Faster water change?

[Floyd-]

My water changes take a long time and because of that I dont do them that often.

Currently im filling my brute can with RODI (4.5h to fill) then mixing salt/heating the water (.5h-1h) then sucking water out into 5 gallon jugs and pouring into the toilet through a gravity fed 1/4" tube. From there I use a small pond pump to push the new salt water back into the tanks. The whole process takes the better part of an entire day and its a huge chore.

How can I speed things up?

 

[MONTANTK]

Start mixing your water in advance. Get a float valve so you can always keep your RODI water stocked. That saves a ton of time. Not much you can do about mixing but if you’re keeping your water to temp then you really should only need 15 minutes for mixing. It may also help to do multiple small water changes over a specified period rather than all at once. Your tank will benefit from that as well

 

[PeterC99]

Recommend a water change station. Automatically replenishes RODI, Top Off, & Water Change. Bought used at 1/3 original price. My water changes take 15 minutes and most of the time is the pumps automatically pulling out the old saltwater and pumping in the new saltwater

 

[Ippyroy]

My water changes take a long time and because of that I dont do them that often.

Currently im filling my brute can with RODI (4.5h to fill) then mixing salt/heating the water (.5h-1h) then sucking water out into 5 gallon jugs and pouring into the toilet through a gravity fed 1/4" tube. From there I use a small pond pump to push the new salt water back into the tanks. The whole process takes the better part of an entire day and its a huge chore.

How can I speed things up?

I always have my Brute full of RODI. I use a second one for salt water. You can use larger hoses to remove and add the water. I use 1 inch silicone tubing personally, and a small Sicce pump to add the water. I add 20 gallons in just a few minutes.

 

[Floyd-]

The water station would be nice but I dont have room to store that all at the moment.
Also I cannot fill the brute with RODI and just leave it sitting in the house. Again I dont have space for this. Even while filling the brute it "blocks off" one restroom because its filling in the restroom. For ATO water I fill 5 gallon jugs and fill the tanks ATO reservoirs 5 gallons at a time. Id love to get some room in the garage to do a water change setup but I dont have a drain in the garage and I cannot tote the brutes into the house because of a step up from the garage.

 

[PeterC99]

The water station would be nice but I dont have room to store that all at the moment.
Also I cannot fill the brute with RODI and just leave it sitting in the house. Again I dont have space for this. Even while filling the brute it "blocks off" one restroom because its filling in the restroom. For ATO water I fill 5 gallon jugs and fill the tanks ATO reservoirs 5 gallons at a time. Id love to get some room in the garage to do a water change setup but I dont have a drain in the garage and I cannot tote the brutes into the house because of a step up from the

Ok - you didn’t post the limitations on your original post. It all comes down to choices and trade offs. Most of us reefers have some type of dedicated RODI setup and storage. This component is a basic building block for quicker water changes.

 

[3429810]

You said you are transferring from your brute anyways so why wouldn’t the garage work? Fill and mix in there then just bring the 5 gallons pails inside. Maybe I’m misunderstanding something but that seems like a good option. Also why do you need a drain in the garage for mixing water?

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

In my apartment before the move, I used an AWC setup to do daily water changes. I used a 20g tank as my reservoir that fit nicely next to my tank stand. I'll be dying something similar in the new place. It really helped me get my water changes on a much more regular schedule than when I had the chore of doing everything at once.

 

[JoeinLA]

The only thing I might add is to use long hoses and pumps to skip bucket-carrying. We bought a 100’ line of tubing to go to the drain from the tank, and then we pump it back in from the brute cans. At the very least it saves the hassle ame sloshing of buckets…

 

[Floyd-]

You said you are transferring from your brute anyways so why wouldn’t the garage work? Fill and mix in there then just bring the 5 gallons pails inside. Maybe I’m misunderstanding something but that seems like a good option. Also why do you need a drain in the garage for mixing water?

I cannot fill the brute in the garage because the RODI setup is in the bathroom on the other side of the house. I cannot bring the RODI into the garage because there in no drain for the waste water. I cannot fill the brute in the restroom and bring into the garage because of a step up going into the house.

 

[Floyd-]

Also I should through it out there that AWC is not going to happen. I have two tanks and they are in separate rooms of the house and the setup cost would kill me (from my girlfriends hands around my neck)
Im just now trying to get a dosing setup in place for stability.

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

You could use an Air Conditioner Condensate Pump to Pump Your RO/DI Waste Water to a Drain or Outside. Also do you have a Laundry Room? That’s where my RO/DI is. I put a Dual Service Valve for my Cold Water Supply, Used a Braided Hose to a Washing Machine Faucet that I Mounted to the Deck of my Laundry Sink. To Reduce the about of Waste Water, add another RO Membrane.

