First semi-large water change...need to improve strategy :(

[allendehl]

Hi there guys,

My cycle was rather short (7 days) and it feels like my very first thing that goes right in the hobby!!! Other than been able to correct a disastrous start of my TTM which costed me two soldiers.

I did my first water change yesterday to lower nitrates, it went from 20pm to 10ppm.

Thing is that it was a PITA. Here I;ll try to explain challenges at the best of my abilities:

Challenges

- I have live rock stocked in a high pillar, with a bunch of sponges that look alive(not sure how to tell) so I didn't want to leave then with no water during the change.
- No automation at all, buckets with salt water out of the house so, had to fill up a 5G and bring the water manually to the DT.
- Tank is by a window, but I have grass and plants close to it, just siphoning the water out the window was not an option. Had to do it into a 5G bucket and carry it one by one out to the street.

Process I followed (if you can call it that)

- Started siphon the water out of the window into a 5G bucket
- Fill up another 5G bucket with salt water and bring it in
- Pump is on
- Dump the new water into the sump making sure I do not over do it and outrun the siphon for too much or I'd flood my livingroom
- Go back and fill up the 5G bucket with salt water again. By the time it took, pump was almost running dry in the sump, turn it off, dump the water, turn it on or the rocks would get exposed to the air.
- Go grab the bad water bucket and dump it in the street

....you get the idea....:fun4:

Two challenges made the process a nightmare to sync up. The fact that I did not want to expose sponges to air, so I needed to add water as I was extracting it and the fact that I didn't want to pour salt water into my wife's pretty plants. Second I can manage by getting a much larger hose and running it into the street directly.

No real question here other than venting a bit and see if anyone has any tips on how to get this process improved.

Thanks!!!

 

[ktownhero]

I run my python out to the driveway and let it siphon. It's nice !

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

 

[afish70]

I use a 20 gallon brute garbage can to mix salt water in. I use a 400 GPH submersible pump with a python gravel vac attached to it. i place the pump on counter and have one end of hose in tank and the other in sink. I do not syphon the sand. I have the drain go down the sink and when i pull out all of the water i need to i shut off pump. Then i take off the "exhaust" side hose and put the pump in the garbage can, turn it back on and let it pump the new salt water back in to tank. 15 gallon water change takes about 20 minutes total.

 

[allendehl]

That is too easy!!! How do I keep water coming in at a pace that won't overflow my tank or let rocks expose? :frog:

 

[afish70]

My rocks do not go up too high so i do not worry about them being exposed. I have the water flow in to my HOG skimmer then in to tank. You can use a smaller pump or put a valve in -line to slow the flow also.

 

[MurphyLong]

Here's how I do it on my 125...

2 Brute trash cans, 1 empty, 1 with fresh SW, 2 cheap submersible pumps from Harbor Freight (same model, they were $14 IIRC)

Drop 1 pump in fresh SW, with long hose running to DT.

Drop 1 pump into sump with hose going to empty trash can.

Both pumps are plugged into a DJ power strip (it has individual switches) and I turn the fill pump on about 5 seconds before the drain pump, and just stand there.

If the sump level starts getting too low, I shut off the pump that is draining, if the DT/Sump start getting too full, I shut off the fill pump for a few seconds to allow it to catch up, but this has only happened maybe twice, I've pushed the drains to the max, and they usually just start "flushing" because they hit full siphon, and the whole process takes less than 10 minutes for a 30g change.

Then I wheel the full can to the bathroom, and pump the dirty water into the toilet, then outside for a quick rinse of both cans, flip them both over to dry, and start making more SW for the next change. it stays in my laundry room with a powerhead and an air pump until next WC.

 

[billdogg]

I would redo the rocks so that they are not much higher than about 2/3 to the top. That will allow you to drain a sufficient amount of old water out without any worries at all.

I, too, love my Python Siphon, and cannot imagine doing a water change without. It hooks to the sink in my laundry room and the old water goes down the drain. There ends the buckets on that end of the equation.

I mix my water in a 55g barrel in the basement. There is just no way at all I'd schlepp buckets full of water upstairs. Nope. Not gonna happen. For years, I just hooked my python siphon to a return pump (mag18) in the mixing barrel, turned it on, and raced up the stairs to make sure water was going where it was supposed to. Then I got smart. Got myself a $10 remote control plug so all I had to do was move the hose and push a button to make the water start/stop. Can't get any better - right??? Well.......When I did the last upgrade, I needed to run more electric, so I also ran 3/4" pvc from the barrel to the back of the tank and installed a spigot. Now, all I have to do is push the button on the remote and open the spigot.

Work smarter - not harder!!!!


hth

 

[allendehl]

Here's how I do it on my 125...

2 Brute trash cans, 1 empty, 1 with fresh SW, 2 cheap submersible pumps from Harbor Freight (same model, they were $14 IIRC)

Drop 1 pump in fresh SW, with long hose running to DT.

Drop 1 pump into sump with hose going to empty trash can.

Both pumps are plugged into a DJ power strip (it has individual switches) and I turn the fill pump on about 5 seconds before the drain pump, and just stand there.

If the sump level starts getting too low, I shut off the pump that is draining, if the DT/Sump start getting too full, I shut off the fill pump for a few seconds to allow it to catch up, but this has only happened maybe twice, I've pushed the drains to the max, and they usually just start "flushing" because they hit full siphon, and the whole process takes less than 10 minutes for a 30g change.

Then I wheel the full can to the bathroom, and pump the dirty water into the toilet, then outside for a quick rinse of both cans, flip them both over to dry, and start making more SW for the next change. it stays in my laundry room with a powerhead and an air pump until next WC.

This works!!...Thanks!!

 

[OldReefGuy]

Just curious as to why you said this " The fact that I did not want to expose sponges to air, "

 

[allendehl]

Just curious as to why you said this " The fact that I did not want to expose sponges to air, "

It is my understanding that sponges may die if exposed to air. I already did when the LR came and most survived (I believe) so I don't want to take that risk again.

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[2000se]

Stenner100DMP5 - It's a little slower but it's a no-frills tried and true method. Pumps in what it pumps out at the same time.

 

[Green Chromis]

:fish1: Hi, all I do is, go out in the boat collect my water and hopefully a few fish for dinner, come home wash boat and gear, put in garage. Then I pump out 110 gallons of tank water from the sump and Refuge into floor drain, and refill the tank with 110 gallon NSW from the boat using an Iwaki pump. Some times I also lightly vacuum the sand bed into the floor drain, if you have a sump, I would just drain your sump, with something like the Python vacuum system, and refill the sump to the level it was before. :fish1: