How to use Sump for water changes?

[lines_michael]

I read that a sump makes doing water changes much easier.

Could someone explain this for me, the way I am thinking to do this would seem to rish loosing siphon up top and completely draining my return side and risk running a dry pump.

 

[serpentman]

I plumbed a "Y" off of my return line which terminates in a ball valve. Whenever I want to do a water change, I simply open the valve to fill up buckets. I then pump new water from a SW reservoir.

Basically, it takes me 15min to do a 30g water change.

 

[saabore]

Excellent planning and approach serpentman, Wish i could have been as creative.

 

[jepuskar]

I was thinking...

Mark the normal operating level on your sump.
Turn off your return pump
Let the sump fill up with water from your overflows...if setup correctly your sump will not flood.
Mark the top of the water line on your sump. Drain water out of your sump until you get the amount you want in gallons out. Mark where that is on your sump.
Add aged pre-mixed saltwater into your sump until you get back up to your top line.
Start your return pump.

This would be for the first time only...after this your lines are already marked off. If you require more gallons for a specific water change you could always start your return pump..let it go for an hour or whatever and then do the procedure again.

 

[mattc183]

Great! That's even easier than using a powerhead. You're a freakin genius.