Water change question

[Shawn_epicurious]

My first real question? : )

Am I supposed to fill out a profile, or some certain thread... someplace to put in...everything I have? Or am I supposed to just give enough information with my questions?

ok, my real question. Water changes (I know, silly right : ) I have a nice system this time around for water changes. (200 gallon tank, weekly 20 gallon water changes) I have a valve in my cabinet for draining.... open it up, turn on the pump and 20 gallons goes right out thru my house plumbing.

My local pro (the guy I have been working closely with) delivers 40-50 gallons of water every other week. He puts it in a 55 gallon drum in my garage. When I refill 20 gallons each week, I just run a hose from that drum and turn on a pump.... fills my tank back up.... no carrying 5 gallon bucket! I love it

finally my question.... what do I need to do to care for the water in the garage? It’s never really empty... always a few gallons in it and gets refilled every two weeks? Is there something I should be doing to that water to protect it? I have a heater in it.

Shawn

 

[Dragon52]

If it was me I add a powerhead just to keep it mixed.

 

[sarcophytonIndy]

Mainly keep it covered, sealed would be even better. I'm always leery of keeping reef stuff in the garage due to the other things I keep in the garage, such as gas, oil, paint, paint thinner, gardening chemicals, etc.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

If it was me I add a powerhead just to keep it mixed.

so... just something to circulate, but not aerate?

 

[WVNed]

Just keep it covered

 

[brandon429]

it needs to be cleaned and serviced just like drinking water ro storage tanks and lines require.

especially when holding marine mixed salt, they usually have organics included which foster bacteria and scum growth on the bottom over time. built up, and capped off at the top, they'll sap o2 and one day a stinky mix will be smelled.

the container and the delivery lines need to be handled like its for potable water...occasionally cleaned.

 

[Dragon52]

so... just something to circulate, but not aerate?

If you put the PH close enough to the top to get good movement it will aerate it. Or add a Pump & air stone to be sure.
Edit: With that setup I would figure out a way to add a pump to move the water from the bottom to the top & keep it circulated that way.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

Mainly keep it covered, sealed would be even better. I'm always leery of keeping reef stuff in the garage due to the other things I keep in the garage, such as gas, oil, paint, paint thinner, gardening chemicals, etc.

The barrel is “almost” airtight... the lib fits really well. We did drill a whole near the top to run a hose and pump wire, heater wire thru... that’s mostly sealed... : ( I could make that airtight too.... caulk.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

it needs to be cleaned and serviced just like drinking water ro storage tanks and lines require.

especially when holding marine mixed salt, they usually have organics included which foster bacteria and scum growth on the bottom over time. built up, and capped off at the top, they'll sap o2 and one day a stinky mix will be smelled.

the container and the delivery lines need to be handled like its for potable water...occasionally cleaned.

That’s an awesome suggestion. I had not thought of that at all (hopefully, I would have spotted a problem in time) it’s all new, so super clean right now.... thank you!

 

[sarcophytonIndy]

The barrel is “almost” airtight... the lib fits really well. We did drill a whole near the top to run a hose and pump wire, heater wire thru... that’s mostly sealed... : ( I could make that airtight too.... caulk.

It is probable fine the way you have it. Yeah, I would just add a powerhead, but no aeration.

 

[WVNed]

Don't you think if you needed to do anything to it the guy who brings it would have told you?
Keep dirt out of it. I do run a pump in mine for a few hours before I use it. I make 80 gallons at a time so the pump really has more to do with making it than storing it and sometimes it sits for a month.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

Don't you think if you needed to do anything to it the guy who brings it would have told you?
Keep dirt out of it. I do run a pump in mine for a few hours before I use it. I make 80 gallons at a time so the pump really has more to do with making it than storing it and sometimes it sits for a month.

I should have mentioned , my guy suggested I circulate the water for 20-30 minutes before a water change. I just hang the hose back inside the barrel and turn the pump on.

 

[Gareth elliott]

I should have mentioned , my guy suggested I circulate the water for 20-30 minutes before a water change. I just hang the hose back inside the barrel and turn the pump on.

This is incase there is any co2 that has been absorbed by the water. This added co2 could lower the tank ph, briefly. You can also accomplish this by having the fill above the water surface of your tank degassing as it hits the water tension at the surface. So i don’t splash much i always fill from my sump.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

This is incase there is any co2 that has been absorbed by the water. This added co2 could lower the tank ph, briefly. You can also accomplish this by having the fill above the water surface of your tank degassing as it hits the water tension at the surface. So i don’t splash much i always fill from my sump.

Thank you

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

Don't you think if you needed to do anything to it the guy who brings it would have told you?
Keep dirt out of it. I do run a pump in mine for a few hours before I use it. I make 80 gallons at a time so the pump really has more to do with making it than storing it and sometimes it sits for a month.

Well... I would hope he would say something. Sometimes answers to questions can give you more faith in the person you are working with... other times it might let you know you are working with the wrong guy : ) a few people here gave me insite I didn’t have before : )