Auto water change setup - best thing I ever did!

[BrianReefer]

So about 3 weeks ago I setup the SpectraPure AWC system in my 2 year old SPS tank. Best thing I ever did. Parameters are more stable than ever. Dosing less magnesium than before. PH, phosphate, both stable and in check. Not having to do manual water changes, extra perk! And my SPS look better than ever - growth, color, etc

I don’t know what took me so long to set this up but well worth the $$ to do it. If you have any doubts, put them aside and just do it. I promise you’ll be glad you did!!!

Happy to answer any questions

 

[TX_Punisher]

How big a system and how many gallons/day change?

 

[Katrina71]

I really wanna try this. I hope to do it after I recover from the holidays. I was thinking 5% a day. I still want to do regular cleaning.

 

[BrianReefer]

How big a system and how many gallons/day change?

It’s a reefer 450, so roughly 116g total. I’m changing 1.6g/day which equates to roughly 10%/wk

 

[BrianReefer]

I really wanna try this. I hope to do it after I recover from the holidays. I was thinking 5% a day. I still want to do regular cleaning.

Agreed, I still intend to though I will say it eliminates the feeling of “having to.” A little glass scraping, turkey baster to the rocks, and maybe churn up the sand a bit. But that’s 5 min vs the full water change / tank clean production. Even my wife was happy about this upgrade!

 

[TheHarold]

So let me get this straight- you’ve done less than a single 30% water change since you’ve set it up, and can see better colors in your SPS already?

 

[BrianReefer]

So let me get this straight- you’ve done less than a single 30% water change since you’ve set it up, and can see better colors in your SPS already?

Correct. No other change has been made and colors are brightening. I’ll credit it to perfectly stable parameters over those 3 weeks vs swings that I otherwise would manually correct (aside from alkalinity since I have an Alkatronic running for the past 6 months). Doubt me if you wish but the improvements have been visible!

 

[Katrina71]

I was thinking about using AutoAqua smart AWC.

 

[RCS82]

I'd like to start a AWC system in the future. One question or a question for anyone with an AWC systrm is what salt are you using and are you doctoring up each batch?

 

[BrianReefer]

I'd like to start a AWC system in the future. One question or a question for anyone with an AWC systrm is what salt are you using and are you doctoring up each batch?

I used to use Reef Crystals, but changed because of all of the residue and high alk, I keep mine around 7.8. So I moved to Tropic Marin Pro. I warm the water, mix it up, test it, then once mixed I unplug pump and heater and leave it cold in the bin. Haven’t tested the alk of the stores water after these 3 weeks but based on tank stability it can’t be deviating too much

 

[hbrochs]

I’m doing awc with the Litermeter lll, changing about a gallon a day. Also using Tropic Marin Pro because I like the Alk around 7 and it mixes so clean.
This equates to about 10% a week.
I still change a few gallons a couple times a month to suction the gravel.

 

[RCS82]

Thanks for the reply on the salt. I used Reef Crystals for a couple years and it always seemed to mix to good parameters. I changed to regular IO not long ago hoping to keep my mixing container cleaner but the parameters are never where I want them. If your doing an AWC system changing 1 or 2% daily then no doctoring would be necessary right? I can just adjust my dosing pump for calk, alk, and mag and not see any swings no?

 

[BrianReefer]

Thanks for the reply on the salt. I used Reef Crystals for a couple years and it always seemed to mix to good parameters. I changed to regular IO not long ago hoping to keep my mixing container cleaner but the parameters are never where I want them. If your doing an AWC system changing 1 or 2% daily then no doctoring would be necessary right? I can just adjust my dosing pump for calk, alk, and mag and not see any swings no?

Totally agree. With such small changes dosing should easily offset any degrading the stored water may experience. To me it’s therefore more about what will mix clean, quickly (since I turn off the AWC while mixing), and no residue after weeks of storing.

 

[BrianReefer]

I’m doing awc with the Litermeter lll, changing about a gallon a day. Also using Tropic Marin Pro because I like the Alk around 7 and it mixes so clean.
This equates to about 10% a week.
I still change a few gallons a couple times a month to suction the gravel.

Exact same setup I’m running. Really happy with the pumps so far. And you don’t have to replace the pumps/heads every 6 months like you do with the DOS, which is what sold me on them vs the apex AWC setup

 

[hbrochs]

That may be the case. You could try it and test the water a bunch of times over a few days to be sure. I like my salt mix to approximate my ideal tank parameters as much as possible so that if I ever need to do a big manual water change it won’t be a shock to the system.

 

[RCS82]

Good to hear, thanks for the reply

 

[RCS82]

That may be the case. You could try it and test the water a bunch of times over a few days to be sure. I like my salt mix to approximate my ideal tank parameters as much as possible so that if I ever need to do a big manual water change it won’t be a shock to the system.

This is true yup.