It really is as hard as you make it. Fish only tanks can be as easy as an under gravel filter, gravel cleaner and monthly water changes for hardy fish. But Noooooooo.... We have to have a perfectly balanced system of hard to keep stuff that requires weekly changes, dosing, intense lighting, etc. we really make it hard on ourselves. At least we have controllers now to do the tedious work. My reef angel is the best $269 I ever spent
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How do you change your water?
- Thread starter MatteZ
- Start date
It really is as hard as you make it. Fish only tanks can be as easy as an under gravel filter, gravel cleaner and monthly water changes for hardy fish. But Noooooooo.... We have to have a perfectly balanced system of hard to keep stuff that requires weekly changes, dosing, intense lighting, etc. we really make it hard on ourselves. At least we have controllers now to do the tedious work. My reef angel is the best $269 I ever spent
I have two 32 G brutes one with SW and one RODI for top off.
I make RODI outside with hose attachment and use the waste to water flowers etc. The filtered water runs through a doggie door that the previous owners had.
I have Reef Fanatic Auto Top Off in my crawl space with the two brutes.
Make 30 ish gallons of SW at a time, I use buckets and syphon off 10-15 gallons each week(I am trying to do more often as New Years resolution)
having pulled plug on ATO pump.
Then I put in Quiet One 2000 with hose attached into SW that runs into sump from back of tank and plug into Reef Fanatic. I go upstairs and open up all return pumps and once it is done I put ATO back in and remove Quiet One.
That is on 120 with 30 sump so about 10% per week.
I make RODI outside with hose attachment and use the waste to water flowers etc. The filtered water runs through a doggie door that the previous owners had.
I have Reef Fanatic Auto Top Off in my crawl space with the two brutes.
Make 30 ish gallons of SW at a time, I use buckets and syphon off 10-15 gallons each week(I am trying to do more often as New Years resolution)
having pulled plug on ATO pump.
Then I put in Quiet One 2000 with hose attached into SW that runs into sump from back of tank and plug into Reef Fanatic. I go upstairs and open up all return pumps and once it is done I put ATO back in and remove Quiet One.
That is on 120 with 30 sump so about 10% per week.
Great topic. It's always good to see how other people do stuff because it fosters ideas that may help everyone improve their own maintenance rituals.
I'll break down my system into 3 parts: RODI, Salt Mixing, Water Change... but try to give as much details on each as possible.
RODI - My RODI is setup in my garage for several reasons: 1) It was easy to put a "Y" splitter off the garden hose connection inside my garage, 2) the door to my garage is fairly close to where my tank is setup, and 3) I don't have room near any house sinks to put the Brute containers.
The RODI unit is attached to the wall, a few feet away from the hose connection. My "Y" connection has a small ball valve on each side of the Y. In the beginning, I was getting some water seeping thru even after I turned off that valve, so I installed another small valve just before the inlet on the RODI. This is something I found at Lowes that was in the sprinkler/irrigation supplies section. Now when I want to stop/start my RODI process I use both valves instead of just one.
My RODI unit has a sediment filter, carbon block, dual membranes (which cut down significantly on waste water) and color-changing DI resin. I don't have a booster pump, but I do have a digital dual (IN/OUT) TDS meter installed inline. The IN measures water going into the DI resin cartridge, the OUT is the water coming out of the DI cartridge. Whenever I "make water" I first check the OUT to make sure it's at 0, then I switch to check the IN. It usually starts out somewhere in the 20-30 range, but it quickly drops down to around the 5-8 TDS range. If the OUT doesn't = 0, I know it's time to change the DI Resin. If the IN doesn't drop below 10, I know it's time to change the sediment/carbon/membrane media.
My "Clean" water line goes into a 44g Brute with a Float Switch to stop it from overflowing. My "Waste" line is used in 2 ways. First, I bought about 10 of these neat little 3-liter stackable jugs
. After using them all up, I kept them to fill up with my waste water. Now, whenever I make my RODI, I fill these up one at a time, and keep it sitting in a 5gal bucket so I can do other stuff and not have to sit there and watch it constantly. It takes a few minutes to fill each one so as long as I check every 10 minutes or so I can change the tube to the next jug and dump out any overflow that's in the bucket, repeat. We use these jugs of water to fill up our Keurig coffee machine, which also has it's own filter too. I think it's safe and have been doing it for a couple years now with no ill effects.
