120g Mixing Station

[phpwebdev]

For our previous 24 gal AIO reef tank we would fill up our 20 gal Brute in the garage with RODI (manually, no float valve), mix the salt in the tote w/ power head and heater running, then pump it 30ft to our tank via a long length of large diameter tubing and a submersible pump w/ remote on/off outlet. The tank was about 3ft higher than the top of the tote.

Our new house we are moving to will be similar in that the garage is 20-30 ft from the tank. We are planning on building a 120 gal system. Without running lines through our walls/ceilings I am assuming I will have the same setup where I pump everything via a hose running from the garage.

Anyone have a similar setup? Curious how big of a mixing station you use for 120 gal, and if pumping 12 gal into the tank and gravity siphoning 12 gal out every week is manageable.

 

[Floyd-]

I have a 150gallon display and have to pump the water about the same distance from the garage. I use two 32gallon brute cans. One with RODI and one with a salt mix. I use a small pump to pump out the tank into the sink, then I pump from the brute into the tank. Maybe takes 30 minutes for 20 gallon change. Would be faster if my pump was larger.

 

[phpwebdev]

I have a 150gallon display and have to pump the water about the same distance from the garage. I use two 32gallon brute cans. One with RODI and one with a salt mix. I use a small pump to pump out the tank into the sink, then I pump from the brute into the tank. Maybe takes 30 minutes for 20 gallon change. Would be faster if my pump was larger.

Is the pump you use a submersible?

 

[thesoulpatch]

i use a sump pump to empty my tank then use the sicce adc 5.5 to pump water 75 ft into my tank from a 50 gal brute. Emptying the tank takes about 3-5 min and then filling it back up takes 10-15 min.

 

[Floyd-]

Is the pump you use a submersible?

Yes its a little submersible pond pump. Uses 1/2" tubing so its not the fastest but I get other things done while its pumping.

 

[Jedi1199]

Since my mixing station is actually inside the house (In my art room) I went a little more basic. I have 2 32g brute cans for fresh and mixed water. The mixing can is on wheels. I have a 20g brute on wheels that I use for the waste water or for top-offs.

Siphon out the display into the 20g, then pump it down the sink in the kitchen. Wheel the mixed can over and pump fresh mixed water into the tank.

I did a 20g water change this morning in my 135, and it took about 20 minutes start to finish.

The 20g is also very handy for refilling the ATO containers. Simply fill it from the RODI holding can and wheel it over to the tanks and pump away.

Oh, and I am using a basic submersible pump and a 10 foot length of clear braided tubing.

Not as fancy as your setup, but it does the job quite well.

 

[exnisstech]

Anyone have a similar setup? Curious how big of a mixing station you use for 120 gal, and if pumping 12 gal into the tank and gravity siphoning 12 gal out every week is manageable.

12 gallons out and 12 gallons in should be easy peasy and you'll just need a container large enough for 12 gallons of salt mix. Sounds like you can just keep doing it the way you were?