aqua_carmen
New member
I was wondering how everyone does water changes and just using it reference as to the way im doing it.
How do you do your water changes!?!?
- Thread starter aqua_carmen
- Start date
bignick
New member
I use a 1" diameter piece of Vinyl tubing and syphon out eight 5 gallon buckets of water and then i add my pre-mixed Salt that i let sit for about a day with a powerhead in there and a heater.
This is the way i do it now that i make my own RODI but before i use to buy my water from the LFS (still pre-mixed) and i would just add that after i syphoned out the water i was going to change.
This is the way i do it now that i make my own RODI but before i use to buy my water from the LFS (still pre-mixed) and i would just add that after i syphoned out the water i was going to change.
Snowreefer
New member
Scoop it out with an old burgerking king size cup then dump in pre-mixed from my rubbermaid tote full of ro/di water instant ocean and a pump to circulate. I always have 10+ gallons spinning around in there
aqua_carmen
New member
not too many people in my city use RO/DI water. Do you think i can get away with just having my tap water sitting out in a rubbermaid garbage with AmQuel and buffer? And also using a power head and a heater inside of it
gotboostedvr6
New member
tap water would be bad 
dr_bull
Member
Not all tap water is bad. I have used well water for over 20 years in all my tanks with no problems. I also have very pure well water! But if by tap water you mean city water then I would shy away from it. My well runs 250' down and is in the adirondak park, very little pollution! The way I make my water is use a python hose that is attached to my sink and stuff the end of the hose with some polyfilter, I then run the water slowly through the python so the polyfilter can do its job, and fill a large rubbermaid trash can. I put a Rio 1700 pump in the bottom of the trash can so I can mix the water and also use a couple of airstones to airate it. I then add my salt and let it mix for a few hours before I use it. Then I just use the same python to drain the tank, attach a hose to the end of my rio and pump the new water into the tank. I have had great results!
pjf
Premium Member
Use Sump for Water Changes
Use Sump for Water Changes
I have a 75-gallon display tank with a 29-gallon sump refugium. The return compartment of the sump is 20-gallons with an external pump. I have a Kold Ster-il system which gives me filtered water on demand. I believe that filtration systems are less wasteful than RO systems and not as dangerous as DI systems.
If I want to perform a 20% water change, I simply turn off the pump, siphon the return compartment, mix salt in the return compartment, heat, and turn the pump back on.
To perform a 30% water change, I need to siphon the entire sump and the overflow:
1. Turn off external pump & skimmer
2. Remove skimmer & chaetomorpha
3. Siphon sump, remove standpipe, keep siphoning until empty
4. Mix water and salt in sump and heat
5. Replace skimmer, chaetomorpha and standpipe
6. Turn on external pump & skimmer
The 30% water change used to be easier when my sump had a hang-on skimmer and no macroalgae.
Use Sump for Water Changes
I have a 75-gallon display tank with a 29-gallon sump refugium. The return compartment of the sump is 20-gallons with an external pump. I have a Kold Ster-il system which gives me filtered water on demand. I believe that filtration systems are less wasteful than RO systems and not as dangerous as DI systems.
If I want to perform a 20% water change, I simply turn off the pump, siphon the return compartment, mix salt in the return compartment, heat, and turn the pump back on.
To perform a 30% water change, I need to siphon the entire sump and the overflow:
1. Turn off external pump & skimmer
2. Remove skimmer & chaetomorpha
3. Siphon sump, remove standpipe, keep siphoning until empty
4. Mix water and salt in sump and heat
5. Replace skimmer, chaetomorpha and standpipe
6. Turn on external pump & skimmer
The 30% water change used to be easier when my sump had a hang-on skimmer and no macroalgae.
kyrie_eleison
In Memoriam
On my 55 gallon, life couldn't be easier. I've literally got it down to a science: pre-prep water/siphon hose+bucket.
I have a pre-prepared bucket full of conditioned pre-mixed saltwater with the pH already set at 8.2 to 8.4 and a SG of 24-25 allowed to aearate for approx. 2 days+. I siphon out a full 5 gallon bucket (dump it out) and I slowly replace it with the pre-prepared new water. I'm so a-nal about my water quality that I change the water almost every 4 to 5 days.
The bioloads are very minimal. The aquarium is mainly a typical coral reef with 3 fish in it. 2 cleaner shrimp for detritus-parasite control; 3 snails for slime algae control; 1 emerald crab for brown algae control; My two tangs (scopas and Dory) for green/red/blue algae control. In theory, the only fish I really have truly feed is my b/w saddleback clown. He in turn feeds his anemone. So...it's kind of like a trickling down effect. Life is...good.
I have a pre-prepared bucket full of conditioned pre-mixed saltwater with the pH already set at 8.2 to 8.4 and a SG of 24-25 allowed to aearate for approx. 2 days+. I siphon out a full 5 gallon bucket (dump it out) and I slowly replace it with the pre-prepared new water. I'm so a-nal about my water quality that I change the water almost every 4 to 5 days.
The bioloads are very minimal. The aquarium is mainly a typical coral reef with 3 fish in it. 2 cleaner shrimp for detritus-parasite control; 3 snails for slime algae control; 1 emerald crab for brown algae control; My two tangs (scopas and Dory) for green/red/blue algae control. In theory, the only fish I really have truly feed is my b/w saddleback clown. He in turn feeds his anemone. So...it's kind of like a trickling down effect. Life is...good.
