Auto WC instead of carrying buckets

[FindingNem0]

Hello everyone,

I would like to get my water change automated using a versa dosing pump.

My tank is currently just a 20g but I can always move it to my bigger system once I upgrade.

I was thinking maybe a 2% daily waterchange over a 2hr period.

Any tips or advice is welcome.

 

[KStatefan]

I do 10% per week divided into 96 times per day.

 

[FindingNem0]

I do 10% per week divided into 96 times per day.

How big is your tank?

 

[VintageReefer]

How big is your tank?

I’m really not sure if they are serious or not

If tank was 100g for example
10% per week = 10g per week
10g per week / 7 = 1.4g per day
1.4 / 96 = .014 gallons per trigger

So every 15 minutes .014g of water is changed if the system was 100g

 

[KStatefan]

How big is your tank?

Size does not matter but it is 97 gallons but I use 100 gallons for all calculations.

 

[FindingNem0]

I guess a waterchange all day round would be better then a scheduled one.

 

[FindingNem0]

I’m really not sure if they are serious or not

If tank was 100g for example
10% per week = 10g per week
10g per week / 7 = 1.4g per day
1.4 / 96 = .014 gallons per trigger

So every 15 minutes .014g of water is changed if the system was 100g

How long can you store premixed salt water?

 

[FindingNem0]

Size does not matter but it is 97 gallons but I use 100 gallons for all calculations.

How long do you store premixed water?

 

[VintageReefer]

How long can you store premixed salt water?

Months if sealed pretty good. Evap can change salinity on you

 

[FindingNem0]

Months if sealed pretty good. Evap can change salinity on you

Would I need a pump to turn the water or can I just let it sit. Would the temperature matter? If I mix it during cold.

 

[Stevorino]

Mine is also continuous all day.

I mix saltwater once a month in a 100g container and then have apex move in and out the water continuously.

I have a power head in the mixing bin for initial mixing but then don’t worry about it. I don’t bother with heat unless I know I’m going to do a big one time water change.

Works great. Mine works out to be about 25% a month

 

[FindingNem0]

Mine is also continuous all day.

I mix saltwater once a month in a 100g container and then have apex move in and out the water continuously.

I have a power head in the mixing bin for initial mixing but then don’t worry about it. I don’t bother with heat unless I know I’m going to do a big one time water change.

Works great. Mine works out to be about 25% a month

Thanks for that, I guess continuous is the best route for stability.

I might just mix the salt with a pump then leave it, probably won't use a heater aswell.

I'm running a 20g nano so 25% monthly is probably too low for me.

 

[KStatefan]

How long can you store premixed salt water?

I mix more about once a month but could store it longer. High DKH mixes can precipitate out some over time. I rune a pump twice a day for 30 minutes. No heater.

 

[drtechno]

Yes, temp doesn’t matter if you are changing small amounts continuously over the day. I store 50g for a month at a time with a mixing pump just running continuously for simplicity. It’s not like that small amount of power draw is making any significant impact on anything.

I change ~10% a week (1 gal/day) in a 200 g tank, continuously.

Do you have a fish room or any space to store the water ? Look up Noresco water tanks. one of the best purchases I’ve made.

 

[SanFernandoValleyAIOReef]

Size does not matter but it is 97 gallons but I use 100 gallons for all calculation

Size does not matter but it is 97 gallons but I use 100 gallons for all calculations.

should t you round down because of sand and rock?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

FWIW, I changed 1% daily.

 

[FindingNem0]

Yes, temp doesn’t matter if you are changing small amounts continuously over the day. I store 50g for a month at a time with a mixing pump just running continuously for simplicity. It’s not like that small amount of power draw is making any significant impact on anything.

I change ~10% a week (1 gal/day) in a 200 g tank, continuously.

Do you have a fish room or any space to store the water ? Look up Noresco water tanks. one of the best purchases I’ve made.

Yeah I got a fish room but it's all freshwater/planted. Noresco water tanks is over kill for me haha.
I was thinking more like brute cans.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I was thinking more like brute cans.

I used two 44 gallon Brute cans plumbed together to make enough new salt water for 1-2 months.

 

[FindingNem0]

I used two 44 gallon Brute cans plumbed together to make enough new salt water for 1-2 months.

Do you have a example of the plumbing? I have no clue when it comes to RODI in one and another is mixed. Not sure how it works.

 

[Dread Pirate Dave]

I'm not sure if it has been mentioned specifically but not all salt mixes will store well. Mixes such as Tropic Marin's Bio-Actif are not suitable at all.

Here's a BRS video on storage:

How long can I store saltwater after mixing? | BRStv Investigates

For those reefers mixing small batches of saltwater and using it rather quickly after mixing, worrying about the Alkalinity and Calcium parameters shifting is typically not a concern. A growing number of reefers are mixing large batches of saltwater, less frequently and use

www.bulkreefsupply.com