WvAquatics
Valuable Member
That's a great idea for deep cleaning sand bed but not totally a water change. To remove and replenish minerals to water you would still have to remove water and add new water.
Water Change: What's the average time it takes you? Tips and tricks...
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That's a great idea for deep cleaning sand bed but not totally a water change. To remove and replenish minerals to water you would still have to remove water and add new water.
DSEKULA
Well-Known Member
Aquarium Water Change (revhtree's definition) - Making your aquarium water better by removing some nasty stuff from your water and replenishing it with some good stuff. Your corals and fish will really like it.
Now that we know it helps by removing bad stuff and adding good stuff let's talk about how long it takes you and any tips and tricks you might have!
1. What is the average time it takes you to complete a water change in your reef aquarium? (exclude the salt mixing time)
2. How many gallons of water do you change normally and how many gallons is your total aquarium volume?
3. What are some tips and tricks you have learned over the years to make changing out your water easier and faster?
From @saltyhog: "My home made method for attaching the clear tubing that sends new salt water to the tank."
Other,
Ato water change. My rodi fills a brute I keep a months worth of water on hand. there is a manual valve on the brute but also a float so I don't have to sit and watch it I toss I toss in Salt and come back later to check that it mixed to the correct sg and close the valve.
BighohoReef
A reefer in need is a friend indeed!
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True it isn't really water change, though normally we do vacuum as part of the water change. Figured that was a good way to remove detritus as we remove water from the sump for the change. Suppose I should have added that in
WvAquatics
Valuable Member
But in theory it would be a great way to clean and polish water. Wonder if you could de charge the sediment filter for a further removal of things.
Sleepydoc
Valuable Member
It depends on what/how much I do.
If I just do a quick 15 gallon water change on my 120 + 40b sump I can do it in 20 minutes. I have a couple valves on the return pump so use the return pump to fill up three 5 gallon buckets and then use a maxi jet to pump water back into the sump.
If I want to clean the sand bed, siphon detritus, etc it takes a bit longer.
The biggest key is to have most of what you use/need already set up so there's no setup time. For something like water changes that you do frequently it behoves you to make it as easy as possible.
For removing water, using the return pump is the most efficient setup. If you can have a hose straight to the drain, great. otherwise a hose to fill your buckets will make it easier. The same applies to adding water back. I have a maxi jet pump permanently plugged in on a switch and ready and use it to add both DI water to my ATO as well as for water changes.
If I just do a quick 15 gallon water change on my 120 + 40b sump I can do it in 20 minutes. I have a couple valves on the return pump so use the return pump to fill up three 5 gallon buckets and then use a maxi jet to pump water back into the sump.
If I want to clean the sand bed, siphon detritus, etc it takes a bit longer.
The biggest key is to have most of what you use/need already set up so there's no setup time. For something like water changes that you do frequently it behoves you to make it as easy as possible.
For removing water, using the return pump is the most efficient setup. If you can have a hose straight to the drain, great. otherwise a hose to fill your buckets will make it easier. The same applies to adding water back. I have a maxi jet pump permanently plugged in on a switch and ready and use it to add both DI water to my ATO as well as for water changes.
I had to put other. Mainly because it depends on what I am doing with the water change and which system.
My 6g I can move to a whole other tank and fully clean in 10 minutes. However, going through the sand to track down all the snails and such can take me 15-20min. If I just change water, couple minutes to drain and fill via a pump.
My 40g/20g does not take long either unless I decide, there is too much algae or need to scrape this or move that or whatever else distracts me. It can take me up to 2hrs when I decide to remove everything, do 100% water change and scrub tank. That is not often though. Lately it takes 20 minutes.
Now my 210g. Well, depends on if I am doing a sump clean or a sand clean or an algae clean. Can take me anywhere from 30 minutes or less to 2 hours or more.
I take my water change time as a way to spend time with myself and go into a zone. Alone at last. I like the manual work of it actually. That is why I have never gone for AWC.
My 6g I can move to a whole other tank and fully clean in 10 minutes. However, going through the sand to track down all the snails and such can take me 15-20min. If I just change water, couple minutes to drain and fill via a pump.
