Automatic Water changes. It doesnt get any better then this.

[Ian Eisenberg]

Ian- Very Nice program features on that Profilux controller.

If i understand it correctly you are doing 6 15 minute water changes. I think Dr. Thompson is doing 4 per day. Just curious why you guys are going this route versus just once per day.

I like the idea of small changes during the day versus one big one. I understand that it diffuses throughout the day and the net change is therefore smaller but the idea is that over time you create a more stable system.
As far as the number of times per day... 6 > 4 so that makes me better than Doctor T.
Actually I think I have a slightly larger total volume.

 

[ReeferEric]

I like the idea of a few gallons or so spread out through the day as well. You should be doing that as well Eddie and fix your dosing. I see spikes all over the charts! LOL

 

[AquamanE]

I like the idea of a few gallons or so spread out through the day as well. You should be doing that as well Eddie and fix your dosing. I see spikes all over the charts! LOL

ROFL- So i see you still have my apex IP on your phone. I need to change that, LOL.

What you see I think are alk dosing. I divy that up x 2 through the night when ph is low. The rest is Kalk. I havenet noticed any changes when AWC kicks in from 6pm-7:30PM. I might be wrong.

 

[AquamanE]

I like the idea of small changes during the day versus one big one. I understand that it diffuses throughout the day and the net change is therefore smaller but the idea is that over time you create a more stable system.
As far as the number of times per day... 6 > 4 so that makes me better than Doctor T.
Actually I think I have a slightly larger total volume.

You will never be better than Dr. Thompson, LOL.

Less net is what concerns me with more frequent, although, i recognize the difference is insignificant. I might go to 2 per day. Im not sure that a 1% WC whether divided or in one shot will create more stability. Thae fact that its 1% per day in and of itself is enough to creat stability.

 

[Ian Eisenberg]

What was your pre-auto change volume? I know in my case it was never regular and changing 1% per day will give me an approximate change of 30% monthly. Which I never did religiously.
For me, this will be far more stable

 

[ReeferEric]

ROFL- So i see you still have my apex IP on your phone. I need to change that, LOL.

What you see I think are alk dosing. I divy that up x 2 through the night when ph is low. The rest is Kalk. I havenet noticed any changes when AWC kicks in from 6pm-7:30PM. I might be wrong.

You can run but you can't hide! I have a few people and just use programming reference when I'm clueless. Be serious!

 

[AquamanE]

What was your pre-auto change volume? I know in my case it was never regular and changing 1% per day will give me an approximate change of 30% monthly. Which I never did religiously.
For me, this will be far more stable

Ian- Ive always done 30% per month. Most recently before AWC (now 1% per day), i was doing 15% every 2 weeks. IMHO that kept things stable enough, now it just HEAVEN. lol

I dont think AWC is for everybody, but i do promote 30% per month with an easy method. If you have to hull buckets around it doesnt get done.

there are many ways to set up simple WC stations. Before AWC all i lifted was a garden hose from garage to tank, garage always had 35G of fresh SW, and 85 gal of ro/di waiting. so every 2 weeks ide get my garden hose, hook up to pump and did a 35 G WC.

 

[DRThompson]

I like the idea of small changes during the day versus one big one. I understand that it diffuses throughout the day and the net change is therefore smaller but the idea is that over time you create a more stable system.
As far as the number of times per day... 6 > 4 so that makes me better than Doctor T.
Actually I think I have a slightly larger total volume.

LOL, you guys are crazy Ian, you're impressive "fishroom" alone makes yours better than mine!

Here's my programming on my apex for auto water changes
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
OSC 030:00/015:00/195:00 Then ON

My AWC runs for 15min every 6 hours (4 times per day). I change out about 2.5gal per day. I also like the idea of small changes thru-out the day vs one big one. At 2.5gal/day i'm not sure it really makes a difference all-at-once vs spread over 4-6 times daily. I set mine up following the article by Randy-Holmes-Farley "Water Changes in Reef Aquaria". Mine has been running since 11/2013 and has been flawless. Before that my water changes were very irregular; now they run like clockwork .

I have to say it was joining FMAS and my first Tank-hop (where I saw Eddie's tank) that inspired me to upgrade my 55gal system to a 200gal full reef aquarium.

 

[ReeferEric]

Woot, finally got off of being busy with work and then lazy. System is now working, Sir Eddie confirmed the timing as well. This should work out great!!!

100GPH / 2 = 50GPH per head
50GPH / 24 hr = 2GPH

My tank total volume on the low end is about 100g. At 30 mins (1 gallon) a day that means in a week 7 gallons, times 4 weeks equals about 28 gallons. Almost 30% so I'm not complaining.

