What pump for water changes?

[Nuuze]

I have it posted in my local forum as well...
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=13516310#post13516310
...but thought I'd ask here too.

Hi All,

I wanted to get some ideas on an internal pump I can use for my water changes. I plan to move the Brute cans out of the house into the garage to make RO/DI and salt mixing. Good thing there's a bar type sink within inches from my 200G tank so I can drain it there. But tank is about 50 feet from where the Brute cans will be from the tank. So I plan on using 1/2" vinyl tubing with a shut off valve to take the hose in and out of the house. Plus I want to use it to do the salt mixing as well. It doesn't have to be super strong but I don't want it to be slow either. Right now I'm using a MJ1200 and 10 feet of 1/2" vinyl tubing but the Brute can is starting to get in my way.

Thanks!

 

[Nuuze]

I want to do something identical to what alve has done here. But I guess a Mag 9 would be too weak in my case for 50 feet.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11979488#post11979488 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by alve
Here is my "water station", two 44g Brute Trash cans. The bottom one contains new salt water, the top one contains RO/DI water.
Upside down on top of that is my 33g can for collecting the "old" water when doing waterchanges.

I have the RO/DI unit hooked up to the fresh water can with a float valve so I don't have to worry about forgetting to shut off the water supply and flooding the garage:

Inside my saltwater mixing can I have a plumbed MAG 9. When I close one valve and open the other one the water just circulates and mixes. When I turn the valves the opposite way the water gets pumped through a bulkhead in the side of the Brute can. On the bulkhead I have a union so when I want to pump water to my sump I just screw on a different union connected to a 3/4" vinyl hose and flip a switch.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11992873#post11992873 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by alve
I did my two weekly 20% waterchange today and took some pictures. To drain my sump I just throw in an old Rio 1100 I had laying around connected to a 3/4 inch vinyl hose and pump it into an empty trash can. I always had a hard time keeping the hose inside the trash can so I did this:

For filling up the sump with new sald water I used the same setup to hang on the sump:

And finally to connect the hose to my Brute can with new saltwater I use a union. All I need to do is turn two valves, switch on the pump and it fills the sump without having to worry about any spills

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=11979488#post11979488

 

[mlb75]

as long as you don't have to much of a rise I think it would work but you'd def get better flow with a larger pump. I'd just check you're local reef club for something used, it doens't need to be new or pretty but a larger mag or quiet one would def make the changes quicker. Mabe keep the mag 9 for circulation in the mixing container though that way you're not paying to run a big pump to mix with only when you want to push the water a long distance.

 

[Nuuze]

Thanks, there's only two steps from the garage to the house so maybe a foot. Local reefers recommended a Mag 12-18 so I guess I'll look for a used Mag 9-18 that I can find.

 

[Untamed12]

My setup is almost exactly the same functionally as Alve's....I used a Mag 16, which is external to the mix tank.

You can see the RODI storage tank above the mixing tank, on the right side of this photo

 

[Nuuze]

Wow Untamed12, I think I would have more fun on that side of the tank.

 

[wardworld]

Untamed, i'm looking at your set-up, but could you walk me through your r/o water / salt mix / water change workflow?
Thanks,

 

[bkwudzjeep]

Daryl- I just set-up a mixing station a few weeks ago...let me know if you want to come check it out..

Here's a pic for you Nuuze....I will be running a Mag5 to run the water about 25 feet to the tank.

 

[wardworld]

Jon, I'll definitely want to see it in person...how tall is the entire apparatus (stand and Brute)? I'm having to make sure it fits under a screen porch roof (about 7').

 

[roktsintst]

I have a mag 9 i use to drainthe tank into the bath tub and then i use the mag 9 to pump from my tanks in the garage into the sump. i thought it worked great until my friend let me use his quiet one 5000! That is the way to go. it is so quick to change 30 the whole thing is over in like 20 minutes!!!

 

[Nuuze]

roktsintst,

How many feet would you say between your garage and tank? I'm about 50 feet with little or no elevation.

 

[bkwudzjeep]

Wardworld- The height of the stand is 42.5", and the height to the top of the highest trash can is 70" (just under 6').

I used the 32 gallon brute cans. I think yours are the bigger cans.

Nuuze--I think that since you have little to no elevation, you should be fine with the pump you were planning. If you have the Mag 9, that should be fine. The cost:time ratio is more of a personal preference. (cost of a new pump to time difference to pump water)

 

[roktsintst]

Nuuze, i am about 50 feet from the farthest run...The garage to the tank. I would really recommend a high ratedpump if you can find one used as it makes it MUCH quicker!