Water Changes

[Neo Jeo]

So, I got my RO/DI system. Now i'm trying to figure out where to do the water changes on my new 90 gallon. Here are my options.

For taking the water out, I will be using a siphon system that hooks to my sink. Really cool system. No buckets/bumping.

#1. Bathroom next to my tank, fill a 20g tub with RO water using a float every water change "bring in the tub from garage and hook up over night". Mix/heat salt then done.
#2. Bathroom next to my tank, have a 10g tub under my sink with a float valve. Use the 10g real quick and wait for the other 10g to fill up = 20g then Mix/heat salt then done. + Ill have fresh water for top of waiting.
#3. Pipe a tube downstairs into my furnace room with a 20g bucket that my RO system has a float value on it and always filled. Mix/heat salt then done pump back up to tank with powerful pump. but the pluming might be imposable or VERY difficult.+ Ill have fresh water for top of waiting. Is it worth it?

What would you do if you were me? Please vote "I love this voting system" ha

Thanks

 

[HiddenUser]

Figure out a way to make #3 work. If you spill in a basement (assuming it's unfinished) it's MUCH easier to clean up. You could probably do something even larger like a 40G Brute can so you can do an extra large water change if you ever needed.

 

[Broadfield]

It's TOTALLY worth it to have storage containers to house fresh and saltwater.

• You can have your ATO pump mounted right in the freshwater container.
• No more buckets, hoses etc.
• Takes just a few minutes to do a complete water change.
• Always have fresh and saltwater on hand. My saltwater container has a heater and powerhead to keep it circulated and heated at all times.
• NOTE: It definitely helps to have some form of a tank controller or controllable outlet to turn the pump on and off.

Here's my setup....

I have my water change pipe go into my sump(the pipe coming in from the right in the 1st image) and it hovers about 3/8" off the bottom of the sump. So when I open the waste valve in the basement, then open the valve up by the sump, it automatically creates a massive siphon and sucks the water out of the sump. Then I simply turn a couple of valves and kick the mixing pump on to fill the sump back up with fresh salt water. Takes about 7 minutes to do a complete water change and I don't really have to lift a finger... aside from turning a couple of valves and turning the mixing pump on and off with my phone through the Apex.

IMG_6030 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

Reefer 450 ROI by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

Reefer 450 Salt Mix by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

Reefer 450 Drain by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

Reefer 450 Fill by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

 

[Neo Jeo]

Broadfield you're a scientist haha nice work. Im not even going to come close to that.

 

[Neo Jeo]

Figure out a way to make #3 work. If you spill in a basement (assuming it's unfinished) it's MUCH easier to clean up. You could probably do something even larger like a 40G Brute can so you can do an extra large water change if you ever needed.

Thanks. I have a 90g tank. So a 20% would be 18 gallons. I thought a gallon would work. I'm getting back into the hobby, when would I need to do a 40g change?

Thanks

 

[Neo Jeo]

Also I spent 20k on my basement. Yes its finished. Im going to get a laundry drain pan and pipe it to my floor drain!

 

[Neo Jeo]

What pump and size flex tubbing can i use for this? It will prob have to go 15'

 

[Neo Jeo]

Also my sump has a gravity ATO system that I got a 7gallon tank for. I felt safer doing that and saving $ also.

What if I did a real ATO system. How do those work exactly and how much are they? Might as well look into it as im building.

 

[HiddenUser]

Thanks. I have a 90g tank. So a 20% would be 18 gallons. I thought a gallon would work. I'm getting back into the hobby, when would I need to do a 40g change?

Thanks

Sometimes things happen and you need to do a massive water change. Maybe an accidently overdose of something, or stuff gets neglected and you need to do a larger than usual water change. If there is space, it doesn't hurt!

Also I spent 20k on my basement. Yes its finished. Im going to get a laundry drain pan and pipe it to my floor drain!

Good plan if you're doing this in the basement.

What pump and size flex tubbing can i use for this? It will prob have to go 15'

LOTS of choices. All depends on what is in your budget and how long you want to wait when refilling your tank. I have a pretty large pump with 1" tubing which can refill 90G of water in less than 5-10 minutes.

Also my sump has a gravity ATO system that I got a 7gallon tank for. I felt safer doing that and saving $ also.

What if I did a real ATO system. How do those work exactly and how much are they? Might as well look into it as im building.

Most ATO's will have some sort of Optical Sensor or Float switch which will trigger the pump on when the water level drops. I personally use a Tunze 3155 and I don't really have anything bad to say about it.

 

[Neo Jeo]

Sometimes things happen and you need to do a massive water change. Maybe an accidently overdose of something, or stuff gets neglected and you need to do a larger than usual water change. If there is space, it doesn't hurt!


Good plan if you're doing this in the basement.


LOTS of choices. All depends on what is in your budget and how long you want to wait when refilling your tank. I have a pretty large pump with 1" tubing which can refill 90G of water in less than 5-10 minutes.


Most ATO's will have some sort of Optical Sensor or Float switch which will trigger the pump on when the water level drops. I personally use a Tunze 3155 and I don't really have anything bad to say about it.

Thanks. Where do I put the Tunze 3155? Can it pump from my basement?

Thanks

 

[Neo Jeo]

Ok Im not going to use a Tunze 3155. Im going to use my gravity fed with a 5g bucket to ensure there is no errors.

Question- I need a pump that will pump from my 20g tub down stares to my tank. Its around 15' -20' of pipe. I believe I need a pump with 1900 GPH. What one would be best to use thats not $ and has a suction thats close to the bottom to ensure I get all of the water out of the tub if im making sense

 

[Neo Jeo]

Ok I got this https://webbsonline.com/Item/Leader-Clear-Answer-Pumps-41000 +10% off
I also got 25' of PVC felx pipe
Should work great

 

[Neo Jeo]

Alright- Im going to do 1 44g bucket for salt changes. Im going to install 2 floats on it. 1 float for every week water change and another for if I miss 1 week I can do i on the second or if there is a problem i can go right to the larger one. I can just turn a valve and directing the flow. or disconnect put a plug on it and reconnect.

I have a 90 gallon tank and 30g sump. So Im going to say 120g total. Should I do 24g changes for the 1 week and 44g change for the 2 week or if there is an issue?

Let me know your thoughts. I have to drill the holes. Trying to figure out how to measure this water volume without water lol

 

[Neo Jeo]

I got my 44g trash can. I’m going to be doing 20% weekly water changes. This is a good number right? I have to drill a whole in the brute trash can to = 20% do I do 20% total water volume or 20% of DT volume? I have a 120g tank and 30g sump.

I wonder how to figure out how high in the brute can will = 20% lol... I guess it’s going to be more of a math problem

 

[Neo Jeo]

Ok! Got my 44g bucket all set. I have 1 stop at 25g for norma water changes “ I filled it up 5 times with 5 gallon buckets to find the mark lol” I may have spilled few gallons on the floor dumping it into the bathtub as it’s -1 below 0 out side.

I have all the water making stuff in a Landry catch pan so IF anything fails it will go right down the drain

Next step is to T off an RO line to the tank connected to my new barrel tender v2 with back up float valve and auto shut of alarm system. Connected to my tunz ATO I have a 1 1/4” pvc tube connected to a monster pump that will pump my water back into the tank once’s it’s ready!