how do you make larger water changes easier?
- Thread starter 1-9-06
- Start date
Best Water Change system ever:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=682077&perpage=25&pagenumber=6
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=682077&perpage=25&pagenumber=6
You may have me confused with Cathy's thread. 
I'll try and explain Cathy's system....
She has two barrels hooked up to a closed loop. The water flow is from bottom to top where it overflows out into fuge and frag tanks. One barrel is permanently running with the system and one barrel is closed off via a ball valve. Both barrels have RODI lines and a float valve. So the closed off barrel is filled up, salt added, has a powerhead in there for salt mixing. When it's ready all she has to do is open the valve and close off the other one. And that is it - instant water change, sweeeeet.
Then she simply turns on another valve and pumps the water out of the now closed off barrel. Then RODI in, salt in, mix and ready for teh next water change.
If I ever get the space, I'll be implementing this system for sure.
I'll try and explain Cathy's system....
She has two barrels hooked up to a closed loop. The water flow is from bottom to top where it overflows out into fuge and frag tanks. One barrel is permanently running with the system and one barrel is closed off via a ball valve. Both barrels have RODI lines and a float valve. So the closed off barrel is filled up, salt added, has a powerhead in there for salt mixing. When it's ready all she has to do is open the valve and close off the other one. And that is it - instant water change, sweeeeet.
Then she simply turns on another valve and pumps the water out of the now closed off barrel. Then RODI in, salt in, mix and ready for teh next water change.
If I ever get the space, I'll be implementing this system for sure.
am3gross
New member
well i dont have any pictures but the way i do it is this.... i have 2 trashcans. 1 i fill with salt water and the other i fill with saltwater. to take saltwater from the tank i have a line going from the return pump to the street... to take water out i simply open a valve and water gets pumped by my return pump. i then shut the valve and simply fill the sump back up with the premade salt water. in all this takes less then 5 minutes and the max water change that i can do is 70 gallons if i fill both trashcans full of saltwater. sorry i dont have any pics. i hope you get the idea.
I just have a seperate 200 gallon rubber maid tank the water in the tank circulates with the whole system. When I do a water change I simply take the tank off line, drain it, fill with RO (takes 2 days), dump in one bucket of salt mix (1 day), test, and bring it back on line. I do weekly 200 gallon changes and it take less than 5 minutes of work.
I just have a seperate 200 gallon rubber maid tank the water in the tank circulates with the whole system. When I do a water change I simply take the tank off line, drain it, fill with RO (takes 2 days), dump in one bucket of salt mix (1 day), test, and bring it back on line. I do weekly 200 gallon changes and it take less than 5 minutes of work.
jeffreylam1132
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10534179#post10534179 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bebo77
yeah. here is my sump...
Nice sump, Gabriel. You mind telling me how much you paid for it?
Red Sea Purple Tang
Active member
Mine is set-up to open/close two valves coming from one of the overflows. It's the perpendicular line to the right of the return pump. I cut a hole in a Brute container so the extension fits in. It drains to a level around 20g for a water change. The Brute container is on wheels so I can roll if over to the (cough cough) sewer drain (cough cough) and drain out the water.
The 40g on top of the stand is my new change water. I just open a valve the the new water goes right into the sump.
The 40g on top of the stand is my new change water. I just open a valve the the new water goes right into the sump.
yaktop
New member
I currently use two barrels similar to others. flip a switch, turn a vave pretty much no fuss. best system which I plan on going to is a two pump dosing system, take a drip out put a drip in, continuously. makes a very stable system, constant water change, and easily increased or reduced as needed. run out of fresh sw, have a float switch and shut the pump down.
Red Sea Purple Tang
Active member
Sweet plan Yaktop...I guess you would need a seperate container of ready made saltwater to add to the "drip in" saltwater container....interesting idea.
