Automatic Water-Change System: Appropriate Reservoir Size?

[nickkohrn]

I live in a three-floor apartment, and my 60gal aquarium system is on the first floor. Unfortunately, there is not a water supply that I am allowed to use, and there are no drains. So, when I fill buckets of RO/DI, I have to do that on the second floor and tote them downstairs for storage. When performing water changes, I dump the old water into the parking lot, where it travels to the storm drain. This disallows me the ability to have a water mixing station and a permanent RO/DI installation; I carry my seven-stage RO/DI unit and booster pump upstairs weekly. I have a cabinet next to my frag system in which I can store reservoirs for automatic water-changes, but the largest containers that I can fit will depend on the reservoir that I choose for supplying my kalk stirrer. This is where I'd like your help.

If I use a 10gal reservoir for supplying my kalk stirrer, then I would be able to fit two 5gal buckets to use as automatic water-change reservoirs in the stand. If I use a 5gal reservoir to supply my kalk stirrer, then I could fit two 10gal reservoirs for automatic water-changes. The math in what I just stated may not make sense, but the 5gal buckets would give me a bit of space around their perimeters for my dosing containers.

Which option would you choose? I am leaning toward a 10gal reservoir to supply the kalk stirrer and two 5gal buckets for the automatic water-change reservoirs. However, is 5gal a sufficient volume for automatic water-changes? That option would allow me to simply mix 5gal of ESV salt in a bucket, and then put it into the stand, swapping out the old bucket to be dumped. If I went with the other option, then it won't be as easy to handle the 10gal reservoirs. I would likely need to pump the old water into a bucket from the reservoir. Also, it would limit the volume of the reservoir supplying my kalk stirrer.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Keep in mind that I am contemplating an automatic water-change system because it would increase stability since I would not cause larger swings during larger, weekly, water-changes. Mixing ESV salt in known quantities for an hour and placing it into the cabinet sounds quite appealing.

 

[reefwiser]

Here is what I did for years. I had two five gallon buckets. One for the old Aqurium water and one for fresh salt water.
I then used a Stenner dual head pump to remove water and add water to the aquarium at the same time. I used a timers on my GHL system to turn on the stenner for 5 minutes. Then turn off the sump return for 5 minutes. I was changing a gallon a day. So every 5 days I mixed fresh salt and emptied the use water bucket.

 

[nickkohrn]

Here is what I did for years. I had two five gallon buckets. One for the old Aqurium water and one for fresh salt water.
I then used a Stenner dual head pump to remove water and add water to the aquarium at the same time. I used a timers on my GHL system to turn on the stenner for 5 minutes. Then turn off the sump return for 5 minutes. I was changing a gallon a day. So every 5 days I mixed fresh salt and emptied the use water bucket.

I’m thinking that I’ll do the same with the buckets. It’ll be far easier to remove and replace 5gal buckets than to do the dance of pumping water from a larger reservoir into buckets for removal. I just wanted to make sure that 5gal/week is sufficient for a 60gal system. I usually perform 20-30% water-changes, so only 5gal seems quite small to me.

 

[reefwiser]

They do make 7 gallon buckets.
Could even get them in two colors so they don’t get mixed up.

 

[Entz]

I’m thinking that I’ll do the same with the buckets. It’ll be far easier to remove and replace 5gal buckets than to do the dance of pumping water from a larger reservoir into buckets for removal. I just wanted to make sure that 5gal/week is sufficient for a 60gal system. I usually perform 20-30% water-changes, so only 5gal seems quite small to me.

Having a 10 as the source isn't a bad idea. As I feel the the stair thing is the most annoying, can refill when its half full. Ideally there would be a way to drill a small hole and run the RODI lines into a closet or something on the first floor close to the tank.

Is there any way to get a small drain line outside at all? For example a crawlspace with a drain?

Smaller amounts isn't a big deal imo, but the only way to know is to test. How much excess you build up depends on your tank. For nutrients a lot of it can be fixed by adjusting the Kalk (if levels drop) or dose for trace elements.

The beauty of AWC is you can set it up how you want. If your aiming for a higher percentage, you could swap out the waste every 3-4 days. Bit annoying but it would work.