 

[nereefpat]

How big is the tank, and how big of water changes are you doing?

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

So if I'm understanding your setup currently, you're filing directly to the brute from RODI, but then changing water 5 gallons at a time via 5 gallon jugs, right?

If that's true and the complaint is the time, then putting the brute in a permanent place in the garage and filling it up 5 gallons at a time via the jugs would add an extra step but would at least keep you from blocking off the bathroom and not require you to complete the whole process at once. You could fill the brute over several days and then change your water.

It's not an ideal solution, but you've already ruled out all of the ideal solutions that come to my mind.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Jugs and pouring into the toilet through a gravity fed 1/4" tube.

How can I speed things up?

It seems like you're wasting a lot of time transferring water with a quarter inch tube. 1/2 in or 3/4 remove water much faster.

Also make, mix and have your water heated and ready. I did three tanks in under an hour and a half including cleaning.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

It seems like you're wasting a lot of time transferring water with a quarter inch tube. 1/2 in or 3/4 remove water much faster.

Also make, mix and have your water heated and ready. I did three tanks in under an hour and a half including cleaning.

Good point. Water changes move faster with a pump and half inch (or larger) flex hose.

 

[Floyd-]

You could use an Air Conditioner Condensate Pump to Pump Your RO/DI Waste Water to a Drain or Outside. Also do you have a Laundry Room? That’s where my RO/DI is. I put a Dual Service Valve for my Cold Water Supply, Used a Braided Hose to a Washing Machine Faucet that I Mounted to the Deck of my Laundry Sink. To Reduce the about of Waste Water, add another RO Membrane.

Yes I thought about the laundry room but I cannot fill the brute there because the laundry is a hallway from the kitchen to the garage. I cannot block that path for hours on end filling the brute.

How big is the tank, and how big of water changes are you doing?

I have a 175 gallon and a 45 gallon. I fill the brute to 30 gallons and do about 5-10 in the small tank and the big tank gets the rest.

So if I'm understanding your setup currently, you're filing directly to the brute from RODI, but then changing water 5 gallons at a time via 5 gallon jugs, right?

If that's true and the complaint is the time, then putting the brute in a permanent place in the garage and filling it up 5 gallons at a time via the jugs would add an extra step but would at least keep you from blocking off the bathroom and not require you to complete the whole process at once. You could fill the brute over several days and then change your water.

It's not an ideal solution, but you've already ruled out all of the ideal solutions that come to my mind.

I only remove water from the tank into the jugs. I do this so I know the volume of water removed. I fill with a small pump in the brute.

 

[Floyd-]

It seems like you're wasting a lot of time transferring water with a quarter inch tube. 1/2 in or 3/4 remove water much faster.

Also make, mix and have your water heated and ready. I did three tanks in under an hour and a half including cleaning.

Are you just quick sucking water out and putting new water in? I was told I have to clean the sand rocks and anything I can during the water changes also. If I can just suck it out with a large hose and then fill with the pump it would be MUCH faster. To make the water takes time. That whole time I have a brute can sitting in the living room, kitchen or bathroom depending on whats going on. Not ideal.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I only remove water from the tank into the jugs. I do this so I know the volume of water removed. I fill with a small pump in the brute.

In order to make it more repeatable, grab a sharpie and make notches on the back of the tank or somewhere inconspicuous with your normal water change volumes. I have 20 gallons, 35 gallons, and 45 gallons marked on my large tank. Measuring water in and out each time is killing your productivity here. Measure it once in market so that you can get back to it easily next time. I usually put the bottom of my scraper blade attachment at the line so that I know when the water exposes the scraper I've taken enough out.

Half inch hose is even too slow for me to drain. I can take 40 gallons out in a 1-in hose straight to the toilet in a number of minutes simply siphon flowing.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Are you just quick sucking water out and putting new water in? I was told I have to clean the sand rocks and anything I can during the water changes also. If I can just suck it out with a large hose and then fill with the pump it would be MUCH faster. To make the water takes time. That whole time I have a brute can sitting in the living room, kitchen or bathroom depending on whats going on. Not ideal.

Most of my tanks are quite well established so I don't need to do a whole lot of cleaning during water changes. I don't vacuum my sandbed so that does save time. I leave that to the CUC.

Making the water does take time, And you have time before starting your actual water change. Plan to mix your salt water the day before and have it heated up ready to go in. Even a preset 78°, $15 heater from Walmart does well in a brute to pre-warm water overnight.