How do you set up a "simple" auto water change system

[rknott]

Given auto water changes seem to be all the range I figure there would be a sticky somewhere, but I can't seem to find one. I am guessing that is because each application is totally different.

I am not really new to the hobby given I have been successfully running a 14G bio cube for the last 7 years. However, I am totally new to the 80 gallon tank with the 30 gallon sump along with all the things that go with this much larger system.

As part of this I am seriously considering setting up some sort of auto water changing system. I have watched a few videos and done a bunch of reading, but what I am seeing a lot of are people running hoses up a wall, through the attic, down through the basement, into the backyard, into a drain field and . . . . . . . WOW!

What options are available for setting something up in my family room where my tank is located without hiring a plumber? I was envisioning something where I stuck some smallish tanks in my stand or ??????? likely buy a controller of some sort . . .

At the end of the day I can see I will be moving water manually to and from the tank.

 

[argoreef]

Posted in wrong spot sorry

 

[Amateur Reefer]

Auto Aqua makes the Smart AWC touch. It comes with sensors and you set a low point and high point in your sump and then program how often you want it to do a change. When the time comes, it will drain the sump (into a bucket or wherever; I drilled the wall just behind my tank and put in a 1 inch pvc drain) and fill it up to the high mark with fresh saltwater. When it is not time for a water change but the water is below the high mark, it uses a second pump placed in your freshwater container to auto top off your tank.

I've been using this for a month and it is great. I built a saltwater mixing station in my garage so I always have fresh and saltwater on hand. Once a week, I just fill up two 5 gallon buckets (1 fresh, 1 salt) and place them back with the pumps and I get continuous water changes throughout the week. Tank is loving it.

 

[argoreef]

Was in wrong post ignore this lol sposta be for ato sorry

 

[ryeguyy84]

It's easier if you can have a holding tank and a drain. I happened to have a cable wire running through the floor next to my tank. I put two 1/4 hoses through it and have the whole setup in my basement. All I have to do is add salt once a week.

If you want you could put 2 small containers in the stand, one for waste water and one with new salt water and run the auto aqua but you would be limited by the size of the tanks in your stand. Plus you have to empty the waste tank when it's full and refill the NSW tank.

 

[Greybeard]

At the end of the day I can see I will be moving water manually to and from the tank.

Doesn't sound like AWC would be the thing for you.

I can only speak for myself, but IMHO, the biggest positive to AWC is not carrying buckets. If I have to carry buckets, well, my old manual water changes weren't all that tough to do. I had a well thought out mixing station, return pump, etc. It was just siphoning and carrying out the old water, really.

I picked up a DOS, plugged it in to my Apex, set it up for 1.5gpd AWC using their wizzard, converted my mixing station to an AWC reservoir, and ran a 1/4" poly line under my crawlspace to a gravel bed next to my heat pump. Salt water won't hurt a thing there... might reduce the need for me to spray it with roundup every year.

That was last November. I note that looking through my tank at the white trim on the wall behind it, the water is CRYSTAL clear. I haven't carried a bucket of water since November. Shut down my GAC reactor... cause I didn't need it. Shut down my GFO reactor... cause I didn't need it. Dramatically reduced my Calc/Alk/Mag dosing... pH swing is as low as I've ever achieved, tank is ROCK SOLID, and I'm happy as a clam.

 

[rknott]

Doesn't sound like AWC would be the thing for you.

I can only speak for myself, but IMHO, the biggest positive to AWC is not carrying buckets. If I have to carry buckets, well, my old manual water changes weren't all that tough to do. I had a well thought out mixing station, return pump, etc. It was just siphoning and carrying out the old water, really.

I picked up a DOS, plugged it in to my Apex, set it up for 1.5gpd AWC using their wizzard, converted my mixing station to an AWC reservoir, and ran a 1/4" poly line under my crawlspace to a gravel bed next to my heat pump. Salt water won't hurt a thing there... might reduce the need for me to spray it with roundup every year.

That was last November. I note that looking through my tank at the white trim on the wall behind it, the water is CRYSTAL clear. I haven't carried a bucket of water since November. Shut down my GAC reactor... cause I didn't need it. Shut down my GFO reactor... cause I didn't need it. Dramatically reduced my Calc/Alk/Mag dosing... pH swing is as low as I've ever achieved, tank is ROCK SOLID, and I'm happy as a clam.

I am going to have to think seriously about this once I have my new system up and running. I honestly don't know how hard or difficult maintaining this new tank will be. In my little 14 gal I would do a 3 or even 4 gallon water change regularly if I got behind on water changes and I started to see a bubble algae or green hair pop up. Within a couple of weeks I was back in line and reminded to keep up with my water changes. I am scared to death if I get behind or have a problem of some sort in this big (for me) tank I would end up doing a 20 or 30 gallon water change given the 80 gallon tank and 30 gallon sump. Everyone says small tanks are harder to maintain so maybe I will be able to get away with smaller percentage water changes.

 

[JDubb_4051]

Just bought a 74 gallon. New to SW aquariums. LFS suggested 5g changes weekly. Running sump and skimmer

My plan is to buy 7g beer brewing buckets for changes to net me out at 20% bi weekly.

Until I can figure out or buy the Autoaqua smart AWC that is but I’ll likely us the 7g for reservoirs then.

 

[rknott]

Just bought a 74 gallon. New to SW aquariums. LFS suggested 5g changes weekly. Running sump and skimmer

My plan is to buy 7g beer brewing buckets for changes to net me out at 20% bi weekly.

Until I can figure out or buy the Autoaqua smart AWC that is but I’ll likely us the 7g for reservoirs then.

Interesting idea. I like the idea of 7g buckets. I didn't know beer buckets were a thing. Seems like 5 isn't quite enough. I have vertical space available, but out of horizonal space. Also being new to the space not how much water I should be changing. I had a 14g nano for the last 7 years and found changing a larger percentage of water worked better. I was changing out about 3 gallons per week. If I missed a week I would go to 4 gallons. Given the additional water in my 80g that adds to stability, addition of a sump +refuge I am hoping my water change percentage requirements will be much less and these 5 or so gallon water changes will suffice.

 

[Timrpn]

I have a 75 Gal and I use APEX DOS to do 2.5 gal/day AWC. I have my waste water coming from the sump and being drained directly into my laundry tub and i have a 32 Gal Brute Trash Can with my Salt water that runs up into the other end of my sump.

So it removes the water where it enters my sump at the filter sock site and adds new water where my return pump is. I have a separate container in my basement for ATO and i use the Neptune ATK for that.

 

[Hogdaddy]

I'm new..but what I am going to do with my 60 gallon....bought a $17 fountain pump from harbor freight and some tubing and buckets from Lowes. Mark 2 buckets at the same level...pump in DT...drain to bucket (fill-line)...then move pump to bucket with new SW and refill tank. The auto part is a reminder in my phone lol.