How to prepare for water changes?

[AC_Rhino]

So my system has native sand, crustaceans, and invertebrates in it from the north shore of new england so those tidal pool critters are much more hardy than your typical reef animals that most of you keep as they need to survive in pools, temp fluctuations, rain, salinity levels, etc.

Still with all of that I do want to prepare for doing water changes. Its a 40 gallon tank with no sump but it has a huge fluval 404 with bio balls, carbon, anti-amonia pellets, and screen filters.

How do you guys do your water changes ... when I had fresh water I would just drain a % of the tank, and fill it back up with tap water treated with conditioner. I never had to deal with salt. With the salt water tank ... I;m going to need to pre-prepare the water ... which can take some time to get right and I will need a few buckets. I'm thinking measure the water into the buckets with conditioner, add the reef salt, measure/add, measure/add, ... blah blah blah forever ... then drain the water and REAALLY slowly poor the water back in so to not disturb the sand or tiny critters.

How do you prepare for and perform your water changes?

 

[ethuman]

I keep a brute garbage can full of salt water ready at all times in the basement. This way it is ready when I need it or in case there is ever an emergency and I need it right away. I just use a small pump and a piece of tubing to move it into the buckets when I'm ready for a water change. I usually do 15g a week or every other week so after the first couple times you can figure out exactly how much salt to add when I add 15 more gallons of RO water back to the brute. Pretty simple and works great for me

 

[brianbrainstein]

I use a 40 gallon brute trash can. You will need to mix the water somehow. Some people use powerheads. I plumbed a return pump into mine with a few valves. One side goes back into the trash can, down to the bottom, with a pipe along the edge to create a stirring effect. I fill the can to the same height with an RODI unit and an auto shutoff valve. This way I know just how much salt to add each time. Then I mix overnight.

I have it setup where I can change some of the valves and push the water back to the tank when it's ready.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SnoopyDaPimp]

My first water change on a new tank I take one 5g jugs out at a time and make that on the side of the tank with a sharpie for every 5g. I mix my water in a big barrel and have figured out roughly how much salt I need. Mix then test, etc... I then siphon out the water into other water jugs then dump it into my clean outs out front. Finally, just drop the pump in and refill the water.

Are you using RODI water? I noticed you mentioned a water conditioner

 

[AC_Rhino]

My first water change on a new tank I take one 5g jugs out at a time and make that on the side of the tank with a sharpie for every 5g. I mix my water in a big barrel and have figured out roughly how much salt I need. Mix then test, etc... I then siphon out the water into other water jugs then dump it into my clean outs out front. Finally, just drop the pump in and refill the water.

Are you using RODI water? I noticed you mentioned a water conditioner

The conditioner is a chlorine remover ... just aquasafe+. I was planning on premixing a 6.5 gallon foodsafe bucket in advance so the chemistry was right, then just siphoning out the water and gently pouring the new water in. Its a non-heated tidal pool tank so i'm not worried about temperature shock.

 

[AC_Rhino]

My first water change on a new tank I take one 5g jugs out at a time and make that on the side of the tank with a sharpie for every 5g. I mix my water in a big barrel and have figured out roughly how much salt I need. Mix then test, etc... I then siphon out the water into other water jugs then dump it into my clean outs out front. Finally, just drop the pump in and refill the water.

Are you using RODI water? I noticed you mentioned a water conditioner

What is RODI water? Also ... I might just grab some atlantic ocean water off the peer by my house for refills.

 

[Triggerfish007]

Water changes

Water changes

Anyone here tried bringing in water from the ocean then back out if you lived close enough to the source?

 

[Triggerfish007]

Live sand

Live sand

Best way to go live sand

 

[ReeferNoob4ever]

I add fresh RO/DI water to my CLEAN bucket, I clean it every time before I use it. Then I put an air stone in it for at least 12hrs then put in salt and leave the air stone in for another 12hrs. I always keep a lid on the container. Then I heat up the water while I'm cleaning the tank and dump in the fresh. Make sure to check salinity and temp before dumping it in. :thumbsup:

 

[AC_Rhino]

Why an airstone and why 12 hours on the stone before and after salt?

 

[rocsec1]

I fill 4, 5 gallon buckets with rodi water. Put a heater and power head in, add the salt and let it warm and mix over night. Check the salinity and match to the display tank. Then I drain the twenty gallons from the 40 breeder tied into the system and the replace it with the new water