to break down & use the water python that my daughter got me for Xmas. I let it sit for months because for some strange reason,I like to see what comes out of the tank!If your tank's bigger,the Python works well for filling & not stirring up a mess.

I have a 20 gal and a 30 gal but use a 2.5 gal bucket for water changes.

I use a siphon hose & a 5 gallon bucket. I siphon the gravel real good. I pour the water over my house plants & flower beds. The water is full of goodies for plants!

I usually siphon out 2 buckets of water. I fill the bucket & pour in conditioner. Repeat till refilled. I have some big rocks in my tank so I pour the water onto them, that dissipates the stream. I try to make sure to vaccum under all the decorations as gunk likes to hide there.

I use the python.

Hi,
My tank (50 gallon) is bare bottom so I don't stir up anything.

I use a siphon to take out water and have 5 gallon buckets on the floor that I drain it into. I am near a sink so I could just drain into that but I put the old water in my garden.

I use 2 gallon buckets to add the new water since I can't lift the 5 gallon ones when they are full. My fish love it when I dump the new water in and they swim in the bubbles.

When useing the python, how do you make sure the water is the same temp as the tank water? Also how do you add conditioner? I've thought of getting one, but I wasn't sure how you would do these things. I know one would make my life a lot easier! I'm tired of carring 5 gallon buckets back and forth.

First I put the water conditioner in a gallon pitcher. I run the water thru the python over one of those floating thermometers til I get the right temp (that's also good cuz it flushes any extra heavy metals from the pipes out before filling the tank). then I put the end of the python in the pitcher and take off to the tank. By the time I get to the tank, the pitcher has water in it and I pour it in the tank and then add the water. That way I don't have to run and the conditioner is added to the tank before the water starts flowing in.