# using a garden hose



## grgrn (Jan 14, 2016)

I read somewhere you shouldn't use a hose to fill an aquarium or for water changes. Does anyone have any input.


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## Dis (Apr 16, 2010)

I think lots of people do. I use mine to empty my tanks but I fill with a python.


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## bob123 (Dec 31, 2009)

I use a potable water hose for filling as well as draining, have for years with no problems.


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## brycon (Aug 5, 2014)

There are safe drinking hoses you can get a Home Depot and Walmart. I've seen the white ones at Canadian Tire and Home Hardware also.

https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.miracle-gro-ultralight-50-feet-hose.1000830791.html

http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/camco-22753-50-drinking-water-hose-with-12-id/6000077806789

I use the white ones but mine aren't kink resistance.


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## Grey Legion (Mar 20, 2006)

This is true, I used a "regular" garden hose for close to 10 years on FW tanks with no issues. But since moving to a new house I use a python.



Dis said:


> I think lots of people do. I use mine to empty my tanks but I fill with a python.


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## Bwhiskered (Oct 2, 2008)

I have been using rubber garden hoses for nearly 50 years without a problem.I even have an attachment made of copper pipe with a L handled shutoff valve. The pipe has 2 elbows so it will hang on the tanks. It is also equipped with a shower head to spray in the water.


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## GregH (Apr 14, 2016)

I know I'm only new here, but I've had success using both a hose and filling a tank with a bucket - one is much easier / quicker than the other obviously.


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

Garden hoses are not all equal. Rubber hoses are probably totally safe. However, most hoses are vinyl or contain some vinyl. Vinyl (pvc) is naturally a solid and requires plasticizers to make it flexible. These plasticizers leach out of the vinyl and are toxic. My Flexon brand garden hoses say not to drink from them. If you were to flush any standing water in the hose it is unlikely to be an issue, but the plasticizers do leach out. This is why the submerged section of your clear vinyl air hose gets hard while the section out of the water stays soft and flexible.


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## Atom (Sep 17, 2014)

BillD said:


> Garden hoses are not all equal. Rubber hoses are probably totally safe. However, most hoses are vinyl or contain some vinyl. Vinyl (pvc) is naturally a solid and requires plasticizers to make it flexible. These plasticizers leach out of the vinyl and are toxic. My Flexon brand garden hoses say not to drink from them. If you were to flush any standing water in the hose it is unlikely to be an issue, but the plasticizers do leach out. This is why the submerged section of your clear vinyl air hose gets hard while the section out of the water stays soft and flexible.


This makes me worried about using airline and airstones for a long time in my tank and to age water  would those airlines leach anything?


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

I suspect the small amount that comes from air hoses over time is of no concern. We have been using them for many years.


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