Constant Water Change System

[Chitownpw]

I have a mixed reef (200+ total gallons) and do a ~15% water change every two weeks. My tank has a sand bed and I generally siphon the sand bed with each water change. I follow the balling method re dosing.

Water changes are very laborious and I am getting sick of them after 9 yrs in the hobby. I am thinking of running a constant water change system changing 2 gallons or so daily.

I am curious if anyone has made that change and if so:

1) did it completely replace the need to do a manual change or are manual changes still needed - especially if a sand bed is involved?

2) how did it impact dosing?

3) general impact on tank?

4) If I run this system, I would need to drain the water into my basement sump which would then pump the tank water out of the house. Anyone done this and have any issues given the salt water?


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[4nReefer]

Hi, I just switched to AWC. It was the best decision I ever made. To answer your questions.
1. Yes it kinda completely replaced my manual water change, however to keep my sanded clean, at first I had to do little siphoning once every 2 months but then I replenished my CUC and now my sand seem to stay pretty clean for the most part.
2. When u make the replacement water, u use the same salt mix as your reef, and mix to the same salinity, as your reef.as long as u keep your par around the same as your salt, you should be fine but I'll confirm that and dose as necessary. AWC would take out a certain amount of water, e.g 1gal/day and replace the exact same amount of water to your tank. This means means it shouldn't affect dosing since its replenishing the exact quantity its taking out. So this shouldn't affect your dosing. However, depends on how long u keep your water, I've heard of alk dropping slightly, although I haven't experienced it myself. So just keep an eye out.
3. Because you'll be doing a more consistent water change, rather than the regular weekly or biweekly water change, your tank overtime would be more stable. *Stability is the [emoji360] [emoji1006] *
4. My AWC station is setup the exact way you've described. I've had no issues at all. There's the thing with humidity, but I'm no expert in that field. For me I open the garage door every. Now and then and that seem to help. Using a completely closed (sealed) system also helps, since there would be no evaporation taking place if all the water is in a completely sealed container.
I hope I was able to help. Lemme know if u have any more questions. Heres a [emoji328] of my setup.

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[Tastee]

I've been running AWCs on my two tanks for about 6 months now. My 65g RSR 250 is 3 years old but my 130g RSR 525XL is only 8 months old. I change about 10% of the water in each tank once every 6 weeks, so I am in the infrequent WC camp. I use Aquaforest Reef salt and dose Aquaforest 3 part 24x7 so my parameters all stay very stable.

I don't clean my sand beds at all, I leave that to my CUC. My sand bed is only about 1/2" to 1" deep (varies across the tanks). So far so good.


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[Chitownpw]

Hi, I just switched to AWC. It was the best decision I ever made. To answer your questions.
1. Yes it kinda completely replaced my manual water change, however to keep my sanded clean, at first I had to do little siphoning once every 2 months but then I replenished my CUC and now my sand seem to stay pretty clean for the most part.
2. When u make the replacement water, u use the same salt mix as your reef, and mix to the same salinity, as your reef.as long as u keep your par around the same as your salt, you should be fine but I'll confirm that and dose as necessary. AWC would take out a certain amount of water, e.g 1gal/day and replace the exact same amount of water to your tank. This means means it shouldn't affect dosing since its replenishing the exact quantity its taking out. So this shouldn't affect your dosing. However, depends on how long u keep your water, I've heard of alk dropping slightly, although I haven't experienced it myself. So just keep an eye out.
3. Because you'll be doing a more consistent water change, rather than the regular weekly or biweekly water change, your tank overtime would be more stable. *Stability is the [emoji360] [emoji1006] *
4. My AWC station is setup the exact way you've described. I've had no issues at all. There's the thing with humidity, but I'm no expert in that field. For me I open the garage door every. Now and then and that seem to help. Using a completely closed (sealed) system also helps, since there would be no evaporation taking place if all the water is in a completely sealed container.
I hope I was able to help. Lemme know if u have any more questions. Heres a [emoji328] of my setup.

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Thx for the info. Are you pulling from the tank or the sump?


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[Chitownpw]

I've been running AWCs on my two tanks for about 6 months now. My 65g RSR 250 is 3 years old but my 130g RSR 525XL is only 8 months old. I change about 10% of the water in each tank once every 6 weeks, so I am in the infrequent WC camp. I use Aquaforest Reef salt and dose Aquaforest 3 part 24x7 so my parameters all stay very stable.

I don't clean my sand beds at all, I leave that to my CUC. My sand bed is only about 1/2" to 1" deep (varies across the tanks). So far so good.


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R u using a particular awc system or a dyi?


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[4nReefer]

Thx for the info. Are you pulling from the tank or the sump?


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I pull from the sump, in the first baffle after the drain and add back into the sump, in a baffle right before the return.

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[Tastee]

R u using a particular awc system or a dyi?


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I use Neptune DOS for my AWCs.


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[LefkoNJ]

Don't have pic handy but I setup a AWC for my 180. Using a Apex DOS for the movement of water. Purchased 2 65 Gallon units but I am gravity fed from the RODI water into the saltwater unit. I then have a power head and heater in the saltwater unit for mixing and maintaining temperature. It does lessen some of the dosing but not as much as you would think. It creates major stability though because now instead of changing 35 gallons every week I am doing 5 a day but at a rate of 130ml every 10 minutes.

It takes me 20 minutes to make a fresh batch of saltwater and it pauses my changes for 1 day.

With regards to sand and larger changes I do that about every 6 months or when I see fit.

 

[Raoul5Duke]

Been using this for years : https://genesisreefsystems.com/. Works great, only complaint is uses float switches which have their issues as we all know

 

[Chitownpw]

Thanks all!


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[ntropics]

I have a genesis reef system as well, and I love it. They are really good about replacing parts that may fail over time. You've got to be good about topping off, or the system will stop, thinking that the water level is too low. (They also make an auto top off system as well, and it works with the auto water change system.)

I would NEVER go back to changing water the "old fashioned" way! (Cue: choppy black and white film with frumpy person getting all wet and spilling water.)