Water Changes causing a mess

[jaganshi066]

Hi everyone I could really use some help. I have three tanks and every time I do a water change for my 30 gallon innovative marine tank it makes a mess. First thing I do is turn off the wavemakers and return pump then I can scrub the glass and siphon out water from the return pump chamber in the back (all in one tank), then siphon out more water in the front and lastly I add the new water in. Now when I turn the return pump and wave maker back on, all this debris comes out and makes the tank look messy. It’s all over the water until it settles which takes about 10 minutes. Any ideas on why this happens every time I do my weekly water change.

 

[PeterC99]

What happens if you turn off the wavemakers and pumps and NOT add the new saltwater? Do you still get the same result if you wait the same period of time from turning everything off and then later back on?

 

[jaganshi066]

What happens if you turn off the wavemakers and pumps and NOT add the new saltwater? Do you still get the same result if you wait the same period of time from turning everything off and then later back on?

I’m not understanding sorry. Alll I do is siphon water out, put water back in and everything’s ok. As soon as I turn on the return pump and wave maker then it gets bad.

 

[gray808]

Mine is not an AIO but I have the same issue. I suspect it is sediment, sponges, and other stuff that settle in the piping when the return is off. Then when the return comes back on, the sudden rush of water dislodges some of this.

I don't worry much; it clears in 10 mins or so, and I always change my filter floss after that point anyway.

Short of running some cleaning instrument thru the piping, I am not sure how you would prevent it.

--Gray

 

[PeterC99]

I’m not understanding sorry. Alll I do is siphon water out, put water back in and everything’s ok. As soon as I turn on the return pump and wave maker then it gets bad.

Would you get the same result if you only turn off the wavemaker and pumps for 15 minutes (and NOT siphon and put back water)?

 

[attiland]

Hi everyone I could really use some help. I have three tanks and every time I do a water change for my 30 gallon innovative marine tank it makes a mess. First thing I do is turn off the wavemakers and return pump then I can scrub the glass and siphon out water from the return pump chamber in the back (all in one tank), then siphon out more water in the front and lastly I add the new water in. Now when I turn the return pump and wave maker back on, all this debris comes out and makes the tank look messy. It’s all over the water until it settles which takes about 10 minutes. Any ideas on why this happens every time I do my weekly water change.

Change the order of things you do.
keep the flow on and scrab the glass siphon the sand etc.
Turn the flow of lower the water level. Clean the sponges/ filter socks. make sure you siphon the back chambers if this is an AIO.
Add new water and flow back on.

above minimises the dirt staying in pumps and the flow changes can pick up less stuff

 

[jaganshi066]

Mine is not an AIO but I have the same issue. I suspect it is sediment, sponges, and other stuff that settle in the piping when the return is off. Then when the return comes back on, the sudden rush of water dislodges some of this.

I don't worry much; it clears in 10 mins or so, and I always change my filter floss after that point anyway.

Short of running some cleaning instrument thru the piping, I am not sure how you would prevent it.

--Gray

Thank you so much! I have two other tanks that are all in ones and this never happens so that’s why I’m wondering. Hmmm thank you though I was suspe ring the same thing cause I siphon out the back compartments too so my only other guess was inside the tubing of the return pump.

 

[jaganshi066]

Change the order of things you do.
keep the flow on and scrab the glass siphon the sand etc.
Turn the flow of lower the water level. Clean the sponges/ filter socks. make sure you siphon the back chambers if this is an AIO.
Add new water and flow back on.

above minimises the dirt staying in pumps and the flow changes can pick up less stuff

I do siphon the back chambers and it’s pretty clean since it’s a bare bottom it’s just when I turn the return pump back in then it gets messy for some reason. I think @gray808 is right cause that was my only other guess as to what it could be.

 

[reeftivo]

Mine is not an AIO but I have the same issue. I suspect it is sediment, sponges, and other stuff that settle in the piping when the return is off. Then when the return comes back on, the sudden rush of water dislodges some of this.

I don't worry much; it clears in 10 mins or so, and I always change my filter floss after that point anyway.

Short of running some cleaning instrument thru the piping, I am not sure how you would prevent it.

--Gray

exactly

 

[attiland]

I do siphon the back chambers and it’s pretty clean since it’s a bare bottom it’s just when I turn the return pump back in then it gets messy for some reason. I think @gray808 is right cause that was my only other guess as to what it could be.

I have an AIO too not bare button though. My problem gone away when changed the routine to this order like described. Basically I don’t allow things to ever settle. I even blow the rocks before removing water for the same reason.
I think either way you can’t really do it wrong. Corals will eat the staff you move to the water column

 

[brandon429]

Post a pic of your reef as it sits currently Jagan

I’ll show a neat way to clean reefs where water changes never cause any clouding as a follow up pic, you have a way to clean the tank where it works perfectly. You don’t have to tolerate the current condition at all.

 

[attiland]

Post a pic of your reef as it sits currently Jagan

I’ll show a neat way to clean reefs where water changes never cause any clouding as a follow up pic, you have a way to clean the tank where it works perfectly. You don’t have to tolerate the current condition at all.

Brandon is the water change guy of R2R. Listen to him!

 

[TxReefer21]

M

Hi everyone I could really use some help. I have three tanks and every time I do a water change for my 30 gallon innovative marine tank it makes a mess. First thing I do is turn off the wavemakers and return pump then I can scrub the glass and siphon out water from the return pump chamber in the back (all in one tank), then siphon out more water in the front and lastly I add the new water in. Now when I turn the return pump and wave maker back on, all this debris comes out and makes the tank look messy. It’s all over the water until it settles which takes about 10 minutes. Any ideas on why this happens every time I do my weekly water change.

More than likely have a bunch of crud in back chambers and your pumps are probably also filled with fish poo and food. Take pumps out of back cambers and clean them up is what I do every other water change.

 

[snorklr]

again not an AIO but my return pump was plumbed with clear tubing and the light in the fuge was allowing stuff to grow in there...when i turned the pump off then on the initial surge would dislodge a load of this stuff and blow it into the display...switching to black tubing took care of the problem

 

[Doctorgori]

I run one of these pre and post water change…
I blast the rocks and make a mess on purpose

MarineLand Magnum Polishing Internal Canister Filter, For aquariums Up To 97 Gallons, 10.5 IN (ML90770-00)

cttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C8PH0OI/ref=cm_sw_emLearn h_r_mt_dp_8T703YS8N7C0A9DZGENH?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1f

 

[jaganshi066]

Post a pic of your reef as it sits currently Jagan

I’ll show a neat way to clean reefs where water changes never cause any clouding as a follow up pic, you have a way to clean the tank where it works perfectly. You don’t have to tolerate the current condition at all.

This is pretty much it I have to take another picture but I’m not home right now

 

[brandon429]

Heck that’s already clean as a whistle your standards are too high

 

[brandon429]

 

[jaganshi066]

Heck that’s already clean as a whistle your standards are too high

It’s only as soon as I turn the pumps on that it gets like this then settles in the filter socks

 

[brandon429]

That really is the acceptable form and amount of detritus to be circulating, it’s marine snow feed id keep up the current approach and accept as much as part of the natural production system. If you want it gone still the tank and siphon out all the pockets of waste, but some will persist as all animals including live rock animals are exuding whole waste pellets that always compile and distribute