Water changes for our Spec V Aquarium have been performed using a home-brew ‘Python’ type water changer. This was perfect for our old house, where the sink was very close (a few feet actually) from the tank. When we moved to our new house last year, the distance was more like 20 feet. This led to a few issues with the Python and made me start to consider
My first step in automating our Spec V aquarium was to add a Leviton timer to control the light on/off cycles. It worked well, but I started to wish for something easier to adjust / program. Also, I wanted a way to easily turn off and on the pump and foresaw a future need to control a CO2 solenoid. An aquarium automation system (like the Neptune Apex Jr.) would have worked, but a solution more in line with our budget and needs turned out to be Smart Plugs.
One of the more popular pages on this site is the instructional on how to build your own temperature controller using a relay type device like the STC-1000
The first time I read about a Python water changer, I knew it was what I wanted to use for my new aquarium’s maintenance. There are several challenges with performing a water change for your aquarium. Some kits rely on
As I was researching what heater to put in our Fluval Spec V aquarium, I dutifully came across many grim reviews for various heaters that told of failures where the internal thermostat broke in the ‘on’ position, quickly baking (killing) everything in the tank. It seemed that I could try and spend more cash on a model that was more reliable, but