Carrying out partial water changes each week is an essential part of your aquarium maintenance routine, and it’s vital for the health and well-being of your fishes and other tank residents.
In this guide, we discuss the pros and cons of using aquarium water changers, and we also review six of the best devices on the market today. So, say goodbye to spills and hassle and make your water changes tidy and hassle-free by reading our guide and ordering your aquarium water changer today!
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Our top 6 aquarium water changers
First of all, let’s take a look at six of the very best aquarium water changers that are available on the market at the time of writing. To find out more about each product and read reviews left by other users, simply click the handy in-text links, check out the product, and place your order once you’ve found a device that suits your needs.
1. Python No Spill Clean and Fill Aquarium Maintenance System
- Will not disturb fish or decor during routine aquarium maintenance.
- Adapts easily to most faucets.
- Complete ready-to-use system.
- No buckets, no siphons, no mess, no tank tear downs ever again.
The Python No Spill Clean and Fill Aquarium Maintenance System is one of the most popular aquarium water changers out there, and it’s easy to see why. The system comes in several lengths, starting at 25 feet and ranging up to 100 feet, so you’ll find one to suit your requirements, even if your tank is a long way from your faucet.
The system comes complete with high-quality, robust fittings that can adapt easily to fit most faucets, as well as a 10-inch gravel tube, a faucet pump, and a brass faucet adapter. This aquarium water changer drains and fills aquariums and is designed not to disturb your plants, tank decorations, or tank residents while you’re working on routine maintenance tasks.
All in all, this is an excellent product that enables you to change your aquarium water and extract waste from the substrate.
What we like:
- Easy to use, no-spill, hassle-free operation
- Adjustable to most faucets
- High-quality components
Room for improvement:
- Faucet attachment doesn’t fit all faucets
- Expensive when compared with other similar water changers
2. TERA Pump Genuine Aquarium Water Changer
- Empties a 10 Gallon Aquarium Tank in about 7 Minutes and is made from BPA-Free plastic sure to be safe for all Aquarium life - Great for 10 to 20 Gallon Aquariums / Fish Tanks
- TRFTCLN Aquarium Siphon is great for filtering dirt, debris, food waster, fish dropping and more.
The TERA Pump Geniune Aquarium Water Changer is a much cheaper alternative to the rather pricey Python system. That said, it’s still a reliable and efficient system that does the job effectively.
This aquarium water changer is designed for use with fish tanks of 10 gallons or greater, as the suction tube is large. The hands-free design features a discharge hose clip that attaches to your container, preventing the hose from falling off.
There’s also a suction cup that keeps the siphon tube firmly in place, allowing you to operate the pump with one hand. The pump nozzle has a filter that prevents gravel and large pieces of debris from blocking the hose.
The water changer is pretty powerful, shifting around 1.5 gallons per minute.
What we like:
- Reasonably priced
- Hands-free operation
- Powerful pump saves you time
Room for improvement:
- Suction is not especially strong in very large, deep tanks
3. Aqueon Aquarium Water Changer
- Makes routine water changes easier, eliminates spills and heavy lifting!
- Attaches to faucet: removes dirty water and can return clean water
- Vacuums out the debris in gravel right down the drain
Aqueon has an enviable reputation for manufacturing high-quality equipment for use in fish tanks, and their Aqueon Aquarium Water Changer is another popular addition to their range of products.
The system’s goal is to eliminate the need for lugging heavy buckets of water from the tank to the kitchen sink and ruling out the risk of mess and spills. To operate the system, fix the water flow assembly to the faucet using the multi-connection faucet adapter supplied, and turn on the faucet.
The system’s vacuum element produces the perfect amount of flow to agitate the gravel so that loose waste and debris are removed directly into your sink. The gravel tube features an easy-grip molded handle and an integral on/off valve that gives you complete control over the water flow, and you can adjust the valve on the sink attachment, too, to prevent splashing and mess.
What we like:
- High-quality components
- Saves carrying heavy buckets and prevents spills
- Well-designed
Room for improvement:
- On the pricey side in comparison to other aquarium water changers
- Suction is not very powerful in very large aquariums
4. Upettools Electric Automatic Aquarium Water Cleaner
- ?Strong Power?The 110V/28W powerful water pump motor can provide the maximum flow of 1700L/H. It only takes 0.5 hour to pump out a 180-gallon tank.
- ?Powerful Cleaning Function?It can be used for clean gravel, absorb dirt, change water, wash sand, suck the stool.
If you want an aquarium water cleaner that gives you plenty of bang for your buck, the Upettools Electric Automatic Aquarium Water Cleaner could be what you’re looking for.
This device is a multifunctional piece of electrical kit that allows you to vacuum your substrate and change your tank water simultaneously. The device can be used for marine and freshwater tanks is also suitable for washing sand, something that most aquarium water cleaners can’t.
A powerful 110V/28W water pump motor generates a maximum flow of 1,700L/H, taking only half an hour to pump out a 180-gallon tank. Impressive! The pump flow is also adjustable. The device is also extremely easy to use; simply plug in, switch on, and you’re good to go.
If you do have any problems with the device, the Upettools team provides 24/7 customer support, and a lifetime warranty is provided for your peace of mind. However, the main issue that we can see with this system is that your tank needs to have a spare power outlet where you can plug in the device. The chances are that you’ll unplug your lights while you are cleaning the tank anyway, so you could use the free plug socket for your aquarium water changer.
What we like:
- Powerful suction saves you time
- Multifunctional
- Suitable for saltwater and freshwater tanks
Room for improvement:
- Filter and power output insufficient for large tanks over 50 gallons
5. Boxtech Fish Tank Water Changer
- Boxtech Aquarium Cleaner: Water changer, washing sand, cleaning, it’s a multifunctional cleaning tool.
