600 Gallon Upgrade Build

[SPotter]

I have a 65g tank plumbed into my system which is for the sole purpose of water changes. There's a bulkhead at the top of one of the side panels which drains into my sump. Water is fed to it by my manifold so when I want to do a wc, I just turn the bv off to isolate the tank. there's a mag 7 pump in the tank that pumps the water out to my slop sink and then I fill the tank back up. Once its fill I open the bv back up and new water begins to mix in with the old water gradually. I can do a 65g wc in about 20 mins and the best part is I can walk away while the water is draining and not have to worry about over draining the tank. I also have a small powerhead in there to just keep the water moving around and stir up any sediment that may reach the tank.

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

Short answer to your original question is that smaller water changes are more effective and stable than large weekly water changes.

Not sure on the specifics of where the tank will be but the LMIII could still easily be implemented coming from the floor. It's a peristilic pump so you just need to run cheap 1/4" refrigerator line for drain/refill/ato. You would not have to worry about freezing lines like I would either

You'll figure out something that will make it easier in another way if the above is not possible. I know I can't wait until I can order some large vertical tanks and build out a water change station so I have lots of water on reserve.

The tank is going to be a 360 walk around so the only way to do that is to drain the water out of the center overflow and place it back in there.

I have a 65g tank plumbed into my system which is for the sole purpose of water changes. There's a bulkhead at the top of one of the side panels which drains into my sump. Water is fed to it by my manifold so when I want to do a wc, I just turn the bv off to isolate the tank. there's a mag 7 pump in the tank that pumps the water out to my slop sink and then I fill the tank back up. Once its fill I open the bv back up and new water begins to mix in with the old water gradually. I can do a 65g wc in about 20 mins and the best part is I can walk away while the water is draining and not have to worry about over draining the tank. I also have a small powerhead in there to just keep the water moving around and stir up any sediment that may reach the tank.

I am a little confused on the input. Your pics help out but it leaves me at a stand still on what I need to do considering as I told Dustin that the tank is going to be a 360 walk around and the only way to do the water change is manually or through the overflow.

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

like it so far.. very good job

Thanks. Looking forward to seeing your build.

 

[SPotter]

I forgot about the walk around part....sorry.

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

I forgot about the walk around part....sorry.

You can't blame yourself for something you didn't know. Maybe our creative minds can come together and figure something out. Maybe someone can chime in. Thanks SP.

 

[noplay180]

Don't know how bad you want it but you could cut a channel in the floor if you haven't put flooring in thats what I did for my walk around 300 DD I ran electrical and the 3/8 water lines

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

Don't know how bad you want it but you could cut a channel in the floor if you haven't put flooring in thats what I did for my walk around 300 DD I ran electrical and the 3/8 water lines

Cutting into the floor is definitely out of the budget. You live in orlando so I dont know how the houses are made there but here in Clearwater I have concrete slabs. The only way to try and accomplish this daily water change is to either do it manually(it would kill me but can be done) or through the overflow.

 

[Dustin1300]

If you can't have a permanent solution, why not have a quick disconnect for a drain and refill. You have your water station (garage, another room, etc) and when you want to fill tank just pop flexible hose on and run to DT. Same goes for the drain. It could be a spare drain you have with tank or branched off a manifold with a ball valve so you can drain tank. That makes it easy for a full walk-around tank and you can store the flexible hose elsewhere.

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

Apology

Apology

I forgot about the walk around part....sorry.

I owe you an apology. After slowly reading your reply and looking at your pics, your explanation make better sense. I wish I had a basement and this would be of no problem for me to handle.

 

[SPotter]

I owe you an apology. After slowly reading your reply and looking at your pics, your explanation make better sense. I wish I had a basement and this would be of no problem for me to handle.

no apology needed! your head is spinning from all of this. I know my head was ready to explode after about 10 months of planning. Now I am having some separation anxiety because the tank is running and I dont know what to do with the time I was using to do my research and plan things out.

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

no apology needed! your head is spinning from all of this. I know my head was ready to explode after about 10 months of planning. Now I am having some separation anxiety because the tank is running and I dont know what to do with the time I was using to do my research and plan things out.

Yea and its about to come off my shoulders. Oh I dread the day when the tank is running and experience what you went through.

 

[reeffinatic]

Hey newbie have a 520 and my water changes take me about 30 to 45 mins tops unless I choose to vacuum the sand and I change out 150 gallons every two wks. My tank is viewable from 3 sides with corner external overflow. I just have a mag 12 in my garage a water line dedicated for water changes and I just have to unroll it and pump the water in to the tank. Draining the water from main display is a little more tedious but it gets the job done. I have a 55 gallon drum I set it next to my tank fill it almost up 3 times and each time turn the pump on and drain it outside but it literally takes me no longer then 45 mins. And besides plugging the pump in and wrapping the hose up its pretty easy and I dont have to tote jugs

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

Hey newbie have a 520 and my water changes take me about 30 to 45 mins tops unless I choose to vacuum the sand and I change out 150 gallons every two wks. My tank is viewable from 3 sides with corner external overflow. I just have a mag 12 in my garage a water line dedicated for water changes and I just have to unroll it and pump the water in to the tank. Draining the water from main display is a little more tedious but it gets the job done. I have a 55 gallon drum I set it next to my tank fill it almost up 3 times and each time turn the pump on and drain it outside but it literally takes me no longer then 45 mins. And besides plugging the pump in and wrapping the hose up its pretty easy and I dont have to tote jugs

150 gallons every 2 weeks, that is alot. I plan on having the same setup as you with a pump in the garage and a hose to pump the saltwater into. Dustin1300 gave me a pretty good idea that will work for me also. Thank you for your suggestion and input. It is greatly appreciated.

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

Thanks

Thanks

If you can't have a permanent solution, why not have a quick disconnect for a drain and refill. You have your water station (garage, another room, etc) and when you want to fill tank just pop flexible hose on and run to DT. Same goes for the drain. It could be a spare drain you have with tank or branched off a manifold with a ball valve so you can drain tank. That makes it easy for a full walk-around tank and you can store the flexible hose elsewhere.

Pleasure talking to you yesterday and I greatly appreciate your ideas and input. I will be following along with your build and learn along the way as I have had with the other builds on this site.

 

[Dustin1300]

Pleasure talking to you yesterday and I greatly appreciate your ideas and input. I will be following along with your build and learn along the way as I have had with the other builds on this site.

No problem Wayne. I'm not perfect either and like to bounce ideas off others too and nice to talk on the phone to another reefers anyways (My wife, friends, and co-workers get lost in my conversations and I just keep rambling)

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

No problem Wayne. I'm not perfect either and like to bounce ideas off others too and nice to talk on the phone to another reefers anyways (My wife, friends, and co-workers get lost in my conversations and I just keep rambling)

Rambling is good when it comes to reefing.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

Update!

Update!

Here are the latest pics of the tank.

 

[Dustin1300]

Wayne, it's looking really good! Is that at your house complete or does he still have some work to finish up?

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

Wayne, it's looking really good! Is that at your house complete or does he still have some work to finish up?

It is still at his house. He is finish the last 4 foot side and start on the 8 foot side. I will be out of town traveling the rest of the month so I am looking at June/July before setup after I finish the room first.

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

Picked up some pieces over the weekend. Hopefully they will grow out enough for the build.