Another DOS AWC question

[DesertReefer51]

Current setup: RS 525XL, Tunze ATO, APEX, RS RSK600 fresh air fed from outside, 2 AI Hydra 32, 4 T5's, Chaeto, Pentair 80W UV Sterilizer.

Bioload: (all small frags) 3 Zoa's, Goni, Blasto, frogspawn, Medium sized rainbow BTA, several fish, 3 shrimp, 3 emerald crabs.

I've been doing manual 20g changes every 10-12 days. It has been keeping the levels stable but I only starting dosing Ca & soda ash recently, Mg has been holding steady I'm guessing from the new SW.

Work is eating into my reefing time and I'm concerned I may miss a water change.

My concerns are:

1. Whether to drain and fill simultaneously or drain then refill.

2. Should I drain from the intake chamber of my sump, echnically the dirtiest water? Then refill into the return chamber or DT.

3. I feed my corals generally at night just as the lights are shutting down. I try to dose just after coral feeding. I'm planning on scheduling the WC in the afternoon so it doesn't remove anything that was just dosed or the coral food. How are most people scheduling their WC's in relation to feedings and Dosing?

I appreciate everyone's input. I would like a successful tank as I struggled early on and have only recently observed positive results.

 

[blaxsun]

1. If you're emptying from one location (ie: sump) and returning via another (ie: display), I think simultaneously works well. Or if you're pulling from say the overflow chamber in the sump and returning via the return pump chamber.

2. If you're going sump to sump, I would say yes.

3. With Fusion you can either program it to temporarily suspend dosing during a water change or stagger your dosing schedule to accommodate those days/times where you don't want it to intersect with your dosing.

 

[Waters]

Current setup: RS 525XL, Tunze ATO, APEX, RS RSK600 fresh air fed from outside, 2 AI Hydra 32, 4 T5's, Chaeto, Pentair 80W UV Sterilizer.

Bioload: (all small frags) 3 Zoa's, Goni, Blasto, frogspawn, Medium sized rainbow BTA, several fish, 3 shrimp, 3 emerald crabs.

I've been doing manual 20g changes every 10-12 days. It has been keeping the levels stable but I only starting dosing Ca & soda ash recently, Mg has been holding steady I'm guessing from the new SW.

Work is eating into my reefing time and I'm concerned I may miss a water change.

My concerns are:

1. Whether to drain and fill simultaneously or drain then refill.

2. Should I drain from the intake chamber of my sump, echnically the dirtiest water? Then refill into the return chamber or DT.

3. I feed my corals generally at night just as the lights are shutting down. I try to dose just after coral feeding. I'm planning on scheduling the WC in the afternoon so it doesn't remove anything that was just dosed or the coral food. How are most people scheduling their WC's in relation to feedings and Dosing?

I appreciate everyone's input. I would like a successful tank as I struggled early on and have only recently observed positive results.

1 - I have mine set to drain and fill simultaneously so it doesn't affect the skimmer or set off the ATO.

2 - I would send the fresh water into the return pump chamber....the dirty water can be taken from anywhere prior to that final chamber in your sump.

3 - I have my water changes scheduled to run from 4-6 each day, pulling about 3 gallons per day. I don't really worry much about what is taken out during that time frame since it is pulling such small amounts. That being said, I am not dosing anything during that time frame other than ALK/CA.

 

[SPS2020]

Initially, I pondered question #1, but was informed that it made little difference by knowledgeable folk.

Pull from the dirty part and fill the return chamber with the new water; it will go back into DT.

As for me, I do 10 gallon weekly water changes and have it scheduled to run on Friday when I push Feed Button "C". My dosing is at the return portion of the sump, so it will not be consumed by the intake for waste water of the DOS.

If you haven't heard it in operation, get ready for some noise! LOL

 

[ZombieEngineer]

I do it simultaneously since it is the most stable and by far the easiest method. The drain then fill method requires you to integrate timers to stop your ATO, makes failsafes like sump level switches a PITA and is just a ton of work overall.

I would much rather use the KISS principle and use 8% more water than create a mess in my code that's easy to screw up.

