Remote waterchange setup for a large tank?

[leveldrummer]

Im in the planning (dreaming) stages of setting up a large tank around the 225 gallon size. I think I can fit sump/fuge and top off along with all required reactors into the stand. I dont have a room close that i can setup a sump/fish room. so im curoius how some of you guys do water changes?

So far I think getting a brute on wheels is a good idea, siphon the water into the trash can, then pump the water from my laundry room (about 40 feet away) back into the tank. then pump the water out of the trash can into the drains.

does anyone have a better idea how to do this? show me some setups to help make this easier.

 

[dave.m]

Your plan is fine, and it's a good idea to actually measure how much water you've removed before dumping it down the drain so you know exactly how much to put back in. One caveat, though, and that is to remind you that a gallon of salt water weighs about 8.5 pounds. If you pulled fifty gallons out to do your water change that means you've got 425 pounds of water. Just make sure that your container and your dolly/castors can bear that much weight (many can't).

Also, make sure you clamp both ends of your hoses so that they can't come loose. At the first opportunity (i.e. when your back is turned) one or both ends of the hose will come out and spray water all over the place.

Dave.M

 

[theReefKing]

Are you going to have a water mixing station?

 

[Lostinthedark]

I use a two step process. I drain the tank into the bathroom using a 20' hose. I have a mark on the side of the tank set to 30 gals. I then pump my change water from the garage where I keep a 29 filled with Ro/Di and a 32 gal Brute. I use a small pump and half inch hose which gives me a nice slow refill so there isn't any shock. Its relatively easy and its all out of the way.

 

[Lostinthedark]

While your in the planning stages... One of the best ideas came from my wife. While we were measuring the 75 to fit underneath the 225 as a sump she suggested I cut the side of the stand and have the sump half under the tank and half out the side. I built a small cubby to enclose it and a hinged top. Now all maintenance is done through that hatch. Cleaning the skimmer and all the other equipment is alot easier then having to get under the tank,

 

[leveldrummer]

Are you going to have a water mixing station?

Yes, my RO'DI is in the laundry room, right off the main living space, and it will hold 2 tanks, one for ro/di, and one to mix salt in. ill keep filling the ATO with a hose, and will need some method to do waterchanges without killing myself, im even considering using a python to pull the water out, but i dont have any sinks in the house that i could hook a python up to. so i have to find a different method.

 

[Tradewinds]

While your in the planning stages... One of the best ideas came from my wife. While we were measuring the 75 to fit underneath the 225 as a sump she suggested I cut the side of the stand and have the sump half under the tank and half out the side. I built a small cubby to enclose it and a hinged top. Now all maintenance is done through that hatch. Cleaning the skimmer and all the other equipment is alot easier then having to get under the tank,

Is it a store bought stand? If so, would cutting it weaken the structural integrity of the stand or did you reinforce it around the cut?

 

[Lostinthedark]

It is a custom stand. I bought it off a fellow reefer. Way overbuilt but I did reinforce it with 2x4s anyway.

 

[aquasport24]

you can Tee off or having a manifold at the return line to pump old water into the washer drain. Then pump new water in from your mixing station. Or you can pump new water to rim of the sump,let run for a couple mins then open up your valve at the Tee/manifold to dump water out til it hits the normal operating level.

 

[Ldagger]

What is under the floor where your tank will go? If unfinished put an overflow on your sump to drain somewhere and perhaps a refill line. If your new water is alittle colder than your tank water it will push the old water out. Just do it slowly. If you can make a drain work that is the way to go. otherwise the python hose is the the way to go, you do not wan to be pushing around a large brute trash can filled with saltwater.

 

[leveldrummer]

What is under the floor where your tank will go? If unfinished put an overflow on your sump to drain somewhere and perhaps a refill line. If your new water is alittle colder than your tank water it will push the old water out. Just do it slowly. If you can make a drain work that is the way to go. otherwise the python hose is the the way to go, you do not wan to be pushing around a large brute trash can filled with saltwater.

concrete slab.:headwallblue: If i had a basement, it would contain a sump and all the trimmings to make very simple and quick water changes.

 

[Ldagger]

Well, if you wanted to get crazy, your wall probably goes to an outside wall : ) I think they do have those really long drill bits, maybe only homebuilders have them- you could probably figure out if/where power lines came thru via fixtures.
This is alittle over my head. If it's near an outside wall maybe could run pipe along the floor outside the wall where would not be noticed. Just trying to brainstorm for you here.

 

[Ldagger]

If you could put the tank on an outside wall somewhere, your problems would be solved. one hole and put stuff outside in a box.

 

[theReefKing]

You can set us a remote AUTO water change system from your mixing station to the main display using controller programing and multiple lines running from the mixing station to the tank. This set up can be used for both an AUTO water change AND controlling salinity with an AUTO top off.

Here is an example:
http://youtu.be/ANoO3fsX6Ec
and
http://youtu.be/-AmFVKDT3dM

 

[jjk_reef00]

I tee off my sump to a plastic hose connector and have a very easy 3 step process:
1.) I manually hook up the hose to the return pump and empty the sump by letting the return pump push water through the hose and out the back door.
2.) Turn off the return pump and connect the hose to my mixing station in the laundry room
3.) Pump new water into the sump and turn on the return pump.

Fortunately my sump is large enough to hold enough water for a single water change. If yours is not you can siphon water into the sump while your return pump pumps water outside. At one point I was going to try to hook a python into the exit of the return pump to get some extra waste removal but I have not had the chance to try that out yet.

Another option is to tee of a closed loop pump, which is what I would do if my sump was not big enough to hold all the water for a single water change.

 

[leveldrummer]

I tee off my sump to a plastic hose connector and have a very easy 3 step process:
1.) I manually hook up the hose to the return pump and empty the sump by letting the return pump push water through the hose and out the back door.
2.) Turn off the return pump and connect the hose to my mixing station in the laundry room
3.) Pump new water into the sump and turn on the return pump.

Fortunately my sump is large enough to hold enough water for a single water change. If yours is not you can siphon water into the sump while your return pump pumps water outside. At one point I was going to try to hook a python into the exit of the return pump to get some extra waste removal but I have not had the chance to try that out yet.

Another option is to tee of a closed loop pump, which is what I would do if my sump was not big enough to hold all the water for a single water change.

These are good tips, Im going to build a reactor manifold so it would be pretty simple to run an extra port to pump water to the drain from the sump.

I was planning on doing a 50 gallon sump with a small return chamber. so Im not to sure how this would work. maybe ill rethink my sump design and figure out a way to hold at least 20-30 gallons for doing water changes in the last chamber.

 

[jjk_reef00]

I don't know how many baffels you will have but you can put a bulkhead at the bottom of the last baffel with a ball valve. Then you can open that valve to open up your sump and bypass the water levels created by the baffles. Before you do any modifications just make sure your sump will hold enough water for 1 water change, otherwise you will have to siphon anyway.

 

[Adamc1303]

As far as refilling the ATO I would run a solenoid valve from the rodi to your ATO chamber. You can have it work on a timer so it fills it all at once. The tubing is only .25" so I am sure you can snake it or maybe go outside the house and then back in. It will really relieve a big part of maintenance for you.