Large volume water changes

[FishheadJoe]

So last night, after running my RODI for 3 days I finally have my 95g (~130g w/sump) up and running!

I use a 30g brute barrel to mix my sw but this got me thinking as to how I'm going to be able to handle water changes in the near future. This will work out fine for normal weekly/monthly water changes, but what would I do it something catastrophic happens that calls for say larger than 25% water change??

I don't have the equip nor do I plan to keep more than 20-30g of fresh sw made at all times. How do those of you with large volume tanks handle this?

 

[goreef170]

I have a 250 gal tank, and all I do is small 5 gal w/c every 5 days or so. It works for me... never had a problem which calls for a large w/c.

 

[FishheadJoe]

I have a 250 gal tank, and all I do is small 5 gal w/c every 5 days or so. It works for me...

Thanks for the reply, but my concern is more so if I ever need to do a large water change (+30g) how would I go about it?

 

[Tyler1993]

Should I dose if I am during weekly water changes?

 

[Wolf_Zero]

Thanks for the reply, but my concern is more so if I ever need to do a large water change (+30g) how would I go about it?

If you want to be prepared, you're going to need to have 30g of RODI water ready to go in a separate container somewhere and then heat/mix it when it's needed. A lot of folks do this by having a dedicated water changing station. You'll hear mixed views on whether or not to have premixed water ready to go all the time because of concerns about elements coming out of solution if it's allowed to sit.

Should I dose if I am during weekly water changes?

Only if the water changes aren't keeping up with how quickly any corals/clams/inverts/etc. are consuming alk/calc/etc.. You need to test your water regularly to find out if it's necessary and how much you'll need to dose.

 

[Tyler1993]

Oh okay I see and should I do water changes if my parameters are fine? I feel I am doing water changes to early.

 

[Wolf_Zero]

Oh okay I see and should I do water changes if my parameters are fine? I feel I am doing water changes to early.

If your water parameters are fine (including things like phosphate and nitrate) then it's ok to delay a water change.

 

[Ruu]

Thanks for the reply, but my concern is more so if I ever need to do a large water change (+30g) how would I go about it?

Personally:
I make up a 35 gallon container, temperature match it with the tank
I put a pump into the sump area that the tanks returns to, draining to the sink
I put a pump into new water container that pumps to the sump return area
I turn on both pumps until the container drains

The idea I follow is to put the maximum tank distance between the clean water going in and the old tank water coming out, and to do it as quickly as possible. This should minimize the amount of water new water going down the drain immediately, and maximize the benefit of the water change.

Dave

 

[bpcardona]

Here is my current setup: There is always 55 gallon of RODI and whatever is in the SW tank. If I ever need large changes I will always have 55+ gallons avaiable.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/90102096@N03/8437258372/" title="Screen Shot 2013-02-01 at 9.59.27 PM by elitecoral, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8047/8437258372_9c1a15e42a_z.jpg" width="640" height="425" alt="Screen Shot 2013-02-01 at 9.59.27 PM"></a>

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/90102096@N03/16123762102" title="Untitled by elitecoral, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7508/16123762102_ebc770d08b_c.jpg" width="800" height="473" alt="Untitled"></a>​

 

[Tyler1993]

Okay I see. I didn't think about taking the water out of the sump

 

[Tyler1993]

That's a nice setup by the way

 

[sfsuphysics]

Thanks for the reply, but my concern is more so if I ever need to do a large water change (+30g) how would I go about it?

Buy a larger holding vessel.

(not promoting this site/brand just googled it up for an example)
http://www.plastic-mart.com/product/390/100-gallon-vertical-plastic-storage-tank-vt0100-28

I have 100g tank I use for RO/Di water, then I have a 40g Brute for mixing Salt water. and I have 2 smaller 32g Brutes I use for pulling water out. This is a system volume somewhere north of 600 gallons. If something super critical happened where I need to do 100% water change... I'm dead, if I needed to do a large one, 100g is the most assuming it's not low. But it is what it is, and I'm not willing to get a 600G water holding vessel just in case the bad happens (plus wife would disapprove of huge container )

The problem with the storage tanks is per gallon, they are way more pricy than Brutes, mostly because they aren't standard stocked in most cities, so freight charge kills it. I have found plenty of those square reinforced ones on Craigslist (limiting search to farming country a couple hours away), but at 42" wide I couldn't fit it through any doorway in my house to get it where it needs to go.

 

[bpcardona]

Buy a larger holding vessel.

