Auto Water Change who uses it and how do you like it?

Randy Holmes-Farley

Reef Chemist
View Badges
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
66,553
Reaction score
62,858
Location
Arlington, Massachusetts, United States
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Randy, curious on why you opted to go 20 intervals a day vs completely continuous?

I possibly could have, but it might wear the pump out faster and ight require dialing the flow down near the limit of good control. I used a dual head Reef Filler pump that is no longer sold. It was adjustable, but I used it on full pumping flow (15 gallons per day, IIRC) and then determined that I wanted it pumping about 1/5 of the time to get 3 gallons a day.
 
OP
OP
A

AlwaysHatingNathan

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 8, 2019
Messages
132
Reaction score
66
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I did exactly that. Limewater (kalkwasser) on ATO, AWC changing slowly, 20 times a day for 15 minutes each time.

Only drawback is the variability in ATO dosing with evaporation rate changes. Using a dosing pump instead of ATO eliminates that issue.
Oooh I like this idea thanks!!!
 

thermoJoe

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 9, 2013
Messages
142
Reaction score
240
Location
Marshfield MA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Last edited:

AJsReef

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Messages
1,121
Reaction score
1,059
Location
North Florida
Rating - 0%
0   0   0

radiata

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 2, 2015
Messages
1,088
Reaction score
763
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I possibly could have, but it might wear the pump out faster and ight require dialing the flow down near the limit of good control. I used a dual head Reef Filler pump that is no longer sold. It was adjustable, but I used it on full pumping flow (15 gallons per day, IIRC) and then determined that I wanted it pumping about 1/5 of the time to get 3 gallons a day.

I recollect that the original Reef Filler was a bit on the noisy side. Is it still so?
 

LegendaryCG

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 22, 2019
Messages
2,005
Reaction score
2,676
Location
Fond Du Lac, WI
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hey fellow reefers I’m considering doing AWC for my 56 gallon (prob 70ish total water volume with sump) aquarium. I have mostly lps, few solfties and some acros, some these are colonies other mostly frags. So main concerned is what’s everybody thought on there’s? Does it really help keep water stable as in kh, mag, and cal and salinity? Or do y’all have do extra dosing if have bigger colonies? I’m figuring it really helps with nutrients and control algae. But this mostly for people with a AWC. Do you like yours and does it help a lot and make reefing somewhat easier? I’ve already done research on how set up and stuff I want know results on your tanks!
I used to use an AWC but I stopped because I felt like I was burning through water unnecessarily. It worked well—- but I’ve since switched to the triton method and don’t change water much at all.
 

CK00020

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 11, 2020
Messages
1,061
Reaction score
779
Location
Northern Wisconsin
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I used to use an AWC but I stopped because I felt like I was burning through water unnecessarily. It worked well—- but I’ve since switched to the triton method and don’t change water much at all.
Less tm pro reef used, more for the rest of us!
 

Tastee

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 19, 2018
Messages
1,124
Reaction score
890
Location
Sydney, Australia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My tanks (65g & 130g) run on the AquaForest products so are a version of the Triton system. I use Apex and DOS heads to dose the AquaForest 3 part 24x7 and also for AWC (6 DOS heads, 2/tank for dosing, 2 in the outside RODI station for AWC).

As I dose 24x7 I get good stability of key parameters so don’t run a continuous water change. Instead I change out 15% of each tank volume over 24 hours every 6 weeks. The AWC just removes all the manual labour.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

Reef Chemist
View Badges
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
66,553
Reaction score
62,858
Location
Arlington, Massachusetts, United States
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I recollect that the original Reef Filler was a bit on the noisy side. Is it still so?

I got mine 20 years ago, and it was always noisy. Silver lining, I could tell it was still running without having to go to that room of the basement. lol

I put some foam rubber around it for a while to reduce noise.
 

golgobot

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 3, 2021
Messages
47
Reaction score
18
Location
Boston
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
It seems like a lot of people complain about the noise of the DOS. I have my 100 gallon tank in my office on the second floor and my mixing station in the basement. All told it's about 10 feet total from the bottom of my mixing tank to the top of my sump, plus about 10 feet horizontally. The DOS has a max head of 24' and the Versa is 14', so I don't think I want to risk it. So my question is, can this pump be placed in my basement where I won't hear the noise? Can they be programmed and then run standalone without a controller, or would I have to buy a new controller?
 

Jax15

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 2, 2018
Messages
293
Reaction score
371
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I run the DOS system. It's great, will always have AWC on my tank. It is loud, so I run it at night. I def wouldn't want it running all day. If you're running it in a basement through I'm sure it'll be okay, you might hear a slight whining sound from upstairs. Trick is also to run it longer, at a lower speed. Running for 8 hours at low/med speed is about 1.5-2 gal changed. Which on a 100 gal system is a perfect daily amount.

I used to use the AutoAqua AWC, and it worked pretty well also. I didn't trust it the way I do the DOS though. Required a lot more tinkering to keep operational.
 