Once I get all my jugs filled up, I then transfer the waste line to another 44gal Brute can that also has a float switch. I usually run it for as long as it takes to fill up my "Clean" container or until I have to leave or do something where I can't watch it.
I also fill up 2 5gal buckets with lids with clean water for my ATO container refilling during the week.
Salt-Mixing - I have a separate 35gal Brute can that I use for my mixing container. I have a Mag10 at the bottom for circulation (I set it to discharge slightly upward so I get good surface movement and air exchange), a heater (used only when it's not summer time), and a maxijet 1200 with a 8' discharge tube attached to it. I use this 2nd pump to help with the mixing and to also pump the mixed water out when it's ready.
As for my process, I first start by adding 2 or 3 5gal buckets of RODI at the end of every water change. Then, I let this heatup, mix and aerate until Friday night when I add the salt. I add my salt using a cup that I have a premeasured mark on the side for a perfect 5gal mix. I shake the salt in slowly and spread it around evenly so it doesn't all plop in and clump up. I also wait a few minutes in between each salt portion. I then check back later that evening or the following morning and check the salinity with my refractometer. Then I add any extra salt or RODI water if needed to get to 1.026.
Water Change - I do my WC usually every weekend. Sometimes if I have a busy schedule I skip a week or do it on a Monday night instead, but I'm pretty rigid in my weekly WC schedule. I do either a 10gal or 15gal WC each time, depending on which method I'm using (see below). In either method, I fill up my HD buckets and put the lids on tight, then carry them from the garage to in front of my tank. After that, I put my MJ1200 pump w/tubing in another empty bucket, along with a clean filter sock and a small plastic container (I'll call that a drip container) I use to keep the old sock from dripping all over the floor.
Method A: Quick and easy 10gal version - First thing I do is use my phone app to set my Reef Angel Controller (RA) into Water Change Mode. This will automatically turn off my VorTech in my display and the heater/ATO/Return Pump/and Skimmer in the sump. Also, it turns on my light in the stand so I can see what I'm doing. Next step is to plug my MJ1200 into my DJ power strip, put the pump in my sump and pump out a 5gal bucket. When it's full, I turn off the pump, empty the bucket into the toilet (about 10 feet away from the tank) and then fill it up again. I usually have to change sump compartments a couple times to get enough water out. I try to get the skimmer section first since I'm changing the sock and it helps to have it empty when doing so.
As I'm pumping the water out, I remove my skimmer collection cup, and place it in my drip container, then remove the sock and put that in there too. Then I install the clean sock and wait for the 2nd bucket to fill up. After that, I set that 2nd bucket aside and then go clean out my skimmer cup outside. I use my garden hose with a sprayer attachment, along with an old toothbrush to get the gunk off the sides and lid. I then dry that all off with a towel and go put it back on the skimmer.
Next, I take the MJ pump and put it in the new saltwater buckets, and pump them into the sump. Once the first bucket is about half empty, I start pouring the 2nd bucket right into it... to keep a constant flow. When the 2nd bucket is down to about 1/4 left, I usually just pour that into my display tank to get it in quicker. When the other bucket is almost empty, I turn off the pump and then pour the rest of that in the display too. Lastly, I just exit WC Mode on my RA and everything kicks back to normal.
Method B: More thorough 15gal version - First thing I do here is do a good glass scraping inside the tank, then stir up some detritus in the sand. After carrying over my 5gal buckets I again set my RA into WC Mode. This time though, I'll put my MJ1200 inside the display and add a siphon ball connection with a valve on each end as seen here
, and then extra tubing to reach my empty bucket. I use some small clamps to make sure the tubing won't come out of the bucket, make sure the valves are all open, then turn on the pump. I adjust the valves to a slower flow so that I can manually move the pump around and suck out all the floating stuff. I can actually turn off the pump early on because it causes a siphon anyway. This gives me more time to target the nastier stuff. When the bucket is close to full, I let the pump sit on the rocks, then get ready to close the valve. I then unclamp the tube, clamp it onto my canopy frame so any drips go back into the tank, and empty the bucket in the toilet. Then repeat until all 15gal are out.
