Easy Auto Water Change System

BodiBuilt

Premium Member
The easier it is to accomplish, the more likely it will get done :spin1: Point taken!!

So, please show/tell me about your own "auto-water-change system" design, and what you would do to improve your design if you were building a new system :thumbsup:
 
My current way of doing things is unplugging the ATO pump and plugging in a pump from a bucket. Keeps the sump from blowing bubbles and me from overfilling. Not exactly "auto" but its as close as I can get

I'm sure some people have some pretty cool setups, I've also heard good things about continuous water changers and keeping the parameters solid.

Ill be following this as well.
 
OP, good question, simplifying water changes sure makes it easier to stay on schedule. I don't have a auto water change system, my house floor plan wouldn't allow it. I do have a process that eliminates lifting water.:thumbsup: I screw a hose onto a valve in the sump, roll the hose out the back door and open the valve to drain. Makeup water is mixed in the garage in a brute on a dolly. Roll the can around to the back door and fill up the sump.
 
I detach the return pump and feed the hose into my bucket to remove some of my water. Thought about getting a pump to sit in the bottom of my fresh bucket and just pump it right into the sump.
 
I have a drain in the sump on a stand pipe, turn a valve to drain. It still lets everything run while doing the water change. Then I do what justin does to refill.
 
There were 3 things that allowed me to keep the tank running while working in Tokyo in 2012.
1. Two very good friends who are also diehard marine aquarists. They are also my co-workers and without their help, I would have taken the tank down. They helped me with a major water change (partially automated) every 3 months and during emegencies.
2. The genesis system that do daily water changes of 1gal using two 55gal premixed saltwater
3. Quarterly trip back home for 1 week.

I could have taken down the system and set it up again for the cost of the genesis system but I thought about it hard. It actually makes me enjoy my tank even more now that I'm home. All I have to do for my system is the following:

1. Premixed the saltwater (55gal x 2) = every 3 months
2. Clean the algea from the tank using Mr. Clean pads = weekly
3. Refill two Eiheim autofeeders = every 3 months
4. Refill Cal/Alk/Mg 5L containers = every 2 months

After almost 3 years, the Genesis system is by far the best investment IMHO.

QN
 
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