I hate changing water! Water change pump advice please

[ReefLab]

So plumbing in for a stationary water change setup is not really an option for me. I have 2 20gal brutes on wheels that I fill with water for weekly 20gal water changes. I'm wondering what would be a good pump that can run externally so I can pump water to the tank and also pump water out of the tank, then put away the pump/tubes after. Ideally one with some kind of controllability so I can turn it on/off without having to unplug it (is that what most people do?)
This one seems good but theres no reviews and its a little expensive just for water changes.. The panworld pumps are cheaper but some negative reviews about priming..

Help please! water changes need to be less of a chore!

 

[FactoryKTMmotocross46]

Not sure if you are looking to spend a lot of money but I have this with 2 cheap pumps.

 

[ReefLab]

Not sure if you are looking to spend a lot of money but I have this with 2 cheap pumps.

Thats a cool product. thanks. I was thinking maybe I could even somehow use my existing pump and just plumb in inlets/outlets to make it simpler.

 

[FactoryKTMmotocross46]

Yeah, I have a line from my supply pump discharge that goes to a drain but I dont use it since i do large water changes now.

 

[ReefLab]

Yeah, I have a line from my supply pump discharge that goes to a drain but I dont use it since i do large water changes now.

Yeah. my return chamber is only a gallon or two. I'd have to connect a pipe to the main section of my sump to pump out more water. Might be able to use ball valves to divert the flow or just remove a little section of pvc every water change

 

[mfinn]

Have you ever seen the python water change system?
Makes getting the water out of the tank pretty painless



Then just a small mag pump like a mag 5 or 7 with a hose attached to pump water from the barrel back to the tank.

 

[Jon Fishman]

I don’t know what type of cheap-o or leftover pump I have, but I use a submersible pump with some clear tubing stuck to the outlet and just run the tubing to the bucket.

I just drop the pump right in the tank/sump and then I use the same pump to drop in a brute of fresh SW and fill the tank back up that way....... easy water-changes

 

[ReefLab]

Have you ever seen the python water change system?
Makes getting the water out of the tank pretty painless



Then just a small mag pump like a mag 5 or 7 with a hose attached to pump water from the barrel back to the tank.

I use something similar to do changes now, with a little squeeze thing to prime the siphon which sucks to use. I dont think i could hook that up to my faucet.

 

[ReefLab]

I don’t know what type of cheap-o or leftover pump I have, but I use a submersible pump with some clear tubing stuck to the outlet and just run the tubing to the bucket.

I just drop the pump right in the tank/sump and then I use the same pump to drop in a brute of fresh SW and fill the tank back up that way....... easy water-changes

Do you find that it leaves a gallon of water left in the bottom of the brute? my submersible pump can never fully empty the can. i was thinking an external pump would be connected to a hose that would suck out all the water.

 

[FactoryKTMmotocross46]

Yeah, I used to siphon but with a lot of my acros being exposed, I needed it to move along a little faster. Just curious, why are you doing that much weekly?

 

[Jon Fishman]

The pump I have gets almost all of it, and I just tilt the brute at the end and get most, and pour the rest in. I do 50g water changes...... super easy this way.....

I may look into an external pump, but again, I am just using stuff I have laying around

 

[ReefLab]

Yeah, I used to siphon but with a lot of my acros being exposed, I needed it to move along a little faster. Just curious, why are you doing that much weekly?

I have a 110 gallon tank. Probably wont continue doing 20% changes but im cycling the tank now so trying to remove all the excess NO3 thats coming out. Maxing out the red sea kit currently..

 

[FactoryKTMmotocross46]

I have a 110 gallon tank. Probably wont continue doing 20% changes but im cycling the tank now so trying to remove all the excess NO3 thats coming out. Maxing out the red sea kit currently..

Oh, ok. Yeah I was thinking that would push my spirits down a lot having to do that much work every week. Have you seen an algae bloom yet?

 

[BeejReef]

Not sure if you are looking to spend a lot of money but I have this with 2 cheap pumps.

same

 

[Jon Fishman]

Have you ever seen the python water change system?
Makes getting the water out of the tank pretty painless



Then just a small mag pump like a mag 5 or 7 with a hose attached to pump water from the barrel back to the tank.

Hey, those python things..... I was looking at them.

Are they strong enough (if I manually pump/squeeze it) to remove sand that gradually accrues on my bare-bottom tank from the rocks breaking down?

 

[ReefLab]

Oh, ok. Yeah I was thinking that would push my spirits down a lot having to do that much work every week. Have you seen an algae bloom yet?

I haven't actually. Running lights at like 10% power during the cycle. I'm on day 12 and no sign of life.. using the reef mature kit from Red Sea. Nitrite spiked quite a bit so some bacteria is probably responsible for that. I dosed some seachem prime just in case some chlorine made it in from when i cleaned my rock.

 

[mfinn]

Hey, those python things..... I was looking at them.

Are they strong enough (if I manually pump/squeeze it) to remove sand that gradually accrues on my bare-bottom tank from the rocks breaking down?

You have to hook it up to a faucet.
Once you do, it really helps.

The best water pressure in my house was the bath tub faucet, so I rigged that one up to accommodate the valve on the python .

 

[sarcophytonIndy]

I make them less of a chore by doing them less often. I average about once every six months.

 

[ReefLab]

I make them less of a chore by doing them less often. I average about once every six months.

How do you manage healthy coral growth and nutrient reduction without them

 

[FactoryKTMmotocross46]

How do you manage healthy coral growth and nutrient reduction without them

A good skimmer, refugium, gfo, carbon. There are many different ways that can work.