water changes - how easy is yours?

[mflamb]

Here is where the sump return pump drains the water from the sump out through the wall to the sewer drain. The other two pipes through the wall bring RO/DI water and Salt water from the garage.

The Maxi-Jet in the skimmer section and the refugium pump water into the return section during water drain so I can change 60 gallons of water.

These are the two 65 gallon barrels in the garage. There is now a RO/DI unit above the water heater. The top barrel is RO/DI water. The bottom barrel is Salt water. Via an in and out manifold, one pump moves either salt or RO/DI water through the two pipes to the sump.

Here's the RO/DI.

Here's the path from the garage to the sump.

 

[reeladdictive]

i have a 55 gallon tank added to my system for water changes the main pump pumps it in to the 55g tank and it has a bulk head at the top of the tank so when it gets to that high it goes back in to the sump if i want to do a water change shut the bal valuve feding that tank and pump out the water out of it the main tank never stops runing

 

[ben&bobbi]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11286510#post11286510 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AquaKnight407
Interesting!


How large are everyones return area in there sump? Or do just drain the 30gals or so straight from the main tank and expose the corals for a bit?

my return area is like 10g maybe! i drain the water out of the top and do expose several corals for 10 minutes or so.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11331278#post11331278 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reeladdictive
i have a 55 gallon tank added to my system for water changes the main pump pumps it in to the 55g tank and it has a bulk head at the top of the tank so when it gets to that high it goes back in to the sump if i want to do a water change shut the bal valuve feding that tank and pump out the water out of it the main tank never stops runing

this sounds like a good idea. so you are just switching the water out of the barrel, and then opening it back up to flow through the main system again.

I am assuming you have a fish room of some sort.

My tank is self contained sitting in the livingroom, with no other connections. The topoff is in the cabinet beside the tank, everything things else is in the stand.

 

[InLimbo87]

It takes about 10 mins to do my water change for my 12g

 

[Teeka]

I cheat, my hubby attached a clear tube (50 feet) to a powerhead.
I take the water out of my display run the tube out the front door. Then I feel it back up in the sump. This wany the new water has a chance to mix alittle before going into the display. I change 35 gallons in about 15-20 minutes total.

 

[ben&bobbi]

Teeka, hey stranger, you still on BARS?

you dump salt water into yard? how does your grass look? What size "powerhead" and size of hose are you using. As far as the actual water change (not setup and cleanup) i do about the same with a quietone 5000 and 3/4" ID hose.

Ian -

 

[reeladdictive]

i dont have a fish room i have a porch behind my tank and built sump tank ank top of under cabnite