 

[DesertReefer51]

I appreciate everyone's advice and experiences. I find the simultaneous WC to be efficient and least impactful on the Apex system.
I haven't setup my 2nd DOS for dosing so I'm not concerned about losing dosed materials. I'll cross that bridge when it comes.
My total system is 140g so I'm thinking approximately 10g a week change via 3.5g say Mon-Wed-Fri. This should be a gradual change but still remove unwanted properties. I plan to prog the AWC during the day when no one is home. I'm curious how loud the pumps will be pumping 3.5g over 5hrs.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

I appreciate everyone's advice and experiences. I find the simultaneous WC to be efficient and least impactful on the Apex system.
I haven't setup my 2nd DOS for dosing so I'm not concerned about losing dosed materials. I'll cross that bridge when it comes.
My total system is 140g so I'm thinking approximately 10g a week change via 3.5g say Mon-Wed-Fri. This should be a gradual change but still remove unwanted properties. I plan to prog the AWC during the day when no one is home. I'm curious how loud the pumps will be pumping 3.5g over 5hrs.

They are kinda loud. It's mildly obvious when mine runs and I have mine set up to do 1 gallon per day over 24 hours. If you do 3.5g over 5 hours it will run at the 125ml/min speed which is quite loud.

For stability sake, it's best to just do 1.5g per day over 24 hours. Setting it to change during hours you are unlikely to be near the tank is also not a half bad idea if you are sensitive to the noise. If you did 6 days a week over a 6 hour period you are likely to be away from the tank, it will do 60ml/min instead and will be much quieter if you happen to pass by.

 

[Waters]

They are kinda loud. It's mildly obvious when mine runs and I have mine set up to do 1 gallon per day over 24 hours. If you do 3.5g over 5 hours it will run at the 125ml/min speed which is quite loud.

For stability sake, it's best to just do 1.5g per day over 24 hours. Setting it to change during hours you are unlikely to be near the tank is also not a half bad idea if you are sensitive to the noise. If you did 6 days a week over a 6 hour period you are likely to be away from the tank, it will do 60ml/min instead and will be much quieter if you happen to pass by.

To minimize the noise, I just have mine do 3 gallons a day over a 3 hour time period when I am not home.

 

[DesertReefer51]

ZombieEngineer,
I'll test the 3.5g a day for noise level. Being that it will occur when I'm at work I'm thinking it shouldn't be a problem but I'll see.

Waters,
I adjusted my time frame to a 5hr period but still 3.5g. I'm thinking this sh I uld help reduce the speed and noise. How loud is yours?

 

[DesertReefer51]

Question:

Regarding the programming, I followed the task programming and setup the start & end time, volume, and action.

I'm using the 24V plugged onto my EB832, I haven't ordered a 1link cable yet. I'm curious what programming others have for the outlet on the EB832.

This is mine:
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Time 09:00 to 13:30 Then ON
If DoW S-T-T-S Then OFF
If SumpHI CLOSED Then OFF
If Leak1 CLOSED Then OFF
If Leak2 CLOSED Then OFF

 

[ZombieEngineer]

Question:

Regarding the programming, I followed the task programming and setup the start & end time, volume, and action.

I'm using the 24V plugged onto my EB832, I haven't ordered a 1link cable yet. I'm curious what programming others have for the outlet on the EB832.

This is mine:
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Time 09:00 to 13:30 Then ON
If DoW S-T-T-S Then OFF
If SumpHI CLOSED Then OFF
If Leak1 CLOSED Then OFF
If Leak2 CLOSED Then OFF

Set your interval in the wizard for 2.5g from 9 to 13:30 and hit send.

Then go back to the page and you should see some tdata. Add the DOW through Leak2 lines after the tdata. You don't want the If Time statement in there.

 

[DesertReefer51]

Set your interval in the wizard for 2.5g from 9 to 13:30 and hit send.

Then go back to the page and you should see some tdata. Add the DOW through Leak2 lines after the tdata. You don't want the If Time statement in there.

Question:

Why set the volume to 2.5g? I was attempting 10g a week with changes of 3.3g on M-W-F.

Thank you for the removal of the time line. I didn't realize I added it unnecessarily.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

Question:

Why set the volume to 2.5g? I was attempting 10g a week with changes of 3.3g on M-W-F.

Thank you for the removal of the time line. I didn't realize I added it unnecessarily.

Because typos happen.

 

[DesertReefer51]

Ah, thought there was a scientific reason.
Thanks

 

[Waters]

ZombieEngineer,
I'll test the 3.5g a day for noise level. Being that it will occur when I'm at work I'm thinking it shouldn't be a problem but I'll see.

Waters,
I adjusted my time frame to a 5hr period but still 3.5g. I'm thinking this sh I uld help reduce the speed and noise. How loud is yours?

It is reasonably loud only because it is in the basement and can be heard up into the first floor of the house. I personally don't hear it when I am home but everybody else in the house says it drives them crazy. That is the reason why I made the entire daily change in a compressed time frame.