- Compact Structure: Compatible with 1pcs soft water pipe(72.4in) and 2pcs hard water pipes(11in*2).
The Boxtech Fish Tank Water Changer is a neat piece of kit that does a pretty decent job of cleaning your aquarium water and substrate at an affordable price.
The device can be used as an aquarium water changer, and it’s great for vacuuming the substrate, too. The unit can be used in freshwater and saltwater tanks and is easy to use.
This is a compact unit that comes complete with all the fittings required. The anti-backflow design makes drainage more effective, and the pipe is made from super-flexible PVC that won’t crack, collapse, or split.
Extra-long tubing and hard pipes give plenty of scope to reach all areas of your tank without the need to get your hands wet.
What we like:
- Affordable compared with similar models
- Compact and easy to use
- Extra-long tubing
Room for improvement:
- Suction is not very powerful in larger tanks
6. Laifoo Aquarium Siphon Vacuum Cleaner Washer
- FUNCTION --- Easy to control, convenient to siphon fish faeces, impurities, turbid water out of fish tank.
- 5 Feet HOSE --- Made from clear & elastic plastic.
- GRAVEL TUBE --- Sinkable, with a detachable filter screen inside.
The Laifoo Aquarium Siphon Vacuum Cleaner Washer is an easy to use, basic piece of kit that enables you to siphon dirty water out of your tank and remove fish waste and general detritus from a gravel substrate. The five-foot anti-kinking, plastic hosepipe is durable and flexible, and it doesn’t have the unpleasant smell that some similar products do.
The gravel filter tube has a filter screen inside to prevent fragments of the substrate from being sucked out of the tank, and the siphon ball is soft and extremely easy to use. The cleaner comes with a three-month warranty from the purchase date.
What we like:
- Basic, easy to use, indispensable piece of tank maintenance kit
- Affordable price
- Filter screen to prevent gravel from being suctioned out of the tank
Room for improvement:
- Only a three-month warranty
What is an aquarium water changer?
If your fishes are to be healthy and thrive, the water in their tank must be kept clean and free from harmful toxins, such as ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. Those three substances occur as part of the natural nitrogen cycle that happens in your aquarium when fish waste, uneaten food, and decomposing plant matter pollute the water.
In the wild, those nitrogen compounds are swept away by the current or diluted by rainwater. However, that doesn’t happen in the enclosed environment of your home aquarium.
An efficient aquarium filtration system will help to keep the toxin levels down. However, you also need to carry out partial water changes and vacuum the substrate every week to prevent levels of those substances from accumulating, potentially poisoning your fish.
An aquarium water changer is a simple siphon-based device that’s used to suction water from your tank, together with fish waste, uneaten food, and decomposing organic matter, depositing all the muck that you don’t want in your fish tank directly into a sink or bucket, depending on the style of system that you choose.
Most water changers have a long hose that attaches directly to the faucet. First, the device removes dirty water from the tank and then replaces it with clean tap water. Aquarium water changers are designed to save you from having to carry heavy buckets of water to and from the aquarium and rule out spills and mess.
What to look for when buying an aquarium water changer
Aquarium water changers work in pretty much the same way, although there are a variety of styles to choose from. Here’s what to look for when buying and aquarium water changer:
Cost
There’s a wide variance in the cost of aquarium water changers, so you can almost certainly find one that suits your budget.
As a general rule, the more expensive the product, the better the quality will be. Cheaper aquarium water changers tend to be less durable and are more prone to leaking or offering poor suction than their more expensive counterparts.
So, we recommend that you read other buyer’s reviews to check the product’s quality and performance before parting with your cash.
Quality
Similarly, the maxim “buy cheap, buy twice” is certainly applicable when it comes to aquarium water changers. You want to buy a product of the best quality you can afford. Poorly made devices are not only less efficient; they tend to fall apart quickly, meaning that you’ll have to buy a replacement.
Tank maintenance can be hard work and takes its toll on plastic and rubber components, so always double-check that the water changer you’re considering buying is made from durable, high-quality materials.
Range of features
Some aquarium water changers offer additional features, such as multifunctional capability, extra-long hoses, or specially designed filters. Take the time to read the full range of features that each product offers before parting with your hard-earned cash.
One feature that’s especially important is that the device has the capability to fit on a range of faucets. For a water changer to work effectively, it must fit the faucet properly and without leaking. A fully adjustable faucet fitting can save you a world of pain in the long run.
Ease of use
The whole point of buying an aquarium water changer is that it saves you time and hassle when it comes to carrying out partial water changes and cleaning your aquarium substrate.
Check to see whether the product you’re considering buying is a plug-in-and-go device or whether it requires manual setup, which can be a hassle.
Size and hose length
The size of your tank will have a big influence on the aquarium water changer that you buy.
As a general rule, if you have a very deep tank, you’ll need a very powerful water changer that provides enough suction to pull the water out of the tank at a reasonably speedy rate. Also, if your aquarium is positioned some distance from the nearest sink that you can use for water changes, you’ll need to choose a product that has a long enough hose to comfortably stretch from the tank to the sink.
Final thoughts
Keeping your fish tank water clean and carrying out partial water changes every week is essential for your livestock’s health and well-being. Water changes and tank cleaning can be time-consuming, messy tasks at the best of times, and anything that makes the job quicker and less hassle is well worth adding to your fishkeeping kit. An aquarium water changer is an ideal gadget for that job.
All the aquarium water changers that we’ve reviewed for you in this guide are best-sellers, and all do a decent job. Choose a product that suits your budget, has all the features you want, and is easy to use, and you can look forward to quicker, easier tank maintenance.