At this point, I use the app for my RA controller to turn the return pump back on to drain some of the sump water into the display. At the same time, I use the MJ1200 to pump water out of the skimmer section of the sump into the return section to be able to get to the filter sock easier. I do this until the return pump starts running dry. I will then remove the skimmer cup and the filter sock as in Method A and clean the cup and put back a clean sock and cup. Finally, I'll pump clean saltwater back into the sump until full, exit WC mode on my RA, and then pour some into the display as the buckets get close to the bottom.
Hope all that makes sense. Feel free to ask questions.
I'll break down my system into 3 parts: RODI, Salt Mixing, Water Change... but try to give as much details on each as possible.
RODI - My RODI is setup in my garage for several reasons: 1) It was easy to put a "Y" splitter off the garden hose connection inside my garage, 2) the door to my garage is fairly close to where my tank is setup, and 3) I don't have room near any house sinks to put the Brute containers.
The RODI unit is attached to the wall, a few feet away from the hose connection. My "Y" connection has a small ball valve on each side of the Y. In the beginning, I was getting some water seeping thru even after I turned off that valve, so I installed another small valve just before the inlet on the RODI. This is something I found at Lowes that was in the sprinkler/irrigation supplies section. Now when I want to stop/start my RODI process I use both valves instead of just one.
My RODI unit has a sediment filter, carbon block, dual membranes (which cut down significantly on waste water) and color-changing DI resin. I don't have a booster pump, but I do have a digital dual (IN/OUT) TDS meter installed inline. The IN measures water going into the DI resin cartridge, the OUT is the water coming out of the DI cartridge. Whenever I "make water" I first check the OUT to make sure it's at 0, then I switch to check the IN. It usually starts out somewhere in the 20-30 range, but it quickly drops down to around the 5-8 TDS range. If the OUT doesn't = 0, I know it's time to change the DI Resin. If the IN doesn't drop below 10, I know it's time to change the sediment/carbon/membrane media.
My "Clean" water line goes into a 44g Brute with a Float Switch to stop it from overflowing. My "Waste" line is used in 2 ways. First, I bought about 10 of these neat little 3-liter stackable jugs
Once I get all my jugs filled up, I then transfer the waste line to another 44gal Brute can that also has a float switch. I usually run it for as long as it takes to fill up my "Clean" container or until I have to leave or do something where I can't watch it.
I also fill up 2 5gal buckets with lids with clean water for my ATO container refilling during the week.
Salt-Mixing - I have a separate 35gal Brute can that I use for my mixing container. I have a Mag10 at the bottom for circulation (I set it to discharge slightly upward so I get good surface movement and air exchange), a heater (used only when it's not summer time), and a maxijet 1200 with a 8' discharge tube attached to it. I use this 2nd pump to help with the mixing and to also pump the mixed water out when it's ready.
As for my process, I first start by adding 2 or 3 5gal buckets of RODI at the end of every water change. Then, I let this heatup, mix and aerate until Friday night when I add the salt. I add my salt using a cup that I have a premeasured mark on the side for a perfect 5gal mix. I shake the salt in slowly and spread it around evenly so it doesn't all plop in and clump up. I also wait a few minutes in between each salt portion. I then check back later that evening or the following morning and check the salinity with my refractometer. Then I add any extra salt or RODI water if needed to get to 1.026.
Water Change - I do my WC usually every weekend. Sometimes if I have a busy schedule I skip a week or do it on a Monday night instead, but I'm pretty rigid in my weekly WC schedule. I do either a 10gal or 15gal WC each time, depending on which method I'm using (see below). In either method, I fill up my HD buckets and put the lids on tight, then carry them from the garage to in front of my tank. After that, I put my MJ1200 pump w/tubing in another empty bucket, along with a clean filter sock and a small plastic container (I'll call that a drip container) I use to keep the old sock from dripping all over the floor.
Method A: Quick and easy 10gal version - First thing I do is use my phone app to set my Reef Angel Controller (RA) into Water Change Mode. This will automatically turn off my VorTech in my display and the heater/ATO/Return Pump/and Skimmer in the sump. Also, it turns on my light in the stand so I can see what I'm doing. Next step is to plug my MJ1200 into my DJ power strip, put the pump in my sump and pump out a 5gal bucket. When it's full, I turn off the pump, empty the bucket into the toilet (about 10 feet away from the tank) and then fill it up again. I usually have to change sump compartments a couple times to get enough water out. I try to get the skimmer section first since I'm changing the sock and it helps to have it empty when doing so.
