Water Change - how do you siphon out EXACTLY as much as you are putting back in?

[PicassoClown04]

That's not a bad idea to just save some old water to put back in. Thanks!

If you do this, start clipping a felt filter sock to the edge of your bucket and put the end of your hose through it. This way the ‘dirty’ water comes out detritus free! I use this trick for my tanks under 2 months old, so I can put mature water from my older tanks and make sure they’ve got good biodiversity in there. Also makes cycles much quicker, I can have a fully cycled QT in a week or less using water from my tank and rocks from the sump

 

[spfahnestock]

I mix X gallons of new water, and then mark my sump after turning off all the equipment with the water height. I remove X gallons from my sump and fill to the marked line. This ensures what i remove matches what i put back in.

 

[Memisis]

1. Turn off my ATO
2. Drain my sump
3. Refill my sump
4. Start up all equipment
5. Top off again with new saltwater while all equipment is running
6. Turn ATO back on
7. Walk away

My key, and not everyone can do it...my mixing station is 110gals of NSW and 110gals of RODI. I do weekly 30gal changes. I always have enough on hand haha

Turn off ATO, pumps, is the key here. Nice little process list here. Also I prefer to drain from main so I can vacuum at the same time.

 

[Billdogg]

The 2 bucket system works great for a small system. I change ~50g at a time. I've learned to guesstimate the amount taken out so that I don't run short when pumping up form my mixing barrel.

 

[Alaeriel]

I picked up a new brute can for under $30, I try to keep the volume of my tank on hand at any time. When I set up the 200 gallon, hoping to keep a backup of around 150 gallons so 30% water changes can be done from the sump and with water left over

 

[Hilltopreef]

Turn off all pumps. Drain given amount into 5 gallon buckets or drinking water jugs. (remember where you filled them to). I do 25 gallons for my 180 reef because that is what a 30 gallon brute will hold without filling to the rim. I fill my new salt water mixing “brute” with the same buckets so I know where to fill to. After you’ve drained the amount your gonna change mark the back corner of the aquarium with a paint marker or sharpie at the water line you drained to. So mine is marked at water line after 25 gallon drained. Next time you won’t have to capture the water just drain to the marked line. It’s not a bad idea to capture a little drained water in case you drain a little to much so I put a 5 gallon bucket at the end of the siphon hose in the tub or shower or outside if possible and siphon into it. It’ll run over what it can’t hold but will save the last 5 gallons drained just in case you need a little to put back.

 

[HaveFishWillTravel]

I always make sure my salinity in my tank is correct before water change I find it easier than trying to mix to calculate the difference. My thoughts are keep it as simple as possible 1.025 out 1.025 in

That’s right. Me too.

 

[HaveFishWillTravel]

Turn off all pumps. Drain given amount into 5 gallon buckets or drinking water jugs. (remember where you filled them to). I do 25 gallons for my 180 reef because that is what a 30 gallon brute will hold without filling to the rim. I fill my new salt water mixing “brute” with the same buckets so I know where to fill to. After you’ve drained the amount your gonna change mark the back corner of the aquarium with a paint marker or sharpie at the water line you drained to. So mine is marked at water line after 25 gallon drained. Next time you won’t have to capture the water just drain to the marked line. It’s not a bad idea to capture a little drained water in case you drain a little to much so I put a 5 gallon bucket at the end of the siphon hose in the tub or shower or outside if possible and siphon into it. It’ll run over what it can’t hold but will save the last 5 gallons drained just in case you need a little to put back.

it’s crazy, isn’t it?

 

[HaveFishWillTravel]

it’s crazy, isn’t it?

I am constantly filling, draining, rinsing and cleaning buckets And garbage cans of water. My neighbor sent me a text at 3 AM and asked what the heck I was doing spraying buckets out with water and so on at 3am! He was not happy! My guys in the tanks are more important than my neighbors...unfortunately for the neighbors. Oops...anyone else experience this?

 

[4tanks]

Eventually you get a feel for it. How much you need to put in your mixing barrel vs how much you are taking out. If you are draining directly to a drain perhaps consider saving 1-2 gallons in a 5 gallon bucket and you can always put it back in if you take too much.

Exactly what I do I keep about 5 gallon to the side incase I drain to much

 

[HaveFishWillTravel]

I am constantly filling, draining, rinsing and cleaning buckets And garbage cans of water. My neighbor sent me a text at 3 AM and asked what the heck I was doing spraying buckets out with water and so on at 3am! He was not happy! My guys in the tanks are more important than my neighbors...unfortunately for the neighbors. Oops...anyone else experience this?

I have been reading and researching Phytoplankton. The people that are super experienced reefers dose with Phytoplankton and have such great balance in their tanks that they don’t need large water changes. Wish I was there.

 

[HaveFishWillTravel]

Exactly what I do I keep about 5 gallon to the side incase I drain to much

You always have to have a little extra, I find...just in case.

 

[FishGeist]

I like the 30g white brute trash cans, you can find them at farm and feed stores. Way easier to read than the grey big box brutes. The bottom of the white brutes are almost flat compared to the grey which helps when pumping water out.

 

[Qasimja]

when i first did my water change in my tank i drained into 5g buckets then marked where the tank was supposed to be filled to that should give you a good idea of how much you are taking out and how much to put back

 

[ZipAdeeZoa]

I have a nano so 2 gallon weekly water changes are all I need to do, I fill the bucket to the same line in the plastic everytime. I have a second identical bucket that I fill to the same line when I drain the tank therefor I know I’m taking out an putting in the exact same amount. I always turn the ATO, pump, powerheads and heater off during water changes as well. As a fail safe I have the water line marked with sharpy on the back of the tank so I can double check. I can also vidually inspect the ATO sensors to make sure the water line is in between them if I’m really paranoid that day.

 

[WVNed]

I always did it the other way. I put back as much water as I took out. I have marked my running level. I take some out and then fill it back to the mark.

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

I use a sharpie to mark a line on the side of the container filled with old water drained from the tank, then I fill up new water to the line and pour it in.

 

[Snoopy 67]

Make a J hook from PVC with a strainer on the water end so fish stay in the tank.
Mark side of tank for desired change level & adjust strainer to break siphon there.
Now you drain the same amount every time. Make that amount in a garbage can, vat or barrel & pump it back.
Fin--

 

[HaveFishWillTravel]

I like the 30g white brute trash cans, you can find them at farm and feed stores. Way easier to read than the grey big box brutes. The bottom of the white brutes are almost flat compared to the grey which helps when pumping water out.

wish I would have known about the white ones...I had to come up with a plan because I had rotator cuff surgery on my right shoulder in June and had to figure out how to do water changes with one arm/hand and it was my non-dominant hand! The pumps saved me!

 

[Hilltopreef]

wish I would have known about the white ones...I had to come up with a plan because I had rotator cuff surgery on my right shoulder in June and had to figure out how to do water changes with one arm/hand and it was my non-dominant hand! The pumps saved me!

You have my sympathy. Had my right shoulder (and I’m right handed) done last October. Couldn’t do much of anything for a long time. Still not like before the tear but some better. Still some pain after almost a year. Tank had to fend for itself for a while. Luckily it was scheduled surgery so I did a water change before.