HOW IN THE WORLD DO I FILL A 29 GALLON TANK????

[greetl01]

*edit* (sorry for all caps in title. didn't realize it was on. thought it just formatted like that.) my tank is only 29 gallons. Am I really supposed to drag 29-35 gallons of water home??? what the heck...After it occurred to me I ordered an RODI thingy, and apparently it's like 4 gallons an hour if i'm lucky??? so 7 hours???? Even with a 5 gallon bucket that's 6 trips. The most containers i'm committed to carrying out a store is like 5...then I have to carry them upstairs. and then i'm thinking about water changes. at 25% it's still like 5 gallons of RODI every week lol! absolutely not. Am I missing something or do you all really do this???? some of you have 100 gallon tanks and i've decided today that will never be me. So I guess my question is, is there a water delivery service lol HELP!

*edit* it just occurred to me if I go with RODI filter, how am I supposed to mix 29 gallons of water overnight???????? I considered mixing in my tank. but aren't I supposed to put substrate in first? but am I NOT supposed to be mixing salt in a tank with sand? or is that just for cleanings rather than a first time fill?

 

[dmy535]

Here’s what I do, others have different set ups, but hope this helps.

i have a 55 gallon brute trash can in my laundry room next to the washer. This is where I have my RODI setup. Initially yes, it took a long time to fill that trash can up, but when it gets halfway, I just make sure I keep it full so turn on the RODI as needed (some day I will get a float valve set up so this is automatic).

Get a pump that sits inside the bottom of this trash can (I got a $20 sump pump style pump on Amazon with a rubber hose that I can put where needed).

anyways, fill your brute trash can up and then you have fresh water to mix when needed; then, you can turn the pump on to put the water where needed - pump it to your tank for first time fill up.
For water changes, I have a few clean empty 5 gallon buckets that I pump the water to, which is by my tank, mix the salt as needed and then do my dirty water bucket(s) while cleaning, then replace what I took out.

Some people get a second brute trash can that they can mix the salt into as well so they always have fresh salt water made, but then you need to keep a heater in it and pumps.

There are definitely more elaborate set ups, and you can buy more expensive food grade containers, but the brute trash can can be found at any hardware store and it’s easy and safe to use. Hope this helps

 

[threebuoys]

You might want to give more thought to what lies ahead for you in all aspects of the hobby. If water causes this much angst for you, it'l only go downhill from here.

 

[homer1475]

And this is why most long time reefers have mixing stations and AWC setups. No one wants to lug buckets.

 

[jesspal]

I pick a day during the week to make ro/di water and make sure i have a brute trash can full of saltwater at all times and at least one bucket of freshwater to replenish my ATO system. If you go with the brute trash can be sure to get the set of wheels for it, otherwise it's impossible to move when full.

 

[\m/reefsnmetal\m/]

I lugged buckets around to fill my 75g. With 5 gallon buckets its really not that much work. You can mix the salt in your tank for the initial setup if that makes it easier for you but this would be the only time you can mix salt in the tank.

 

[Reefer1978]

Welcome to the hobby. That's how it's done (Carry water in 5-gallon intervals either from store, basement, kitchen, etc) and we love it!!!

 

[MugenReef95]

yeh i have a 55 gallon and 25 gallon reef tanks, i use a brute trash can that has helped to make a good amount of saltwater and i use the 5 gallon buckets to store rodi water for top offs and what not lol good exercise

 

[greetl01]

You might want to give more thought to what lies ahead for you in all aspects of the hobby. If water causes this much angst for you, it'l only go downhill from here.

Here’s what I do, others have different set ups, but hope this helps.

i have a 55 gallon brute trash can in my laundry room next to the washer. This is where I have my RODI setup. Initially yes, it took a long time to fill that trash can up, but when it gets halfway, I just make sure I keep it full so turn on the RODI as needed (some day I will get a float valve set up so this is automatic).

