Water changes in a large tank

[fender4string]

I'm just curious about how you guys handle water changes in your big reef tanks. I currently have an 85 gallon and want to set up a 300 gallon once I've got the space to do so (a few years down the road yet). For my tank it's easy enough to just haul a bucket back and forth a few times but this would be a huge PITA with a large tank. How do you guys do it?

 

[kentrob11]

I think it really depends on how much space you have to work with. You could always pumb in a separate water holding tank that can be valved off, drained, and filled with new saltware to do a water change. I've also known people to arrange the plumbing and filter components(sump, skimmer, plumbing so that they can be valved off, gravity drained from a single point and refilled to do a water change. I will be using that method, since my skimmer will be 18" x almost 7ft tall, sump- 300 gallons and lots of 2" plumbing...

 

[dave.m]

It can be as easy as turning off the return pump and leaving the circulating pumps going in the tank whilst emptying out the sump and adding the new water to the sump.

djm

 

[fender4string]

Thanks for the input guys. I like the idea of a drain (maybe from the sump?) and then simply pumping water back in from a storage tank. I'll probably look into doing something along those lines when the time comes.

 

[slief]

My tank has around 550G of volume. My water changes are automated. I have a Litermeter III with a second pump. It changes water all day every day in very small increments. Right now its set to 25 gallons per week. Its completely programable and will exchange up to about 25G per day should I feel the need to increase. It is probably one of the better additions I have made to my system. I still do a manual (siphon and pump back in) 50G water change every so often as part of vacuuming or sand removal. My salt water storage capacity is 100G with an additional 100 of RODI.

 

[jjk_reef00]

Make a salt water mixing station and plumb everything so all you need to do is turn the ball valves:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1711626

 

[chicken]

On my 600g FOWLR system I have a 300g sump and a 220g fuge. I put a 2" bukhead in the bottom of my fuge right to the sewer so all I have to do is open up the valve and it takes about 45 seconds to drain. From there I have a large Sweet Water Pump on my 900g Water Change tank and it has a 2" plumbed line right from that tank. So I can change 200g of water on that system in less than 2 minutes. Makes doing the changes a lot easier

 

[OkR33Fer]

Here's a a very good systems that has been implemented by some other community reefers:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1638966&perpage=25&pagenumber=23

I will also be using the same system on a slightly smaller scale, I will be using 55 gal drums.

 

[fender4string]

Holy hell some of these seem very elaborate! I didn't know water change stations could be quite so....engineered. Great ideas and definitely some things to think about. Since I am but a simple man, I'm leaning toward chicken's idea, although an automatic water changer is pretty bad ***.

 

[edandsandy]

Here's a a very good systems that has been implemented by some other community reefers:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1638966&perpage=25&pagenumber=23

I will also be using the same system on a slightly smaller scale, I will be using 55 gal drums.

Hey, that looks just like my set up! :rollface:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1403507&page=15

 

[thirst]

My tank has around 550G of volume. My water changes are automated. I have a Litermeter III with a second pump. It changes water all day every day in very small increments. Right now its set to 25 gallons per week. Its completely programable and will exchange up to about 25G per day should I feel the need to increase. It is probably one of the better additions I have made to my system. I still do a manual (siphon and pump back in) 50G water change every so often as part of vacuuming or sand removal. My salt water storage capacity is 100G with an additional 100 of RODI.

Hey Slief, I was thinking of doing the same thing. I was wondering what your thoughts were on the fact that over time, one pump will become more inefficient compared to the other pump, or fail completely. In that case, you could either be adding in too much salt water, or taking out too much salt water. coupled by an ATO, you may be increasing your salinity or reducing it unless you monitored and calibrated your pumps and salinity on a regular basis. Do you find this to be a potential concern at all?

 

[wakeboardgeek]

My tank has around 550G of volume. My water changes are automated. I have a Litermeter III with a second pump. It changes water all day every day in very small increments. Right now its set to 25 gallons per week. Its completely programable and will exchange up to about 25G per day should I feel the need to increase. It is probably one of the better additions I have made to my system. I still do a manual (siphon and pump back in) 50G water change every so often as part of vacuuming or sand removal. My salt water storage capacity is 100G with an additional 100 of RODI.

Have you automated the salt going into the fresh saltwater? How do you ensure your salinity is where you want it?

 

[gofor100]

These ideas are awesome!!! I'm currently planning my upgrade and definitely need to incorporate the automated water change...

 

[gambitcobra]

2x 65 gallon water containers one is salt and one is fresh.

All I have to do is turn on the pump and open a valve and wahlah!