Jeffredsea
New member
I have a Red Sea 34 gallon with 9 gallon sump. Is it best to shut off return pump, powerheads, heater and return valve? Also is it recommended to remove and add water to sump rather than tank? Thanks.
How to do a water change
- Thread starter Jeffredsea
- Start date
Depends. I can leave on everything you mentioned except the main return pump. My powerheads are deep enough in the tank they won't create a vortex and suck air, my heaters remain submerged so no risk there either.
I typically remove water from the display but add it back to the sump, my change water is matched to the same parameters as the tank water so it matters little where I add it anyway. If yours differ to any degree then I would add it to the sump to help offset any major chemistry differences.
I typically remove water from the display but add it back to the sump, my change water is matched to the same parameters as the tank water so it matters little where I add it anyway. If yours differ to any degree then I would add it to the sump to help offset any major chemistry differences.
CStrickland
New member
I use a turkey baster too clear out the rocks a little then kill the powerheads and use a gravel vac to suck the poo out of the sand. Then I add the clean water to the sump so it can get mixed in a little cause I'm fairly lazy about matching temps and stuff. I do 10% each week, if I were replacing more water I'd prolly test the ph and everything.
ericarenee
New member
The Big Question is are you use RO/DI Water that you mixed salt of store bought water from lfs..
Tap water should be treated before adding it and let stand over night with a circulation pump before use.. Best to not use tap water thou..
Tap water should be treated before adding it and let stand over night with a circulation pump before use.. Best to not use tap water thou..
Vinny Kreyling
Premium Member
The determining factor as to leave the pump, heater & power heads running is whether they remain submerged enough not to create problems.
I do mine from the sump/refugium, using a siphon hose to clear out patches of detritus, but hold the water until I am sure everything is ok...test the incoming salinity, test as you're in process, test when you're done. WIth a 10% volume of change, in most tanks, the influx of cool water is ok: what DOES count is being sure that salt water is clear, not cloudy when it comes in. Usually takes 8 hours to totally dissolve all the elements in it, though you can sometimes hurry things along with a very strong mixing pump in your mixing bin.
JammyBirch
Aquaria Engineering
I do water changes from my sump, 25g DT with 10g sump. My sump is split for this reason, I can drain half of it without affecting anything else in the system.
Like mentioned before how low does your water level go in your sump? How big of a water change are we talking here? 5g should be fine...
Like mentioned before how low does your water level go in your sump? How big of a water change are we talking here? 5g should be fine...
gone fishin
New member
I turn off my powerheads and return pump. I usually drain from the tank and my mix station is hard piped to my sump.
nuxx
.Registered Member
Just got down doing about 800 gallons of changes over 2 weeks...
Have a pretty good system down.
Shut down the return pumps. Shut off the skimmer and powerheads in the sump.
Use a pump and hose to feed two 50 gallon drums the old water from the sump.
Then just use the same pumps to pump water from a 100 gallon storage tank back to the sump.
Turn the returns and powerheads back on and when the water levels turn the skimmer back up.
Fish have no idea what's going on, their powerheads are still running, just not the returns.
Have a pretty good system down.
Shut down the return pumps. Shut off the skimmer and powerheads in the sump.
Use a pump and hose to feed two 50 gallon drums the old water from the sump.
Then just use the same pumps to pump water from a 100 gallon storage tank back to the sump.
Turn the returns and powerheads back on and when the water levels turn the skimmer back up.
Fish have no idea what's going on, their powerheads are still running, just not the returns.
ericarenee
New member
Similar to mine..thou i turn nothing off.
I turn a valve on top my return pump that is connected to a hard plumbed line to drain. Watch the sump level to drop to the lowest mark. (Down to 20 gal left in sump) Just enough so the pump does not suck air. Then i close that Drain valve.
I Go over to my Ro/di mixing station that is higher then my Sump tank. I then turn a valve open on the Correct of the 3 tanks. Then a second next to my sum p and the water will fill the sump back up to the top off line. 5 minutes or so and NOT A DROP OF Water touched or spilled.Cant even see the Display from the sump room . and every 3 months i will clean out one of the 3 deep sand bed containers. NO Sand in the Display tank.
Simplest setup i could think off without Automation.