Get a pump that sits inside the bottom of this trash can (I got a $20 sump pump style pump on Amazon with a rubber hose that I can put where needed).

anyways, fill your brute trash can up and then you have fresh water to mix when needed; then, you can turn the pump on to put the water where needed - pump it to your tank for first time fill up.
For water changes, I have a few clean empty 5 gallon buckets that I pump the water to, which is by my tank, mix the salt as needed and then do my dirty water bucket(s) while cleaning, then replace what I took out.

Some people get a second brute trash can that they can mix the salt into as well so they always have fresh salt water made, but then you need to keep a heater in it and pumps.

There are definitely more elaborate set ups, and you can buy more expensive food grade containers, but the brute trash can can be found at any hardware store and it’s easy and safe to use. Hope this helps

Thank you! I’ve been researching on YouTube for months but the first filling never occurred to me because the youtubers tank was usually filled beforehand or they had a 10 gallon. this sounds much more feasible. Appreciate it

 

[greetl01]

You might want to give more thought to what lies ahead for you in all aspects of the hobby. If water causes this much angst for you, it'l only go downhill from here.

I’ve been thinking about going saltwater for like 13 years. It’s happening.

 

[threebuoys]

Good luck! It's very enjoyable, you'll learn a lot, and you'll encounter unexpected issues that will make you put your "thinking cap" on.

 

[Protodad]

I have had multiple ~25 gallon tanks upstairs in apartments.
Yes to taking 5+ jugs to the lfs for RODI. Yes mixing 5 gallons of salt every week for water changes. Yes, having to haul it around.
I finally got a RODI system but yours much be pretty small. Mine is on the small end and makes 75g a day (really like 5g every 2 hours).
A large amount of this hobby revolves around managing water. This is just a part of it when you can’t dedicate space and money to a water system.
(I often see people in larger fish stores bring in carts full of 5 gallon jugs. People line up to fill 50+ gallons using 5g jugs. It’s not that strange).

 

[Thetankdoctor]

Not to sound bad here but if you are struggling how to fill up a 29g tank, maybe you should reconsider the choice of this hobby. I mean the "work" of water changes and top offs etc. Is the most basic thing in the hobby. Everyone at some point lugged buckets. I mean it's almost a rite of passage into reefing. And if you don't want to do it the first time. What about every water change or top off? If you are dreading the work of a first fill up, then maybe you have not researched enough on exactly what reefing entails. Again I welcome you to the hobby, but you must step back and be REALISTIC about how much "work" this hobby can be, and in the end really decide if you are willing to put that work in. If you are not then this may not be the hobby for you.

 

[Gtinnel]

If you are like most people in the hobby once you get started and see what livestock you are limited to because of the size of your tank you will possibly want to go bigger eventually. My current tank is a 125gallon and I regret not going larger.
Before setting up a mixing station and AWC I would roll a 32 gallon brute trash can from my utility room to my tank for water changes (I'm really glad they were on the same floor). I would siphon out of the tank 30 gallons into a different trash can and then pump the 30 gallons of new saltwater into the tank. Worrying about a 5 gallon water change seems comical to me.

When I first setup my system, which is about 150 gallons, I filled it up one 5 gallon bucket at a time...it took a while lol

 

[Acros]

The tank and rodi setup on different floors does not help. I have a 29g and my rodi makes only 2 gallons/hour. It took me an entire day to fill up the tank initially. I got 10 gallons from the LFS to give me a head start (5g mixing bucket and 5g auto top off reservoir) and made the rest myself.

Usually hobbits perform a 10% water changes per week (I did 4g accounting for my 10g sump). Now that the tank is 4 months old, I am scaling back on water changes and have not seen a nitrate spike yet. I have a bare bottom tank and change filter socks twice a week (might do 3 times a week going forward).

