Auto water changes.. do you do them?

[Be102]

If you do an auto water change I’m interested in hearing both how Much you change and how frequently.. also interested in what your total volume is!

 

[ihavecrabs]

I used to. Water volume is around 200 gallons and did 1% daily. Switched to no water changes after a few months of awc.

I much preferred AWC to manual changes though given I didn’t have to heat the water!

 

[GregOyeah]

I have an AWC set up.

I have about 100 gal of total volume. I change out about 1.5gal per day

 

[Be102]

I have an AWC set up.

I have about 100 gal of total volume. I change out about 1.5gal per day

How large is your reservoir

 

[Sashaka]

I wouldn't say my water changes are completely automated, but here goes...

I have a hose that runs from my RODI saltwater changing station through the floor to the dining room where my 180 gal, two 29 gal, and the pod tank reside. There is another hose (a gravity siphon) going through the floor to a cellar drain.

I put the siphon wand in the the tank, go down to the cellar and open the shutoff valve. Water siphons from the tank to the cellar drain. I go back upstairs and watch for the water to recede to a tiny little mark on each tank that tells me I've siphoned out the desired amount (about 31 gal for the 180 gal tank, 15 gal for the 29 gal sick tank, 10 gal for the 29 gal nano tank. The pods with Chato tank is drained about once a month about 5 gal. The other tanks every 1 or 2 weeks depending on test results. I return to the cellar and turn off the siphon. I remove the siphon wand from the tank and replace it with the hose connected to my water changing station.

I then walk to the water changing station, open the valves, and turn on the pump. Water pumps from my 33 gal Brute garbage can to the tank. I again walk to the dining room to watch the refill. For the 180, when the water stops flowing, I shut off the pump, refill the can with RODI water and salt and get ready for the smaller tank exchanges in a few hours or sometimes the next day. The 180 has a 40 gal sump that holds about 30 gal for a total of about 180 gal after displacement of sand, decor, and hardware.

The bedroom tanks are still bucket fed. I drain the tanks with a siphon hose. I fill buckets from the water changing station and carry them to the bedroom. I have one 20 gal and a 29 gal BioCube set up in there. I usually remove about 10 to 15 gal from the 20 gal as it does not have a skimmer, just a HOB filter with a Marine Pure block in the tank. The BioCube houses coral and a few fish. It gets about 15 to 20 gal exchange every week or two depending on testing. It has a 15 gal sump for a total water volumn of 40 gal.

So, while some of my tanks are more turn a knob to siphon or replace water, some are still good ol' manual labor. LOL

 

[Gernader]

I do not do automatic water changes. I do them manually by carrying buckets lol. I have a 29 gallon reef and I change about 15% of water every week.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Step one: Have kids
Step two: Make them do the water changes

 

[Be102]

I wouldn't say my water changes are completely automated, but here goes...

I have a hose that runs from my RODI saltwater changing station through the floor to the dining room where my 180 gal, two 29 gal, and the pod tank reside. There is another hose (a gravity siphon) going through the floor to a cellar drain.

I put the siphon wand in the the tank, go down to the cellar and open the shutoff valve. Water siphons from the tank to the cellar drain. I go back upstairs and watch for the water to recede to a tiny little mark on each tank that tells me I've siphoned out the desired amount (about 31 gal for the 180 gal tank, 15 gal for the 29 gal sick tank, 10 gal for the 29 gal nano tank. The pods with Chato tank is drained about once a month about 5 gal. The other tanks every 1 or 2 weeks depending on test results. I return to the cellar and turn off the siphon. I remove the siphon wand from the tank and replace it with the hose connected to my water changing station.

I then walk to the water changing station, open the valves, and turn on the pump. Water pumps from my 33 gal Brute garbage can to the tank. I again walk to the dining room to watch the refill. For the 180, when the water stops flowing, I shut off the pump, refill the can with RODI water and salt and get ready for the smaller tank exchanges in a few hours or sometimes the next day.

The bedroom tanks are still bucket fed. I drain the tanks with a siphon hose. I fill buckets from the water changing station and carry them to the bedroom. I have one 20 gal and a 29 gal BioCube set up in there. I usually remove about 10 to 15 gal from the 20 gal as it does not have a skimmer, just a HOB filter with a Marine Pure block in the tank. The BioCube houses coral and a few fish. It gets about 15 to 20 gal exchange every week or two depending on testing.

So, while some of my tanks are more turn a knob to siphon or replace water, some are still good ol' manual labor. LOL

Sounds like a lot of work!! What type of hose do you use for the bigger tanks?
I’m in the second situation but sould
Like to be in your first situation for my tank when I don’t Small changes I wanna do a few larger ones. I have a porch I can put the water off of and it would be easier with a cool hose rather then what I currently do..

Fill ro downstairs
Carry 4 5 gallons buckets up and fill 20 gallons
Measure 10 cup salt
Mix /heat
Put pump and hose into tank make a mess swear and curse at owning a tank get everything wet and all

empty hoseand pump into 4 5 gallon buckets

throw pump and hose into sump and turn return on low
Dump buckets off porch clean up water everywhere

 

[GregOyeah]

How large is your reservoir

45 gallon brute