Hey guys just wondering what equipment you use for doing a water change I’m trying to figure out the easiest way for me right now I’m just loading up 5 gallon buckets from DT then loading up 5 gallon tanks from fresh container
Water changes
- Thread starter Tylerc33
- Start date
- Tagged users None
My set up consist of the following
20 gal brute with dolly for the fresh saltwater
1 return pump
1 python hose attached to the pump
5 gallon buckets
I place the Pump/hose in the DT, drain the Water onto the 5 gallon buckets.
Then place the pump in the 20 gal brute and refill the DT.
My Plan is two get another 20gal brute and eliminate the buckets.
vetteguy53081
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For the average person- siphon hose (i use python hose) and have ready mix replacement saltwater to replenish what was removed
lpsouth1978
Valuable Member
Here is my method:
Equipment
2 x 32g Brutes on wheels
1 x cheap powerhead
1 x cheap 200W heater
1 x hose to siphon water from DT
1 x pump with hose
Procedure
At least 24 hours before water change I fill a Brute (grey one) with RODI and add salt, a powerhead and heater. Day of water change I check parameters of water and dose to bring in line with DT parameters. I roll both Brutes to the tank and begin a siphon from DT to Brute (Red one). I drain water to the same level as is in the Grey Brute. Finally I refill DT with water from Grey Brute.
Water change takes all of about 10 minutes, no buckets to haul, and hands stay dry. Easy Peasy!
Equipment
2 x 32g Brutes on wheels
1 x cheap powerhead
1 x cheap 200W heater
1 x hose to siphon water from DT
1 x pump with hose
Procedure
At least 24 hours before water change I fill a Brute (grey one) with RODI and add salt, a powerhead and heater. Day of water change I check parameters of water and dose to bring in line with DT parameters. I roll both Brutes to the tank and begin a siphon from DT to Brute (Red one). I drain water to the same level as is in the Grey Brute. Finally I refill DT with water from Grey Brute.
Water change takes all of about 10 minutes, no buckets to haul, and hands stay dry. Easy Peasy!
How are you starting the siphon and everything? Because I have it going then it stops really quick and I’ve read it’s because I have one of them lower than where it’s going so the siphon isn’t strong enough
Hemmdog
10K Club member
Do you have a pic of your setup? I’m confused by what you mean. Lol
lpsouth1978
Valuable Member
When siphoning from the DT to a brute, the brute is lower than the tank. I simply suck on the end of the hose until water flows over the edge of the tank. As long as the brute is lower than the water level in the DT, gravity will take over and keep the siphon going.
homer1475
Figuring out the hobby one coral at a time.
My setup:
2 long hoses
1 old sicce pump
I turn off all my pumps, and let everything drain down into the sump. I place the hose with the old pump in the sump, other end in my sink. I pump out the first chamber of my sump(10G), then refill with the other hose thats attached to the pump on my mixing station. I keep unheated mixed SW on hand at all times, and do not heat before a WC either. 10G in a 90G system only drops the temps a few degrees for literally a minute.
Takes all of 10 minutes to do a WC. One of these days I'll get the AWC setup(need those pesky versa pumps to be in stock somewhere. lol)
2 long hoses
1 old sicce pump
I turn off all my pumps, and let everything drain down into the sump. I place the hose with the old pump in the sump, other end in my sink. I pump out the first chamber of my sump(10G), then refill with the other hose thats attached to the pump on my mixing station. I keep unheated mixed SW on hand at all times, and do not heat before a WC either. 10G in a 90G system only drops the temps a few degrees for literally a minute.
Takes all of 10 minutes to do a WC. One of these days I'll get the AWC setup(need those pesky versa pumps to be in stock somewhere. lol)
mike550
Valuable Member
Not sure if this will help you for your situation. I have a bathroom that’s about 15 feet from my DT so I drain DT water directly to the sink. I drain using one of two ways. I can drain using a python when I want to clean the sand (I put a media bag over the end of the python in the sink to catch sand and stuff). Second option is I have a small submersible pump that I hang into the DT and just pull water out that way.
I make fresh saltwater far away so I carry 5G jugs up some stairs but not that big a deal. I then have a 10G bucket where I put the pump in to refill the DT. My changes are about 20-30G
I make fresh saltwater far away so I carry 5G jugs up some stairs but not that big a deal. I then have a 10G bucket where I put the pump in to refill the DT. My changes are about 20-30G
Dom
Full Time Reef Keeper
Atmospheric pressure is constantly pushing down on the water within your tank. Because the tank holds water, it has nowhere to go.
When you add a siphon hose, it is commonly thought of the water being "sucked" out of the tank, when in actuality, the water is being PUSHED out.
The atmospheric pressure pushing down on the water plus the siphon hose gives the water a path to travel (out of the hose).
But the atmospheric pressure isn't enough to push water in an upward direction against gravity, so, it is important that your siphon hose empty out to a container completely below tank level (the top of the bucket should be BELOW the bottom of the tank).
Fezbearer
Active Member
I'm going to have the siphon drain into the kitchen sink 10 feet away. Going to fill the tank up using a 32g brute container with a mixing pump, which I will later use to fill up the DT once it's down mixing.
mike550
Valuable Member
I think the Python helps a bit more than a simple siphon because the water flow from the faucet creates a Venturi effect to help push/pull water from the DT. But to your point the “bottom“ of my tank is at about the same vertical height as the sink that the python empties into.
