Poll: Water Changes - Automatic or Manual?

[Mrs. Herbert]

I do my own water changes even with a messed up right shoulder. It gives me a reason to look at my tank without guilt and I like physical activity.

 

[jtl]

For me doing 10g per week water changes is easy, plus I use the time to clean up other issues. Would never consider AWC.

 

[Crabs McJones]

I do manual water changes. I enjoy spending quality time with my tank :)

 

[clsanchez77]

I have mine automated, about 1 gallon a day, which is about 0.9% on my 110 gallon system. I have 10 gallons prepared weekly that goes into a re-purposed ATO and I use two BRS 50ml/min dosers. The change is performed via Apex at 160 ml doses per hour. This does not take the place of cleaning the tank or vacuuming the sand bed. But I have a busy life with work, kids, cub scouts, sports, etc. If I go a few weeks without cleaning the sand bed or blasting the rock, I at least know this task is being performed.

I am currently doing an equipment upgrade on the tank and when done, I will have 65 gallon of stored water I can batch monthly, instead of weekly. I will then go to 1.5 gallons a day instead of 1 gallon per day. I also plan to add a fill pump, switch activated, so that when I am manually cleaning the tank (rocks, sandbed, etc), I can fill the tank direct from the 65g tank using a PMUP and eliminates having to carry buckets in the house. Now I just have to figure out how to eliminate the sandbed vacuum bucket lol.

 

[ReefGeezer]

If I could figure a way to make a water change system bulletproof, I'd start AWC. I have a Litremeter III, 2 remote pumps, and a 44 gallon Brute plumbed for a future AWC installation. I just can't convince myself that the system would coexist with my ATO and be stable for very long periods of time.

My ATO is gravity fed and controlled by a solenoid and some level switches. I also use one channel of the Litremeter to pump water from my ATO holding vessel through a DIY kalk reactor. It's kinda a dual purpose system: evaporation make-up & alkalinity control. This allows me to account for changing evaporation rates while still maintaining a stable alk input... cheaply. It has been pretty bulletproof for a long time.

I'm afraid the AWC system will impact the stability of my system and haven't found a good way to make it a bulletproof as the ATO.

 

[clsanchez77]

I'm afraid the AWC system will impact the stability of my system and haven't found a good way to make it a bulletproof as the ATO.

The stability in an AWC comes from small incremental changes, not large daily changes. If you are only doing 100-200 ml at a time, and you are wasting and filling at the same time (different parts of the sump), then you should never alter any of the float switches.

 

[MnFish1]

1. I dont have the space for it - and without major renovation couldn't do it aesthetically.
2. I dont completely trust the systems to do it.
3. I would like to do it lol:).

For the same reasons I havent set up my TUNZE ATO bought 3 years ago

 

[jsker]

I was doing a daily auto water change and switch back to a weekly after being advised by the manufacture of the salt that I use, it is best to mix and use fresh mixed salt water. I now change out 8 gallons once a week over a 9 hour period and my system is now improving.

I like the auto water change with my schedule.

 

[Fishguywc]

I just set up the autoaqua ato/awc and have been using it just a few days, I’m automatically chaining a couple gallons a day for a total of 10% volume a week. It was super easy to set up and so far works like a charm. I do have a waste sink near my tank and my SW mixing is close so that makes it easy for the system.

 

[reyesozaeta]

I haven’t done any water change for 16 months now. I just add saltwater equivalent to what my skimmer removes which is about 1 1/2 to 2 gallons every 36 hours or so. I have an ATO which replaces the evaporated water. The tank is stable and corals full and crowded and fish are fat and happy. It’s a mixed reef with SPS, LPS, Non Phosynthetic corals, clams and anemones.

 

[Clownman727]

I have a semi-automatic water change. I have to turn a few ball valves and a 25 gallon water change takes 10 minutes.

 

[WWIII]

I use the GHL maxi doser to do awc on both of my systems. I don't use float valves or anything (although maybe I should). I just set them up with one pulling out x amount and then the other putting back in x amount. I use my conductivity probe and double check with hanna/Milwaukee/refractometer occasionally. It works great and I would never set up a tank without one now that I've been doing it almost a year. I change 10% weekly. 150x per day both heads run.

 

[Rcpilot]

I chose "other" because mine is a "hybrid". I have a drain plumbed so I can drain up to 85% of my tank by opening a valve.

