No-pour water changes

[Fin]

If you are doing 5 gallons or less (like I do for my nano), I just use one hose. I siphon waste water to one bucket and when it is filled, I put my finger on both ends of the hose, put one end into my sump and the other in the fresh salt water bucket, which I have elevated on a salt bucket and let it siphon back into the sump. I have small clamps on both ends, so it doesn't move while siphoning. Easy as it gets. No splashing, no pumps, etc. Just gravity.

 

[OriginalUserName]

I use the Neptune DOS system. I don't know how you can do a zero splash system without something similar (or plumbing your own system). I plan on using a basic gravel vac into my return to do the substrate cleaning.

 

[Mr.Asbury]

Sounds great, I’d like to see pics of your set up and the quick connectors used. Thanks.

Here's the link. Disclaimer: It is not my tank, just one of the videos on a channel I watched while doing research to set up my tank. The guy in the video's tanks look great, however!

 

[mitch91175]

Lots of great feedback already about doing a water change. Have you given any thought on NOT doing any water changes?

Now that I don’t have a sandbed I am no longer doing any water changes. I use RedSea supplements and my tank is doing great. Not concerned with parameters fluctuating and have way more stability. Just a thought.

If you’re doing water changes to control nutrients, best bet is to identify the source and resolve it then NWC is great.

 

[jsker]

I use a DOS for my auto water change at 4 liters a day for %10 total weekly water change, all I do is dump salt in. The nice thing about the DOS is your water station can be up to 30 ft away lets say in a basement or garage. The DOS is a bit noise and to quite the DOS I used erasers on the back of the mounting board and lubed the plastic fronts of the head to stop the clicking with silicone grease. I like the part the I can control the amount on water I would like to change down the the 1 ml. My water drain out of a drain line I ran to the outside world.

Another option is the AutoAqua Awc Looks nice or the Kore 5th with the AWC module.

 

[bhavy]

What I found works for me was I drilled holes for 2” bulkheads in the rear of each chamber of my sump . I ran pvc pipe connecting each chamber with valves on each one also. This all leads to my drain 3 ft away. So I shut down my 2 returns . Open 3 valves and in 26 seconds my 60gal sump is empty! I change my prefilter and socks. Next to my sump is my mixing station. I close the 3 valves on the back of my sump. And flip the 1.5” hose from the mixing station into my sump. Hit a switch and my clean saltwater fills the sump in about 60 seconds using a iwaki external pump.
My display is directly above my sumproom I should mention!

 

[bhavy]

What I found works for me was I drilled holes for 2” bulkheads in the rear of each chamber of my sump . I ran pvc pipe connecting each chamber with valves on each one also. This all leads to my drain 3 ft away. So I shut down my 2 returns . Open 3 valves and in 26 seconds my 60gal sump is empty! I change my prefilter and socks. Next to my sump is my mixing station. I close the 3 valves on the back of my sump. And flip the 1.5” hose from the mixing station into my sump. Hit a switch and my clean saltwater fills the sump in about 60 seconds using a iwaki external pump.
My display is directly above my sumproom I should mention!

 

[Acuario]

Check out the Genesis system. Automatic water changes. It's sweet.

 

[PhreeByrd]

Sounds great, I’d like to see pics of your set up and the quick connectors used. Thanks.

I'll try to get a few pics this evening. It's time to do a water change anyway...

 

[WannaBSpaghetti]

So many fantastic ideas floating around! So far I think what I may do is use a Python water change system to evacuate the "dirty" water directly down the drain with no bucket work. Then, with a cheap amazon pump move clean salt water to a 5+ gallon container with cap/lid, transfer the pump (or maybe even have a second pump already in the bucket?), lug the container upstairs, and pump the new water into the display/sump.

Maybe i could utilize a backup return pump in this process.

 

[stevieduk]

you dont need a pump or anything like that. all you need is a pair of step ladders taller than the tank , the sort that have a platform at the top of the steps. place your bucket of water on the platform and have a piece of airline tubing siphoning the water from the bucket to the tank. I do 5 gallon drums of water into my tanks that way, takes about 15 minutes and never had a spill

 

[PhreeByrd]

Sounds great, I’d like to see pics of your set up and the quick connectors used. Thanks.