As I'm pumping the water out, I remove my skimmer collection cup, and place it in my drip container, then remove the sock and put that in there too. Then I install the clean sock and wait for the 2nd bucket to fill up. After that, I set that 2nd bucket aside and then go clean out my skimmer cup outside. I use my garden hose with a sprayer attachment, along with an old toothbrush to get the gunk off the sides and lid. I then dry that all off with a towel and go put it back on the skimmer.
Next, I take the MJ pump and put it in the new saltwater buckets, and pump them into the sump. Once the first bucket is about half empty, I start pouring the 2nd bucket right into it... to keep a constant flow. When the 2nd bucket is down to about 1/4 left, I usually just pour that into my display tank to get it in quicker. When the other bucket is almost empty, I turn off the pump and then pour the rest of that in the display too. Lastly, I just exit WC Mode on my RA and everything kicks back to normal.
Method B: More thorough 15gal version - First thing I do here is do a good glass scraping inside the tank, then stir up some detritus in the sand. After carrying over my 5gal buckets I again set my RA into WC Mode. This time though, I'll put my MJ1200 inside the display and add a siphon ball connection with a valve on each end as seen here
, and then extra tubing to reach my empty bucket. I use some small clamps to make sure the tubing won't come out of the bucket, make sure the valves are all open, then turn on the pump. I adjust the valves to a slower flow so that I can manually move the pump around and suck out all the floating stuff. I can actually turn off the pump early on because it causes a siphon anyway. This gives me more time to target the nastier stuff. When the bucket is close to full, I let the pump sit on the rocks, then get ready to close the valve. I then unclamp the tube, clamp it onto my canopy frame so any drips go back into the tank, and empty the bucket in the toilet. Then repeat until all 15gal are out.At this point, I use the app for my RA controller to turn the return pump back on to drain some of the sump water into the display. At the same time, I use the MJ1200 to pump water out of the skimmer section of the sump into the return section to be able to get to the filter sock easier. I do this until the return pump starts running dry. I will then remove the skimmer cup and the filter sock as in Method A and clean the cup and put back a clean sock and cup. Finally, I'll pump clean saltwater back into the sump until full, exit WC mode on my RA, and then pour some into the display as the buckets get close to the bottom.
Hope all that makes sense. Feel free to ask questions.
I have tried to make it as easy as possible in the hobby without going nuts on automation.
I have 2 50G Barrels in the garage, the RO goes from the downstairs bathroom through the wall to the barrel where there's a float valve to shut it off. That supplies top-off and the barrel right underneath it which I use to make SW. I try to keep 50G of made up SW on hand at all times. The 50G bags of Reef Crystals make this somewhat easier, for a long time I used Tropic Marin and I had to measure it.
When I do a water change I shut off the return pump and drain the tank directly into the bathroom sink, as well as doing some vacuuming if needed, until the water level hits the mark I've made for 50 or 60G. Then I run a hose from the barrel in the garage and replace the water with heated SW from the barrel. Once in a while I pump the water out of the sump instead to get rid of stuff in the sump, that's not as easy. Once it's full I start the return pump again. One thing that happens to me is sometimes the Dart return pump jams and won't start, probably I need to clean it more often. When that happens, a LIGHT tap with a screwdriver or other object usually gets it going.
I can usually do the whole water change in a half hour. I have a 1.5" hose for draining the water. I think it's important to make it easy so you'll do it more often.
I generally change 50-60G a month on my 240G (est) system.
I have 2 50G Barrels in the garage, the RO goes from the downstairs bathroom through the wall to the barrel where there's a float valve to shut it off. That supplies top-off and the barrel right underneath it which I use to make SW. I try to keep 50G of made up SW on hand at all times. The 50G bags of Reef Crystals make this somewhat easier, for a long time I used Tropic Marin and I had to measure it.
When I do a water change I shut off the return pump and drain the tank directly into the bathroom sink, as well as doing some vacuuming if needed, until the water level hits the mark I've made for 50 or 60G. Then I run a hose from the barrel in the garage and replace the water with heated SW from the barrel. Once in a while I pump the water out of the sump instead to get rid of stuff in the sump, that's not as easy. Once it's full I start the return pump again. One thing that happens to me is sometimes the Dart return pump jams and won't start, probably I need to clean it more often. When that happens, a LIGHT tap with a screwdriver or other object usually gets it going.
