Water Change Ninjas, I need training.

[pmaddox]

Help?

I just did my first water change on my new 150g (208 total gallons including sump) tank. It did not go awesome. I'm looking for ideas and tips.

Setup:
I have a mixing station in the garage. 2, 32 gallon BRUTE cans vertically stacked.

1. I feed RODI into the top can
2. Gravity feed it into the bottom and mix salt.
3. I usually make about 25-27 gallons because that's about what I can get out of the top can before the float switch trips (plus what doesn't drain out)

When the salt is ready in the 'bottom can' I use a union to attach 50' of 3/4" hose to the pump and bring it in the house (through the garage, across the kitchen, into the living room and clipped with a clamp into the tank) to pump in fresh saltwater (directly into the display).

This is AFTER, I've siphoned the substrate and filled BRUTE can #3 with approx. 25 +/- gallons of wastewater. Tonight, I actually started pumping in new water on one side while finishing off the siphoning of the last 1/3rd on the other end of the tank just to avoid exposing my SPS to air.

Problem 1:
I didn't make enough saltwater to replace what I lost.
I lose saltwater in the 50' of tubing. I also lose it because the pump can't pump out every last drop so it's hard to say in actuality how much I put in but I'm thinking around 20.

Problem 2:
I live on septic so I was hesitant to drop 25 +/- gallons of saltwater into my drains.
So....I wheeled BRUTE can #3 over to the front door of my house and then siphoned with the 3/4" tubing down the 6 or so steps and onto the front walk of my home. Not ideal at all. I thought this was be the best way to diffuse it without killing my plants or grass.

I would love some feedback and ideas about how I can improve my water change situation because that was some BS. lol.

 

[Elmer]

Sounds like you went through allot

 

[dbl]

Here's my suggestion. You need to figure out where your water level ends up after taking X amount of water out of your system. So as an example, turn off the pumps and let the back flow do its thing. Once settled mark where the water is in both the display and sump. Then remove 20 gallons and mark the location of where the water is at that point. If you take some from the sump and some from the display, just make a note on both. Fill each back up to the high line and in theory you've put 20 back in your system. You can adjust if needed once your back operating.

The next time you can take water out until you get to your lines and you know you've removed 20 gallons. Pump 20 back in and you should be good to go. This assumes you don't make any changes that would impact these water lines, like changing the depth of your returns thusly adjusting your drain down in to the sump.

Don't worry about your corals being exposed for a few minutes, it's not going to bother the vast majority of corals.

 

[jasonb87]

Here's my suggestion. You need to figure out where your water level ends up after taking X amount of water out of your system. So as an example, turn off the pumps and let the back flow do its thing. Once settled mark where the water is in both the display and sump. Then remove 20 gallons and mark the location of where the water is at that point. If you take some from the sump and some from the display, just make a note on both. Fill each back up to the high line and in theory you've put 20 back in your system. You can adjust if needed once your back operating.

The next time you can take water out until you get to your lines and you know you've removed 20 gallons. Pump 20 back in and you should be good to go. This assumes you don't make any changes that would impact these water lines, like changing the depth of your returns thusly adjusting your drain down in to the sump.

Don't worry about your corals being exposed for a few minutes, it's not going to bother the vast majority of corals.

+1
I have a similar set up with the brute can, hose and pump. This is what i did, i have a mark for 5,10,15,20 gallons on the back edge of my tanks with a sharpie. Works like a champ for me.
I have a 75 gallon display so about 90 gallons total with the sump.

 

[The Rook]

I have been going thru similar b.s. to do water changes. I'm now setting myself up with an RODI line right to my ato with a three way valve and an additional line for saltwater. Planning to put the brute right next to the tank when I'm ready to do a water change. Fill with ro, mix and pump right into sump. Then all i have to worry about is the waste water which i just plan to pump into driveway. Also i make an extra gallon or two of saltwater and just toss it if i actually pumped out the correct amount. Much easier than being short on nsw.

 

[pmaddox]

Thanks, y'all. I have the sharpie marks but there is a low margin for error since I can only make one, 27ish gallon batch of salt at a time. I think I could take the extra time to run RODI > Fill Salt can > Run more RODI > Top off Salt can > THEN MIX salt to get me to about 30-31 gallons of salt. It's just more trouble. At least then I'd have a little extra if this happens again though.

Not real happy with the solution of dumping saltwater all over my front steps. I'm going to be putting some thought into that as well.

All-in-all, what I did 'works' it's just not ideal and I like to optimize things so this is as enjoyable as possible.

 

[Adam G]

I have a well and septic system at my place and I did a lot of research and reading on putting saltwater in my septic. In the end I was convinced that 50 gallon of saltwater a month in my septic is fine for my system. The main argument that made me feel comfortable with it is the amount of salt our softeners throw in the septic tank on a monthly basis way out weighs out tank water. I have been pumpng saltwater in my drains for years and my septic system has been doing fine.

You have to make the decision for yourself but think the number of 40lb bags of salt that go in your softener monthly and then think of the amount of salt it takes to make 50g of saltwater. Should not make a difference.

 

[tcarter1936]

I ran a softener waste line and sump room / ro waste line to the ditch in front of property but I realize not everyone has this option. It was far worth the effort and no extra salt water in in my drain field or my septic tanks

 

[kyleflahardy]

I suggest finding the volume of the tank and dividing that by the height. The number you get is how many gallons per every inch up the wall of your tank. So let's say hypothetical there's 10 gallons per every inch of you tank and you wanted to suck out 40 gallons. You measure 4 inches down and mark there. Than drain your water to that levels and add in your new water. As for your issue with water disposal what I do is pump it right out my window and let it go outside and nature will take its corse.