 

[redeyejedi]

*edit* (sorry for all caps in title. didn't realize it was on. thought it just formatted like that.) my tank is only 29 gallons. Am I really supposed to drag 29-35 gallons of water home??? what the heck...After it occurred to me I ordered an RODI thingy, and apparently it's like 4 gallons an hour if i'm lucky??? so 7 hours???? Even with a 5 gallon bucket that's 6 trips. The most containers i'm committed to carrying out a store is like 5...then I have to carry them upstairs. and then i'm thinking about water changes. at 25% it's still like 5 gallons of RODI every week lol! absolutely not. Am I missing something or do you all really do this???? some of you have 100 gallon tanks and i've decided today that will never be me. So I guess my question is, is there a water delivery service lol HELP!

*edit* it just occurred to me if I go with RODI filter, how am I supposed to mix 29 gallons of water overnight???????? I considered mixing in my tank. but aren't I supposed to put substrate in first? but am I NOT supposed to be mixing salt in a tank with sand? or is that just for cleanings rather than a first time fill?

Saves going to the gym.

 

[greetl01]

I lugged buckets around to fill my 75g. With 5 gallon buckets its really not that much work. You can mix the salt in your tank for the initial setup if that makes it easier for you but this would be the only time you can mix salt in the tank.

Not to sound bad here but if you are struggling how to fill up a 29g tank, maybe you should reconsider the choice of this hobby. I mean the "work" of water changes and top offs etc. Is the most basic thing in the hobby. Everyone at some point lugged buckets. I mean it's almost a rite of passage into reefing. And if you don't want to do it the first time. What about every water change or top off? If you are dreading the work of a first fill up, then maybe you have not researched enough on exactly what reefing entails. Again I welcome you to the hobby, but you must step back and be REALISTIC about how much "work" this hobby can be, and in the end really decide if you are willing to put that work in. If you are not then this may not be the hobby for you.

It’s not the work I’m worried about. It’s my back! I’m not a man or a spring chicken. @dmy535 Shared his method and that works fine for me. Nothing else should be a problem

The tank and rodi setup on different floors does not help. I have a 29g and my rodi makes only 2 gallons/hour. It took me an entire day to fill up the tank initially. I got 10 gallons from the LFS to give me a head start (5g mixing bucket and 5g auto top off reservoir) and made the rest myself.

Usually hobbits perform a 10% water changes per week (I did 4g accounting for my 10g sump). Now that the tank is 4 months old, I am scaling back on water changes and have not seen a nitrate spike yet. I have a bare bottom tank and change filter socks twice a week (might do 3 times a week going forward).

yeah I’ll probably make my nephews lug the 30 gals from the lfs Im sure that will make them very happy. I bought a portable RODI to hook to my bathroom sink. so if you get 2.5 and hour I might only get 1.....better than more buckets from the lfs tho.....I’m ok with that

If you are like most people in the hobby once you get started and see what livestock you are limited to because of the size of your tank you will possibly want to go bigger eventually. My current tank is a 125gallon and I regret not going larger.
Before setting up a mixing station and AWC I would roll a 32 gallon brute trash can from my utility room to my tank for water changes (I'm really glad they were on the same floor). I would siphon out of the tank 30 gallons into a different trash can and then pump the 30 gallons of new saltwater into the tank. Worrying about a 5 gallon water change seems comical to me.

When I first setup my system, which is about 150 gallons, I filled it up one 5 gallon bucket at a time...it took a while lol

yike! 30 buckets??? You’re a beast

 

[greetl01]

Sorry for quoting everything. Only 2nd post on the site. Need to figure out how it works. Thanks everyone for the advice ( and concern ) I’m not panicked anymore. Appreciate it

 

[Gtinnel]

It’s not the work I’m worried about. It’s my back!

Ok now I know why you mention carrying buckets. If you can put the rodi filter on the same floor as the tank you can get a cheap pump with a hose to transfer the water from the buckets to the tank.

 

[John08007]

I have a pump plumbed to my salt/fresh water containers on my garage. I use one of the expanding hoses when I need either in my tank. It's probably about 40-50' between the two.

For your 1st fill you can buy a longer 1/4" tube to attach to your rodi and fill your tank directly. Just be careful to secure it and keep an eye on it. You don't want to have it fall out while you aren't there.