Water Changes

Dweezil

Well-Known Member
Now for the question..When doing your water changes how do you get the new water into your tanks? What I did was mix a 5 gallon bucket with new water and just used a gallon jug to dip and pour the new water into the main tank. How does everyone else do it?



Thanks
 

tnwillia

Well-Known Member
I'm doing a bigger water change than you but here is what I do weekly... I have 2 20gal brutes on wheels, 1 for mixed water & 1 for water I remove. I mix salt starting Wednesday night, get my SG correct and let it run till Saturday morning. Before the lights come on I drain 20 gal (1/3 tank) and refill from my new water. I use a Maxi-jet 1800 utility pump to both mix and pump new water into my tank. I've done it with the 1 gal jug but my way gets it done quicker. Once water is changed I make the next batch of RO/DI water for next week. All this can be done on a smaller scale.... Bottom line is your way wiorks just fine. Have fun!
 

Shamus

Active Member
I have a pump that I use to mix the SW and then I just attach a hose to the air outlet and pump it into the tank (exactly what Glenn said - with the Maxi-Jet 1200).
 

TenUhC

Member
I use a 5 gal bucket an fill it twice from my 130 an 3 to 4 times from my 250. Then I take the water Wagon with the 35 gallon tank on it and use a pump hook up a hose and refill both tanks. Also I usually take the old water out of the back to get the gunk out and I refill in the back for what reason I don't know.
 

Dweezil

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the responses. I just wasn't sure if when I get a tank full of corals that it would be safe to just kind of dump it in there or if it would hurt them in any way? I guess I worry too much. :eek:h:
 

Shamus

Active Member
I have noticed that when I pour RO into the tank for evaporation refills that if I pour too fast right over a coral, the coral gets pretty 'angry' - but I've only noticed it once and now when I pour for refills I go a bit slower right by the flow from the pumps to help it circulate.
 

cbrownfish

Well-Known Member
Siphon 20-25 gallons of water out of the sump into the nearby floor drain. Pump well aerated saltwater from a 30 gallon Brute trash can into the sump. Pump water from the 30 gallon RO/DI Brute trash can into the salt mix can. Add salt and repeat in a week or so. :)
 

Sapphire

Active Member
We just mix up the water, leave for 24 hours +. We siphon 20 litres out of the pod tank first. We then turn all pumps etc off and siphon 20 litres out of the RSM (into 9 litre buckets) and this water goes into the pod tank.

Then we just use a plastic jug to bucket the new water in.

This works fine for the 130, but once we get the big tank up we will need to change the process and use pumps etc I think..!
 

Reefmack

NaClH2O Addicted
PREMIUM
I age my water a week. Before a water change I aerate it and heat to tank temperature for about an hour. Siphon from the tank into a bucket I've marked at 4 & 5 gallon levels, dump it, refill the bucket with the new SW to the proper mark, haul it to the tank and slowly pour it in. Many times I'll split the amount of new SW into 2 buckets to make it easier to carry, lift up and pour slowly. Never had a problem with the corals or the fish doing this.
 

Mavjoy

Active Member
I change 5 gallons every week. Let the new water mix for 1 full day and then I take out 5 gallons off the tank, siphoning out anything that needs to be taken out, then I use a small cup to pour the new water into the tank.
 

mbdave

Active Member
Hmmm I never knew so many ways to pour water in a box??? Let me write how I do a water change. I drip RO/DI water in a 5 gallon bucket (Homer bucket from Home Depot or a IO bucket from the LFS both now found on my back porch) after overflowing the bucket for the umpteenth time and ensuring my wife it will never happen again, "I have tried blaming Bush for it but nobody is buying that anymore" I place a PH (Tunze Nano Stream) and a heater (black one) in the bucket and with my one cup measuring cup put 2 and 1/2 cups of IO into the bucket before the dog starts drinking it (I never beat the dog he always gets a good slurp in fact I think Dog slobber improves color and polyp extension) then after 24 hours, or maybe 36, or 48, or ?????? You get the picture. I siphon the 5 gallons out of the tank into another bucket (Homer bucket from Home Depot or a IO bucket from the LFS) and pour it down the toilet (Bathroom my house). Then I put the bucket of new water on a kitchen chair (kitchen my house) and siphon the water into the sump while I cycle the return pump on and off as the sump fills (power button, power strip, side of my tank) and when its full again I realize I did not check the salinaty. I then look to see if anythings dying, if not, I have glass of wine and sing songs of praise of my ability to do stupid things and have no consequence.:happywalk

Oh yeah pouring the water in is fine using a small bucket or something thats clean.

Dave:explode:
 

mbdave

Active Member
Seriously if you measure Instant Ocean 1/2 cup per gallon the salinaty is always 23-24 also I rinse the bucket, but the dog does drink from it if no salt is in it he also drinks from the drip tray in the water cooler and the toilet if you keep the lid up. Another thing for the record I change 5 every other week and if I go over change more and every three or so months I do a "mondo" water change of 15 or more always makes things look great the next day.
 

websurfer

Member
I use 3 5 gallon jugs and change every week....
I get Catalina water from the LFS that comes direct from the ocean

Crazy like that ...lol

I just turn off the main pumps and keep my korila 3 running
Used to turn of the skimmer pump but some of us know this could be a pain in the but to get back on...

After i drain out 13- gallons i put the new 15 back in i just pour it into the mail tank
 

reefnut

Member
i use a python to siphon 10 gal a wk. i mix my sw up a week in advance. i use a 30 gal brute can with casters and i use a rio 2100 to put the 10 gal back in. very easy takes about 10 min.
 

Reefmack

NaClH2O Addicted
PREMIUM
By the way - for those that have replaced the 130 model, the RSM skimmer pump is excellent for mixing and aerating SW! Just be sure to keep the airline out of the water. :)
 
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