Daniel@R2R

Living the Reef Life
View Badges
Joined
Nov 18, 2012
Messages
37,364
Reaction score
63,260
Location
Fontana, California
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
I run the AutoAqua Smart AWC, and I really like it a lot! I change about 2% per day. IMO it's one of the best things I've done for my reef.
 

Jax15

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 2, 2018
Messages
293
Reaction score
371
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I run the AutoAqua Smart AWC, and I really like it a lot! I change about 2% per day. IMO it's one of the best things I've done for my reef.
It is a handy thing. And if you ever switch to a DOS or Ecotech, it works great as just an ATO. That's what I did when I started using the DOS, it's been a reliable ATO for years.
 

ID-Reefer

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 8, 2020
Messages
458
Reaction score
642
Location
Boise
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
I think tank/system size plays a role. I have a 250 gal system and am really glad I set it up for AWC. I use the Neptune DOS controlled by Apex. Very easy to adjust amounts. My tank is only 4 months old and to this point I do 3 gal. /day.

The DOS pump is loud as others have said fortunately I located it in my garage along with my RODI and mixing station so noise isn't an issue. It WOULD be if the pump was inside of my house. I think it adds a measure of stability over doing weekly or monthly water changes.
 

DrEggroll

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 22, 2020
Messages
123
Reaction score
50
Location
usa
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Thanks that’s what I’m just wondering, I do kalk in my ato currently and just wondering if the AWC helps balance it but I guess not from your view on it. I’m wondering if I can still use my ato with kalk and AWC and maybe keep things stable?
How do you mix your kalk for the ATO? I just add my amount stir for a minute and then dump into my tank. I hear not to overmix to not get CO2 to react. I also read not to use the bottom portions as it settles. I’m a noob and trying to learn
 

Bruce60

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 28, 2018
Messages
212
Reaction score
269
Location
Bloomsburg, PA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I am enjoying this discussion but would love to see more images of how you have made the AWC operational. In a previous home where I had a fish room behind the tanks with power, water and drainage, it would be easy. How do you do this when water and drainage are not proximately available?

The concept of water changes is partially based on the old adage, 'the solution to pollution is dilution.' By removing 10% or 20% of the water at one time and replacing it with newly made, you maximize this impact. When you spread that change out over time you 'dilute' (pun intended) the impact, right? Has this been discussed or measured in any way?

I know some of the salt mixes recommend that you 'use' the water within hours of mixing it. This method requires you to store salt water for weeks. Does this create any issues with the stored water? Do you need to keep the stored water moving? heated?

Thanks!!
 

CK00020

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 11, 2020
Messages
1,061
Reaction score
779
Location
Northern Wisconsin
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I guess the short answer would be, with certain salts they can be stored with minimal circulation and no heat for quite a while. One of tHe reasons I use tropic Marin pro reef, keeps mixing tank clean also.
 

MarshallB

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 29, 2019
Messages
438
Reaction score
595
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I am enjoying this discussion but would love to see more images of how you have made the AWC operational. In a previous home where I had a fish room behind the tanks with power, water and drainage, it would be easy. How do you do this when water and drainage are not proximately available?

The concept of water changes is partially based on the old adage, 'the solution to pollution is dilution.' By removing 10% or 20% of the water at one time and replacing it with newly made, you maximize this impact. When you spread that change out over time you 'dilute' (pun intended) the impact, right? Has this been discussed or measured in any way?

I know some of the salt mixes recommend that you 'use' the water within hours of mixing it. This method requires you to store salt water for weeks. Does this create any issues with the stored water? Do you need to keep the stored water moving? heated?

Thanks!!
1614913712148.png

I store my water in the garage. I run RO tubing up the wall, through the attic, down the wall next to the tank and into the sump. The drain line runs back up the wall, through the attic all the way to the other side of my house to the drain for my water heater. I use the apex dose pump and it has no problem with this.

I use regular old instant ocean. I don't heat it, but I do let it mix for 48 hours. Every 6 months ill blast out the container with a pressure washer.

I love my automatic water change system for the simple fact i've never had to haul water. I only change a small amount a day with hope of replacing trace elements and slowly diluting any pollutants in the tank. Takes about 10 minutes a month to fill the container, dump the salt in, turn on the mixing pump and done.
 
OP
OP
A

AlwaysHatingNathan

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 8, 2019
Messages
132
Reaction score
66
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
How do you mix your kalk for the ATO? I just add my amount stir for a minute and then dump into my tank. I hear not to overmix to not get CO2 to react. I also read not to use the bottom portions as it settles. I’m a noob and trying to learn
I premix it in bucket about two and half scoops for 5 gallons of water and stir then let it settle then pour into my ato reservoir. But not all water because kalk has a left over power that settles and will burn corals and destroy pumps. That’s pretty much it haha but I love it I don’t have dose anymore lol that What I’m trying to achieve with doing AWC
 
Back
Top