(not promoting this site/brand just googled it up for an example)
http://www.plastic-mart.com/product/390/100-gallon-vertical-plastic-storage-tank-vt0100-28

I have 100g tank I use for RO/Di water, then I have a 40g Brute for mixing Salt water. and I have 2 smaller 32g Brutes I use for pulling water out. This is a system volume somewhere north of 600 gallons. If something super critical happened where I need to do 100% water change... I'm dead, if I needed to do a large one, 100g is the most assuming it's not low. But it is what it is, and I'm not willing to get a 600G water holding vessel just in case the bad happens (plus wife would disapprove of huge container )

The problem with the storage tanks is per gallon, they are way more pricy than Brutes, mostly because they aren't standard stocked in most cities, so freight charge kills it. I have found plenty of those square reinforced ones on Craigslist (limiting search to farming country a couple hours away), but at 42" wide I couldn't fit it through any doorway in my house to get it where it needs to go.

Just played on that site, love it by the way, but shipping would have been $298. Hahaha I will just have to stick with my ugly barrels.

 

[slief]

I keep 100 gallons of RODI and 100 gallons of mixed salt water on hand at all times. I also keep upwards of 1000 gallons worth of salt on hand. You can't be to prepared when it comes to our tanks and that preparation has saved me big time when I had my one and only true disaster in recent years. Had it not been for the spare water I had on hand ready to go, I would have lost everything in my tank which would have been a disaster of monumental proportions.

Like I said, you can never be too prepared whether it's spare water or spare parts. I am VERY prepared for virtually anything that could go wrong. I keep spare water, spare pumps that are pre-plumbed with unions ready for fast swap, spare controller, spare switches etc.

With as much as we have invested in our tanks and livestock, not being well prepared is a gamble I would not condone taking. If water holding tanks are too expensive when you have a large system, then perhaps this isn't the best hobby for you.

That said, search Craigslist. There are always great deals on water storage tanks.

 

[FishheadJoe]

Thanks for all the great info everyone. I'm not sure I have the space or money for some of the more elaborate systems some of you have set up, but those are impressive! There is a guy in my area that sells 55g drums so maybe I'll get one of those to store rodi and have the 30g brute barrel always on the ready with 30g fresh sw.

Is it advised to constantly have the rodi or fresh sw aerated and heated at all times? I'd hate to add onto my electricity bill.

 

[slief]

I don't aerate or mix RODI. For my salt water holding tank, my mixing pump turns on every 3 hours and runs for 15 minutes. If you can put a mix pump or powerhead on a timer in your salt water holding tank and have it come on a couple times a day you should be fine.

 

[FishheadJoe]

I don't aerate or mix RODI. For my salt water holding tank, my mixing pump turns on every 3 hours and runs for 15 minutes. If you can put a mix pump or powerhead on a timer in your salt water holding tank and have it come on a couple times a day you should be fine.

Ah what a great idea! Thanks!

 

[sfsuphysics]

Just played on that site, love it by the way, but shipping would have been $298. Hahaha I will just have to stick with my ugly barrels.

Yup freight is what kills you in most cases with these places. I went in with a "group buy" with some locals, as it seemed shipping 4 was about the same cost as shipping 1, so we went that way. I think the tank itself was $180 for a 100G short one, and with shipping split 4 ways ended up costing $220/230, which isn't horrible all things considered if you need a large storage container you really don't have too many choices.

Like I said, I could have gotten much larger ones cheaper, just taken a 2 hour trip... but the farmers don't apparently need to bring these through doorways, which they were all wider than a door

Edit: Take a peek at this place
http://www.tank-depot.com/productdetails.aspx?part=N-41861
This is where I got mine, apparently they have a location in Pompano Beach, FL which isn't HORRIBLY far from your location, it's a long drive to be sure but gas prices are at record lows!

 

[bpcardona]

Since you posted this I ask someone local where he got his. Apparently there is a shop about an hour away from the sells them. Damn! Wish I had known that 2 years ago. I mean, don't get me wrong "”- I like my barrels, but it would have been nice to have brand new storage tanks. They just make the system look so professional.

Yup freight is what kills you in most cases with these places. I went in with a "group buy" with some locals, as it seemed shipping 4 was about the same cost as shipping 1, so we went that way. I think the tank itself was $180 for a 100G short one, and with shipping split 4 ways ended up costing $220/230, which isn't horrible all things considered if you need a large storage container you really don't have too many choices.

Like I said, I could have gotten much larger ones cheaper, just taken a 2 hour trip... but the farmers don't apparently need to bring these through doorways, which they were all wider than a door

Edit: Take a peek at this place
http://www.tank-depot.com/productdetails.aspx?part=N-41861
This is where I got mine, apparently they have a location in Pompano Beach, FL which isn't HORRIBLY far from your location, it's a long drive to be sure but gas prices are at record lows!

 

[sfsuphysics]

Well my storage tank is in the greenhouse that's attached to the side of the house. I figure it's warm in there so I don't have to worry about water that's too cold, I do my salt mixing in there as well, and there's a 1/4" tube that goes into the house for daily evaporation. When I need water I just open a window stick a hose in and bam we're good to go. I have a box around the water container so it doesn't get algae growing in it too. But your system looks perfectly fine to me.