 

[AquamanE]

Woot, finally got off of being busy with work and then lazy. System is now working, Sir Eddie confirmed the timing as well. This should work out great!!!

100GPH / 2 = 50GPH per head
50GPH / 24 hr = 2GPH

My tank total volume on the low end is about 100g. At 30 mins (1 gallon) a day that means in a week 7 gallons, times 4 weeks equals about 28 gallons. Almost 30% so I'm not complaining.

Thats not my math!!!! :nono:

Its 100GPD from both heads.
50GPD per head= 2.08 Gallons per head per hour
your right that 30 minutes youde give you approx 1 gallon, but the rest is wrong.. :tongue:

Also a month has 30/31 days, not 28. Unless your thinking of February, or your menstrual cycle, LOL

BTW- Ide give it ~40 minutes to compensate for any possible "dilution" concerns. That should get you the 30% even with the dilution.

 

[Chris155hp]

I wonder if doing a 2% change every other day would be better then 1% a day as I'm doing now

 

[AquamanE]

I wonder if doing a 2% change every other day would be better then 1% a day as I'm doing now

One of the advantages of daily changes is stabilty, but IMHO its really more of a luxury. I wouldnt do it if it wasnt for this set up i have now.

IMHO- 30% a month is key and all that it necessary.

 

[ReeferEric]

Thats not my math!!!! :nono:

Its 100GPD from both heads.
50GPD per head= 2.08 Gallons per head per hour
your right that 30 minutes youde give you approx 1 gallon, but the rest is wrong.. :tongue:

Also a month has 30/31 days, not 28. Unless your thinking of February, or your menstrual cycle, LOL

BTW- Ide give it ~40 minutes to compensate for any possible "dilution" concerns. That should get you the 30% even with the dilution.

LOL!

No concerns here. Unlike you I can move my lines around. My old water comes from my skimmer/drain section and the new water comes in at the refugium.

 

[DeathMagnetic]

well you guys sucked me in !!! Ordered a Stenner Double head adjustable pump and will be running it off my apex for a 5 gallon per day waterchange. Total volume of my system is 350 gallons... while I was at it I picked up 4 smaller dosing pumps that I will use for Kalk and whatever else I can think of !!! Joe

 

[AquamanE]

well you guys sucked me in !!! Ordered a Stenner Double head adjustable pump and will be running it off my apex for a 5 gallon per day waterchange. Total volume of my system is 350 gallons... while I was at it I picked up 4 smaller dosing pumps that I will use for Kalk and whatever else I can think of !!! Joe

Joe- you wont regret, im at 6 months and things could not be more stable. I find i have a lot more time now to just watch the tank and do other little chores i didnt have time for before.

 

[ReeferEric]

I like it as well, everything has been smoothed out on my Apex. First day it ran for 6 hrs... let's just say programming error. LOL

 

[Company101]

Being a " newbie ". I originally set up my return with a " y " as I was hoping my return pump was strong enough for a return and a BRS gfo and carbon reactor. It's wasn't enough. So I went a put a maxi jet 1200 on the reactor.

But I still have the " y " connected and shut off with a ball valve. I also have an ATO top off system in place.

How insane would it be to take the existing " y " and plumb that to my washing machine drain. Open the valve and and time a 5 gallon water change? By opening the ball valve and filling a bucket. And have my ATO replacing fresh ro/di water at the same time salt water is being pumped out ?

 

[AquamanE]

Being a " newbie ". I originally set up my return with a " y " as I was hoping my return pump was strong enough for a return and a BRS gfo and carbon reactor. It's wasn't enough. So I went a put a maxi jet 1200 on the reactor.

But I still have the " y " connected and shut off with a ball valve. I also have an ATO top off system in place.

How insane would it be to take the existing " y " and plumb that to my washing machine drain. Open the valve and and time a 5 gallon water change? By opening the ball valve and filling a bucket. And have my ATO replacing fresh ro/di water at the same time salt water is being pumped out ?

If i understand what you are saying correctly, its not a good idea at all.

You are saying you will remove 5 gallons of salt water from your tank and replace it with combo of ATO (which I imagine is frsh water), and some salt water. That is a receipe for disaster. You need to replace salt water with saltwater and let ATO take care of evaporated water. Two totally difference things.

 

[Company101]

Yeah. I was incorrect. I realized it as I was surfing around for a algea dyi scrubber. For my 55 gallon display with a 35 gallon sump. I would to get another ATO and a container I can get a pump inside to make it smooth. If even that will work out better.

And of course turning off the freshwater ATO while I am changing water.

 

[Peanut]

Specrapure reached out and they will be lending me a Liter meter with two heads for me to run an objective, and fair comparison. Stay tuned for results. It wont be here till May though. So hang tight.

did we ever get the results?