So how exactly do you do large water changes?

WinnipegDragon · #1 07/15/2007, 10:39 AM

In all the excitement of planning my new tank, I sort of neglected to consider how, exactly, I am going to do water changes on this thing.

My RO/DI unit will be about 30' away from the tank in the laundry room, give or take 5', although they are on the same floor of the house. If I want to change, say, 15g weekly, how exactly will I move this water?

I'm going to put a hose barb off of a T from my return pump to get water out, which is no big deal, and I figure the 1262 can push that water 30' with a 3' rise at the end to dump into my utility sink.

Getting the water back might be trickier. I'm going to have 2 25g or so containers in the same area, for holding RO/DI and SW mixing. Moving water between the two will be easy enough even just with a 1g milk jug with the bottom cut off or something. How to get the water from the mixing tank to the sump though?

Should I be buying a second Eheim or is there a nice cheap submersible pump I can get that will push water 30' back plus a 2' rise or so into the sump? Or is there a better way of doing this altogether?

Dubbin1 · #2 07/15/2007, 10:48 AM

I have a bunch of 5g water jugs to keep the water in and then just mix it up in a tupperware storage bin next to the tank. The I simply drain the old water out and pump the new water in. After that I refill the water jugs, rinse out the tupperware tub and pump then put it all away until the next week.

WinnipegDragon · #3 07/15/2007, 11:28 AM

How far of a run is your pump pushing the water, and what pump do you use?

kuoka · #4 07/15/2007, 11:55 AM

I do what Dubbin does. I mix my SW in a big plastic bucket (10 gals at a time) then transfer the water into 5 gal jugs using a pump. I make up 15 gals. I then siphon out 15 gals from my tank into the aforementioned bucket, use the same pump to move the old water into the drain of my sink or into the gutter. I then pour the 5 gals into my sump. Whole process takes about 10 min.

Sk8r · #5 07/15/2007, 12:00 PM

four 5g buckets and a timer with a bell to be sure you don't let it overflow! Use 3 buckets to mix saltwater [use a maxijet to stir] and 1 bucket to drain water from main tank. Be careful: leave a pump in with the power off and it will still siphon, so have plenty of room to work, some towels handy for your first adventure, and make sure to turn OFF your autotopoff pump, or it will go on injecting fresh water to make up what you take out, and totally screw your salt balance.

psimitry · #6 07/15/2007, 12:45 PM

I just fill 5g jugs full of RO/DI water, then I have a few rubbermaid containers that I use a spare maxi-mod to mix the water (mixes it darned quick I might add!). Once done, I use a spare maxijet 1200 with a bit of silicone tubing to pump the water out into 5g buckets that I dump and then pump the new water back in.

I used to do the siphon thing, and really got sick of catching SW in my mouth trying to siphon new water back in the tank. Once I clued myself in on using a powerhead to pump water back into the tank, I've never been happier (well maybe as happy as when I installed an auto top-off system).

Dubbin1 · #7 07/15/2007, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by WinnipegDragon
How far of a run is your pump pushing the water, and what pump do you use?

I have an 8 foot 3/4 inch hose hooked up to a mag5 pump to get the water back into the tank.

WinnipegDragon · #8 07/15/2007, 01:22 PM

So this way you are only carrying 5g at a time. Makes sense. I had envisioned moving 15g at a time via pumps or otherwise. I'd still like to try that if possible, but the I also have to find a pump that won't mind running dry for a minute or two as I move back and forth from tank to laundry room.

I wish there was a Python-like option, but this will do I guess.

kuoka · #9 07/15/2007, 01:24 PM

Yeah, I lug 5gals at a time. Hey it helps the biceps too! LOL

Dubbin1 · #10 07/15/2007, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by WinnipegDragon
So this way you are only carrying 5g at a time. Makes sense. I had envisioned moving 15g at a time via pumps or otherwise. I'd still like to try that if possible, but the I also have to find a pump that won't mind running dry for a minute or two as I move back and forth from tank to laundry room.

I wish there was a Python-like option, but this will do I guess.

Yup 5g at a time, I like to keep things simple and easy

amike5 · #11 07/15/2007, 03:03 PM

I use a 20g trash can with a mag 5 to circulate. When it's ready I slip a 1" x 9' hose onto the mag5 to pump the water into my sump. Sometimes I use the mag5 to drain the water from the tank as well, it's much faster than syphoning.

fancyfish · #12 07/15/2007, 03:13 PM

I have a remote control operate a pump in my salt water bin in the basement. I had the hose come from the basement into the upstairs where my sump is and press the button. I used to carry buckets but they are heavy and along way up the basement stairs

WinnipegDragon · #13 07/15/2007, 04:01 PM

Neat idea. What do you use for the remote? I imagine there must be a kit that you just plug into the outlet or something?

reefnetworth · #14 07/15/2007, 04:12 PM

im a member of the 5G bucket carrier club, also!

mix RO/DI & salt with a MJ-1200 with a 5/8" I.D. hose to draw from the bottom up to the pump just under the surface, where it circulates a minimum of 24 hrs. believe it or not some salt will test pos. for NH3/NH4 as soon as its mixed, the waiting period is to allow it to level off to 0.00

i use a 1" I.D. hose, held in front of a powerehead in the tank to start the syphon from the tank. it takes less than one minute to empty 5G.

i have a 3/8" I.D. hose i push into the output of the MJ-1200 while its in the mixing bucket and refill the tank. i sit it the 5G on a bar stool for better results.

(insted of risking a pump running dry and locking up, use a ball valve about 2 ft. from the end of the output line and shut off the flow before your container is completetly emptied)

good luck, hope this helps!!!

JDM