Water change method?

[blue_eyes53813]

I noticed a couple people mention python with siphon and pump it into a bucket and discard than siphon the water back to a drain out of a bucket. My python(vaccum) hooks to a sink faucet, You hook the python to the faucet turn the water on and it sucks the water from the tank and down the drain. Does anyone have one of these???? It is amazing. For filling the tank back up , I have a 50 gallon drum and pump the water back to the tank. My waer changes are pretty easy. Takes about 20 minutes.

[Woodstock]

Yep, I have a python. I plan on using it for the next water change!

Well, I just finished a large water change using the Brute trashcan...wow... much easier!

[ScottT1980]

At home, I had a new batch of saltwater always mixing in the garage with a powerhead and heater. I used the big brute trashcans for storing RO/DI water, and used buckets to actually do the water change.

It is an entirely different monster at school. We have to run tubing from our tank to the nearest men's restroom (a good 40-50 feet and through a few doors) and down the urinal the SW goes. We have a brute trash can to make fresh SW and add it to the tank using a Mag 7.

It is a good 1 hour affair

Take er easy
Scott T.

[dwall174]

Originally Posted by Woodstock

How do you perform your water changes?

You just had to ask!

I change about 15% every 10 days!
My top-off & WC tank is plumbed to my set-up, My total system is about 140gal & my top-off/waterchange tank is 20gal. I have around 1.5~2 GPD evaporation so it usually takes 10 days before I need to replace the RO/DI water in the storage tank. That’s when I do a waterchange, First I clean out the storage tank then refill it with RO/DI water, then mix-up a new batch of salt. After that has ran with a powerhead overnight to mix thoroughly, All I have to do is turn a valve to drain the sump to a pre-set level. Once the sump is drained I close that valve then open the valve from the water storage tank & gravity does the work. After the storage tank is drained I close the WC valve & fill the storage tank back up with RO/DI water & I’m set for another 10 days. The best thing I like about the set-up is that because my return & skimmer pumps draw water from the bottom of my sump & I only drain it to about 3” the whole waterchange process can be done without turning anything off.

[dwall174]

Water Change Valves

Valve 1 Main valve, Controls water to my sumps float valve, & water change valve (valve #3)
Valve 2 Storage tank drain, Used to drain the storage/water change tank for cleaning.
Valve 3 Water change, Used along with main valve to drain new water from storage tank into the sump.
Valve 4 Sump overflow, Runs to floor drain incase of sump overflow
Valve 5 Sump drain, Drains sump to its minimum operating level of 3”

To do a water change I fill the 20gal storage tank up with RO/DI water. Once the storage tank is full I close off the main valve #1 , then mix my salt with the RO/DI water. I have a small powerhead & heater in the storage tank so after the newly mixed salt has aerated & heated overnight & I have checked that it matches my tanks water it’s ready to be transferred to the sump. Now this is the hard part LOL. I open up valve 5 which drains the sump to 3” (which is still enough to keep my pumps & heater running) after the sump has drained I close valve 5! Then open valves 1 & 3 which transfers the new water to the sump thanks to good old gravity. This just happens to be my sumps running level also! Then I close valve #3, refill the storage tank with RO/DI water & I’m all set for my top-off.

[Witfull]

lazy is common,,,but takes alot of thinking.

its better to work smart than hard~~

[dwall174]

Originally Posted by Witfull

lazy is common,,,but takes alot of thinking.

I would like to say that it was all figured out on paper first! But truth is I’m glad that my system is in my basement & close to a floor drain!

[Woodstock]

Thanks Scott! Nice Dwall!! Unfortunately, I only have the stand area for hiding plumbing/accessories and I have to keep my set up aesthetically pleasing. I sure wish I had a basement!!

[dwall174]

Originally Posted by Woodstock

Nice Dwall!!

Thanks!!

Originally Posted by Woodstock

Unfortunately, I only have the stand area for hiding plumbing/accessories

Yea if I had to fit everything in a cabinet I wouldn’t have even thought of doing it like I did! My main tank is built into a wall & all the plumbing/equipment is in my laundry room.

[Reefreak]

I use buckets to remove water mainly to keep track of how much I am removing. I use a 35 gallon trash can that is hooked up to my RODI unit with a on off valve and a float switch I pump water from trash can directly to sump with a Mag 5. I then turn on the valve and the RO fills the bucket until the float turns it off and I mix salt for next week.

[BoomerD]

I put marks on my sump and tank at 5, 10, and 15 gallon increments, so I always knew how much water I was draining, and how much to add back in. I also had marks @ 1, 3, and 5 gallons in the sump for top-offs, so that was easier as well...

[MikeP]

I use a python connected to a garden hose to drain the old water out into the yard. Then I have a 44 gallon brute can on a dolley that I store the new water in, and use a powerhead with 6ft of plastic tubing to pump the water into the sump. The return pump then fills the main tank.

[Barcochris]

I use buckets right now but I am lookig to go to the trash can with pump method.

[oldsaint]

With almost 500 total gals of saltwater in the house I had to do something other than tote buckets around. I used masking tape on one end of each tank and sump and premarked it with 10 gal increments. Now I can pump water directly from the tank into the sink with out needing to measure it in 5 gal buckets. When it comes time to do a water change I use a garden hose with a pump attached to it. The hose has quick disconnects at each end for the pump. This allows me to move just the pump and leave the hose in place. To fill the tank water is pumped out of a 55 gal drum permanently located in my laundry room next to the ro/di system. I've got the process down to about 30 mins for both tanks. Most of that time I'm doing other things waiting for the pump to do it's job.

[Shells]

I use trash cans. My R/O is in the kitchen, the tank is in
the living room. We have to scoot the full can, (25 gal)
into the living room. pump out of the tank and into one
can and then from the full can into the tank..whew...

thanks to alot of you, i now have some great new ideas!!!