I can usually do the whole water change in a half hour. I have a 1.5" hose for draining the water. I think it's important to make it easy so you'll do it more often.
I generally change 50-60G a month on my 240G (est) system.
George or Jim, with your RO/DI in the garage, don’t you have to worry about freezing, especially with the last few days we’ve had?
I wondered that myself. The carbon block should take care of most of that stuff though. I have been meanin to get mine tested.
Thanks Mark. Sometimes I wonder if I add too much and confuse and/or lose people in it all though. I've never tested my wastewater (although I recently saw a "free water test" display at Home Depot... maybe I'll bring some in and get it tested) but my TDS meter shows it as <10 before the DI unit. Even if it gets concentrated to say 2 or 3 times that amount after the DI filter... it's still a relatively low number IMO and I would think is safe. As I said, I've been doing it for a couple years and I'm not dead yet.
Paul, I live in a middle unit townhouse. My garage has living spaces on either side and the only wall that is to the elements is the garage door. Even if I open my garage door in freezing temps outside, it gets chilly in there but nowhere near the point where it would freeze my lines. Also, the hose spigot comes out of a wall that is next to the door going into my house (opposite the garage door) so the copper plumbing is protected from freezing. From the spigot to the RODI is only a couple feet long. Bottom line, I never have a freezing issue with mine.
It sure is they come over play a nice little video do some testing and tell you how could you drink or shower in such dirty water hook line and sinker for the wife and for the low low low price of $8,000 but my water does taste great
I guess if one is bored, send in RODI water and see what comes back. Lol.
They won't tell you anything over the phone. They will only tell you something if they come to your house and sit there for 2 hours.
Heres mine. I change about 15 gallons every other week on a system holding 100 gallons.
I always keep enough rodi on hand to do one water change and can make pretty fast.
Rodi is in the laundry area in my kitchen. I have 3 7 gallon containers I use to store water. One also fits under my frag tank for my ato. I have 2 20 brute tubs I use to mix water and siphon off dirty water.
Day before a change I fill one 20g brute, add salt and mix with a mj1200. I bring the water to tank temp with a heater.
Day of change I slide the container over to the tank. Unplug my aqualifter pump from my ato and plug the mj1200 into it. In the empty 20g brute I start a siphon. As the water in the sump falls the ato float switch kicks on and starts the mj1200 which pumps new water in.
Whole change is done In under 10 minutes. No lifting etc. I leave all my pumps on. I normally blast my rock work down the day before and then again right before the change to get as much detritus up as possible.
I'm looking to move my rodi into.my garage so I can set up a proper mixing station. All ill have to do then is run a hose into then house and a power cord.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk
I always keep enough rodi on hand to do one water change and can make pretty fast.
Rodi is in the laundry area in my kitchen. I have 3 7 gallon containers I use to store water. One also fits under my frag tank for my ato. I have 2 20 brute tubs I use to mix water and siphon off dirty water.
Day before a change I fill one 20g brute, add salt and mix with a mj1200. I bring the water to tank temp with a heater.
Day of change I slide the container over to the tank. Unplug my aqualifter pump from my ato and plug the mj1200 into it. In the empty 20g brute I start a siphon. As the water in the sump falls the ato float switch kicks on and starts the mj1200 which pumps new water in.
Whole change is done In under 10 minutes. No lifting etc. I leave all my pumps on. I normally blast my rock work down the day before and then again right before the change to get as much detritus up as possible.
I'm looking to move my rodi into.my garage so I can set up a proper mixing station. All ill have to do then is run a hose into then house and a power cord.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk
There was a member here (no longer in the hobby) that had his water changes done with solenoid valves. He just pressed two buttons, and boom full water change, it was pretty cool.
I have the recric tank in my fish room and that is as close as I come. 65g water change in about 10 mins with zero lifting and carrying.
I have the recric tank in my fish room and that is as close as I come. 65g water change in about 10 mins with zero lifting and carrying.
Mike, are you talking about Phil G......if not, I think his setup was basically "push a button" as well.
That is him. I never saw the system, but from what I heard it was the easiest water change ever.
Phil's system was a work of art. It wasn't even push a button. The system was totally automated ran off his controller (AC3) at a set time.
Bob
Drill baby drill!!