Water Change Questions

[tygger]

Just wondering how you guys go about filling the tank after a w/c. Over how much time do you take to fill the water? Do you hand pour or use a pump?

 

My sump isn't large enough to accommodate the entire water change volume, so when I drain water from the tank, the corals up top get exposed to air. This hasn't been a problem for me, but it makes me rush filling the water back in because I don't want them exposed to air for too long. What do you guys think?

[ridetheducati]

Use a pump!

 

I will do one better, get a Python. It takes me exactly 15 minutes to remove and replace 30 gallons.

 

Since I dont know anything about your setup and maintenance practices, the Python may not work for you. Although, I strongly encourage you to look into it.

[DEEPBLUE]

It take me 15 minutes to change 55 gallons, I drain 55 gallons out my office window, than drain by gravity, pre-made 24 hours before, straight in to my sump on the floor while only using 1 return pump, because if I use both the water get returned into the tank faster than I can fill it, until done. The whole process takes about 15 to 20 mintues.

 

Eric

[davelin315]

It take me 15 minutes to change 55 gallons, I drain 55 gallons out my office window, than drain by gravity, pre-made 24 hours before, straight in to my sump on the floor while only using 1 return pump, because if I use both the water get returned into the tank faster than I can fill it, until done. The whole process takes about 15 to 20 mintues.

 

Eric

 

I've got a funny story from my law school days. I was renting a house with some buddies and I had a shark pond in my bedroom (yes, I'm that super eccentric guy that buys everything that might look cool) and when I had to move I drained all the water out of the window. Turns out that since I lived in essentially a row house in Chicago, the next door neighbor had about a 3 foot distance from our outside wall and, consequently, my window. Long story short, the water all drained onto their window air conditioner unit... not sure if the thing still worked afterwards or not and if it made their house stink like old grungy saltwater or not...

 

So, where does that water that you drain out of your office window go?

 

Oh, and I simply drain it down and then add the water back in. If you add the water first, you lose some of the dilution that you otherwise would achieve with draining first and then replacing. Also, many corals will form a mucous coating that will essentially take care of the exposure to air. If it's brief, it won't matter. I also pour it directly in as there's no reason to do otherwise as far as I'm concerned if it's been mixing for awhile, even if the temperature is off by a bit since waves in the ocean often will drastically change the water temperature of these corals.

[tygger]

No python here. I just use a python-like siphon and siphon into buckets. My main concern was if I was adding new water back to the tank too fast?

 

Sounds like I'm not since you guys are doing w/c's in 30min. I kinda felt like I needed to slowly acclimate the new water and not dump 15% in within 5 or so minutes.

 

 

I only change 15% at a time.

[stevil]

I don't think the speed matters as long as the new water is about the same temperature and specific gravity. I don't heat my water, but it is at least room temp, perhaps a bit warmer because of the pump that is circulating it. If you were doing a very large water change (50% or more) I'd say be a bit more careful about trying to match pH and or doing it slower, but at the volume you are talking about, I think you'd be ok.

 

I do 6 gallons a week on my 90 (about 105 gallons total water volume). Pump out the old, pump/pour in the new - 5-10 minutes.

[rrubberbandman]

I don't think the speed matters as long as the new water is about the same temperature and specific gravity. I don't heat my water, but it is at least room temp, perhaps a bit warmer because of the pump that is circulating it. If you were doing a very large water change (50% or more) I'd say be a bit more careful about trying to match pH and or doing it slower, but at the volume you are talking about, I think you'd be ok.

 

I do 6 gallons a week on my 90 (about 105 gallons total water volume). Pump out the old, pump/pour in the new - 5-10 minutes.

ditto

[DEEPBLUE]

The water that I drain out my office window just goes into my back yard, no big deal, my dogs have pretty much killed the grass back there anyways.

 

Eric

[xCGx]

I was doing the 5 gallon bucket method, now I use a mag12. Which puts the water back in really quick. As long as the water is a couple of days old and the temps and SG are the same I don't have any problems.

[Guest fishwish]

Use a pump!

 

I will do one better, get a Python. It takes me exactly 15 minutes to remove and replace 30 gallons.

 

Since I dont know anything about your setup and maintenance practices, the Python may not work for you. Although, I strongly encourage you to look into it.

 

I bought a Python and think its a waste of money! Maybe my water pressure isn't high enough or something, but unless I'm using it wrong, it wastes a lot of water from the tap in order to suction. Now I just use a regular old syphon hose to the sink and then pump (if it doesn't spew everywhere) the new salt mix in from the garage (aged, heated, stirred, same temp, SG, PH). I would like to automate and make it easier however. Its a pain. I've read about a guy who set up a slow pumping two way pump (can't remember what its called... starts with a "P" ... __________??). All he does is flip a switch and the pump slowly pumps out to the drain and in the new SW at the same time. Sounds like heaven!

 

Are you recommending the Python because of the long hose? I'm lucky that the sink is right across from my tank.

[Rascal]

A little OT but here's kind of a funny story: When I was in Iraq from 8/04 - 3/05, my wife (God bless her heart) looked after my tank the best she could. This meant lugging 5 Gal buckets around to do water changes at least once a week. The kicker is that we found out she was pregnant 2 weeks after I arrived in-country, so . . . you get the picture. 5' 2", 7 months pregnant, husband off to war, and there she was carrying 5 gallons of saltwater up the stairs and onto a chair to pour into the tank. How's that for dedication? The kind of funny part is that after I got back I put in a basement sump and automated everything. It just so happened that the plumbing had to pass over a utility sink. So I threw a T into it with a ball valve and now when I want to do a water change I just turn this valve to drain . Tubing from a MJ in my SW container feeds the sump at the flick of a cord switch. Another switch turns on the feed pump from my FW resevior to refill the SW container. The FW tank stays topped off with direct feed to float valve from RO/DI unit. I can change 20 G and prep new water in about 10 minutes just by turning 1 valve, flipping 2 switches, and adding some salt. Every time my poor wife looks at this she just shakes her head.