Here are a few photos. Sorry, it took me a couple days to get them posted. After the last water change, I decided it was time to clean out the container, so at least you can see it clean. I've been using this setup for a lot of years -- so many that I've forgotten where I bought the quick connects from. They are completely non-metallic though, and have held up fine over hundreds of water changes.

The MPT/barb PVC ell at the top threads into the end of the bulkhead quick-connect.

The outer side of bulkhead quick-connect:

I'll add a couple more photos...

 

[PhreeByrd]

A couple more.

From the top, you can see the bulkhead quick-connect through the wall of the container. The mating QC socket is connected here.

All connected and ready to use.

The green end on the delivery tubing is from an old Eheim cannister filter return. The inline ball valve allows me to shut off the flow as needed. I've had up to 40' of (1/2") tubing between the QC and the end valve. Now I only need about 10', which makes storage a little easier between uses. I remove the tubing when I'm not doing a water change just to keep it out of the way.

 

[Fin]

I believe you can get those quick disconnects now through BRS.

 

[PhreeByrd]

That's possible. I'll have to take a look at BRS. I'm pretty sure I bought them from U.S. Plastic, since I've dealt with them for a really, really long time.

https://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=23027&catid=926

(HFC 12 Series Polypropylene High-Flow Quick Disconnects)

If BRS has them or something equal, they will almost certainly be more reasonably priced.

 

[mando2776]

A couple more.

From the top, you can see the bulkhead quick-connect through the wall of the container. The mating QC socket is connected here.

All connected and ready to use.

The green end on the delivery tubing is from an old Eheim cannister filter return. The inline ball valve allows me to shut off the flow as needed. I've had up to 40' of (1/2") tubing between the QC and the end valve. Now I only need about 10', which makes storage a little easier between uses. I remove the tubing when I'm not doing a water change just to keep it out of the way.

Nice setup, thanks for the pics. Question, how do u drain the old water from tank? Do use a separate brute and pump? or just drain with with gravity from DT?

 

[roberthu526]

I use a 32 gallon brute trash can on wheels with a mag 7 pump with a hose attached to it and pump it right into the tank. It takes a couple minutes to pump the whole trash can.

I use similar set up except I use a RIO pump from amazon which cost like $50. Hook everything with silicon tubing and it,s really simple and works great.

 

[PhreeByrd]

Nice setup, thanks for the pics. Question, how do u drain the old water from tank? Do use a separate brute and pump? or just drain with with gravity from DT?

I just drain by gravity from the display tank. I use the same 1/2" vinyl tubing with some U-shaped rigid tubing on the tank end. Hook it over the rim of the tank, start a siphon, and let it drain until the tank's water level drops to the bottom of the siphon tube. Adjusting the length of the tube that's below the DT's normal water level lets you control how much water gets removed. In case you get busy or distracted, it will just break the siphon when the water level reaches the bottom of the tube. Almost automatic. I have mine adjusted so it will remove 26g of tank water. My mixing barrel holds 27g of new water.

If your only available sanitary drain is too high to drain the DT down efficiently by gravity, then a submerged maxijet (1/2" outlet) will work unless the sanitary drain is higher than the tank, which would be really unusual.

 

[PhreeByrd]

I use similar set up except I use a RIO pump from amazon which cost like $50. Hook everything with silicon tubing and it,s really simple and works great.

Yes, any submersible pump with enough head pressure will work. Just choose a pump that can push the height you need at the flow rate you want. Adapt the pump outlet to your tubing or piping size as needed. I don't recommend using tubing or piping less than 1/2" I.D. unless you do only very small water changes -- the friction loss really slows the flow even with a reasonably strong pump. 3/4" or 1" tubing and piping would allow much faster flow, but with the downside of a lot of added bulk.

The clear vinyl tubing you can buy at local home centers is mostly junk. It is usually thin wall, stiff, and kinks very easily. You want a medium to heavy wall, flexible tubing. I use 'Masterkleer' tubing from McMaster-Carr. Silicone tubing is very flexible but also kinks easily; works well for shorter lengths, though. I'd use garden hose with plastic end fittings if I could find it in a clear version...

 

[Katrina71]

I have been doing 5 gallon changes for an eternity, use whatever flow pump i have lying around to mix the saltwater then have a dedicated fluval maxi jet connected to tubing to pump the water into the tank. Water changes take maybe 5 minutes once i've started draining out using the gravel cleaner.

More info please. Specifics. I like it.