I have two lines running from my water station to my tank, one for SW and one for RO/DI.

So, while I never move water via a bucket, i do manually control the process.

This is what I'm working on. I had it set up once before. Totally manual operation of valves and pumps, but it sure beat handling buckets.

My long term project would be a DIY AWC or at the very least a manual push button that would run through a sequence from start to finish. I'd still be there to monitor. I've had 3 back surgeries. Lifting buckets of water is bad.

 

[John Dean]

Have the AutoAqua AWC that I use for both AWC and ATO on my new tank. Never do manual water changes, I do have to refill and empty water containers that I have sitting next to the tank. Need to get a cabinet to hide them.

I think I do about a 3% change daily.

 

[clarity1981]

I’m actually going to try setting up an AWC system this weekend! I have two Neptune DOS pumps that I’ve been using with Triton, but I’ve decided to switch to AWC with one of the pumps, and two part dosing with the other one (as needed). I have a diamond goby and two halichoeres wrasses that keep the sand stirred up. The tank keeps my attention with daily testing and feeding, along with regular sump cleanings. Going to see how it goes for a bit.

 

[saltyhog]

I can't set up an AWC due to the location of my tank. I do have a mixing station and have it plumbed from the "fish room" in to the sink in the man cave (basement). I can hook up flexible tubing to refill the tank & also fill the ATO with RO/DI. 25-30 gallon water change takes about 10 minutes with no buckets.

 

[WallyB]

Working on my DIY Water Changer. Ardiuo DIY controller integrated with Apex.

This BELOW is what got me motivated. (An interesting Co-incidence. I just messed up my Shoulder this weekend lifting a few buckets too high, and not stretching).

A high Volume Peristalic Pump (Kamoer) 400-500 ml/minute.
Perfect for a once a day 1 Gallon Water change.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Kam...138.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.33a74c4drZBofe

I got them on sale at $29.97 a piece. They go on sale every so often.

Here is a test run.



It's not that loud. Camera microphone is super sensitive. The water you hear running is like 20 feet away.

And if you ever want to see the effects of DAILY or FREQUENT water changes, vs like ONCE a month CHECK OUT THIS CACULATOR.

https://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/EffectiveWaterChange.php

I was surprised on the little difference there is between Daily and Monthly Water changes.

And if you want a more in depth look at the Pros/Cons of Frequent Water changes.
Nothing better than an analysis by Dr. Randy Holmes-Farley

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/rhf/index.php

 

[cracker]

I was doing a daily auto water change and switch back to a weekly after being advised by the manufacture of the salt that I use, it is best to mix and use fresh mixed salt water. I now change out 8 gallons once a week over a 9 hour period and my system is now improving.
I like the auto water change with my schedule.

I don't understand this. If You change 8 gallons over a 9 hour period. (just an example) Don't You end up removing an amount of the new water also? I'm missing something & curious about this for quit sometime.

Now back to the original query. To reach the 75 from my filter station would require running lines thru the attic ,proper pump etc . Just easier to roll a barrel with 20/ 25 gls thru the house . It does give me an idea though.It would require another rodi filter but could be done.No more rolling barres thru the house.

 

[Tastee]

I don't understand this. If You change 8 gallons over a 9 hour period. (just an example) Don't You end up removing an amount of the new water also? I'm missing something & curious about this for quit sometime.

Yes you do end up ‘wasting’ some of the NSW but it is a quite small percentage unless you are trying to change out a large portion of your tank.

I currently run manual WCs on my 65g tank (15% monthly) but keep the gravity fed ATO full with an ATK from my remote RODI. I am planning to setup a second larger tank in the next 6 months or so and when I do I plan to move to AWC using DOS heads for each tank. I just need to build out my remote RODI with a SW mixing tank and will automate the filling of that with the Apex, manually triggered.

I may even buy a third DOS for an AWC of RODI or tap water for my FW tank. I actually spend more time on WCs for my small FW tank than I do for my reef tank as it is the only way I can remove Nitrates. In the reef tank I am reaching a point where I may need to add NO3 and possibly PO4.

 

[Reef Dork]

I've recently bought a Reefloat AWC. It has the advantage of being compact - there's only one container rather than an in and out container.

It makes life much easier - I got fed up of having a living room filled with containers every Saturday morning.

It does the change over the course of two hours so you switch it on and put your feet up! Like this...!

(ten points for guessing the film in the background!)