water change question

[ssky]

Got a silly question, hope someone will be able to help me understand.

Recently upgraded to a larger tank (75 gallons) with a 20 gallon long sump. This is my first sump setup.

My question is how do you do the water change?

With my older and smaller tank which was sumpless, I used to siphon off 5 gallons out in a bucket and pour fresh 5 gallon in.

In the new setup I am a bit confused. Shall I pull water out from the main DT or from the sump? If from the sump then from which section Fuge or return? I think I may need a pump in that case; siphon won't work.

Thank you

 

[windlasher]

Got a silly question, hope someone will be able to help me understand.

Recently upgraded to a larger tank (75 gallons) with a 20 gallon long sump. This is my first sump setup.

My question is how do you do the water change?

With my older and smaller tank which was sumpless, I used to siphon off 5 gallons out in a bucket and pour fresh 5 gallon in.

In the new setup I am a bit confused. Shall I pull water out from the main DT or from the sump? If from the sump then from which section Fuge or return? I think I may need a pump in that case; siphon won't work.

Thank you

Let's use my 90 gal with 30 gal sump as an example.

I have a line drawn on the sump where the water is supposed to be while the return pump is running, and another where the water should be with the return pump off. I also have a 5 gal Home depot bucket with fresh RO/DI water which is connected to a float valve for evaporation.

I turn off the valve for the fresh water and then I turn off the return pump and pump out 1/2 the sump. Then I fill up the sump to the upper line. Then I turn back on the return pump and the fresh water valve.

I doesnt really mater where you get it from, its the same water. I use a maxijet 1200 to pump it out and then back in.

 

[Cheapreef]

What I do on mine is shut the return pump off, clean the sump of any accumulated waste etc as I fill the bucket for waste water. Full the sump back to the level it was at and turn everything back on.
I match all my parameters, salinity, ALK, temp before doing the change so very easy on the tank and keeps things stable.

 

[ssky]

Cheapreef your idea make sense. If I mark the sump like windlasher suggested and then take a 5 gallon water in a measured bucket (like the HD one) and then fill new saltwater in up to the highest mark.

I also have use a pump of sorts to get the water out.

Good idea.

Thanks

 

[Clowning_Around]

Theres a number of ways this can be done. One already described. Another is a drain port in the tank but for a 75 its probably overkill. Another I like is to do a thorough vacuum and just let it continue to siphon once your done cleaning until the water is reduced to the desired level.

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[billdogg]

My frag tank has a spare valve on the manifold, so it just runs to the sink. For the DT I use a python Siphon to the sink in the laundry room. Sometimes I clean the DT, sometimes the sump, sometimes both.

 

[ssky]

But I have heard not the vacuum the sand, it may cause undesirable effects. In my two years of reefing I have never touched the sand. I have a goby that does it for me though ;-)

 

[Clowning_Around]

The concern with sand is trapped gas that can get released. If you have borrowing fish and vacuum you prevent these gases from building whereas say on the otherside od the spectrum you have a sump with a deep sand bed that doesnt get disturbed you want to leave it alone so the gases stay trapped. Of course if your DT has similar conditions you wouldnt want to disturb it either. Atleast thats my understanding unless someone with more knowledge wants to chime in.

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