My 40g/20g does not take long either unless I decide, there is too much algae or need to scrape this or move that or whatever else distracts me. It can take me up to 2hrs when I decide to remove everything, do 100% water change and scrub tank. That is not often though. Lately it takes 20 minutes.
Now my 210g. Well, depends on if I am doing a sump clean or a sand clean or an algae clean. Can take me anywhere from 30 minutes or less to 2 hours or more.
I take my water change time as a way to spend time with myself and go into a zone. Alone at last. I like the manual work of it actually. That is why I have never gone for AWC.
sfin52
So many pedestrians so little time
Two tanks
90 gallon tank 10g a week 20 min at the most
55 fowlr 5g week this one takes me about 35 ha to deal with.
90 gallon tank 10g a week 20 min at the most
55 fowlr 5g week this one takes me about 35 ha to deal with.
jd371
Valuable Member
I have two tanks , the main is a 75g and the other 20g is in my workshop. I do biweekly wc's on both. The day before I mix in a 20g Brute for both tanks. I drain about 4g into a bucket for the workshop tank and the wc is done in about 30 min. to siphon and pump water back into the tank using buckets.
On the main 75g I use the Python to drain about 15g into a slop sink in the laundry room and pump from the laundry room what remains in the Brute back into the main tank in the other room, about 30 min. for this tank as well.
On the main 75g I use the Python to drain about 15g into a slop sink in the laundry room and pump from the laundry room what remains in the Brute back into the main tank in the other room, about 30 min. for this tank as well.
chaoticreefer
Active Member
I disagree, "water change" to me is when you start putting things into danger, that starts when you start shutting things (return pumps, powerheads, etc) down in your tank or start putting risk into system (such as activation of automatic wc system). There's no risk in making RODI, mixing salt, raising temperature, etc. That part is called "prepping for a wc", in my opinion.
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AWC nightly of 3.5 gallons and that makes it rare for me to have to does calcium and mag. Alk daily however. SPS heavy tank with nice coral growth. It’s a WaterBox 230.6 so about 180 gallons of total system water volume. So that is about l14% per week. I do then clean the sand every couple of months which takes about an hour all tolled but not much water being changed there.
I do some sand vacuum but not too often. It sure I have to as much as I just do it. I don’t have a deep sand bed at all
1. What is the average time it takes you to complete a water change in your reef aquarium? (exclude the salt mixing time)
Every Sunday add salt to 50 gallon barrel, let APEX and DOS do the rest
2. How many gallons of water do you change normally and how many gallons is your total aquarium volume?
7 Gallons a day, 700 gallons
3. What are some tips and tricks you have learned over the years to make changing out your water easier and faster?
Invest in an APEX an DOS best money I ever spent
Every Sunday add salt to 50 gallon barrel, let APEX and DOS do the rest
2. How many gallons of water do you change normally and how many gallons is your total aquarium volume?
7 Gallons a day, 700 gallons
3. What are some tips and tricks you have learned over the years to make changing out your water easier and faster?
Invest in an APEX an DOS best money I ever spent
A WC for me is not just remove water and then add water. I clean the bottom of tank when I remove water as well. 75g bare bottom.
TriggerFinger
2500 Club Member
;Hilarious ;Hilarious ;Hilarious ;Hilarious
Exactly this...but throw two kids in the mix. One asking 25 questions per minute and the other one crying because he’s not being held. And also add in that I left the rodi on two days ago and the sump pump in my basement has been keeping my basement from flooding.
90G total water volume, 10G weekly water change takes me like 10 minutes.
When I built my sump I made the first chamber 10 gallons. I have a pump in that chamber and just hook up a hose(using banjo fittings) to run from my tank to the kitchen sink. Press a button on the apex that turns the pump on, suck out 10G's. Then I just grab another hose that's connected to my mixing station, and pump 10G's back in.
Of course once a month I do maintenance too(clean pumps, siphon the sandbed, etc), this usually takes me about an hour on top of the weekly WC.
When I built my sump I made the first chamber 10 gallons. I have a pump in that chamber and just hook up a hose(using banjo fittings) to run from my tank to the kitchen sink. Press a button on the apex that turns the pump on, suck out 10G's. Then I just grab another hose that's connected to my mixing station, and pump 10G's back in.
Of course once a month I do maintenance too(clean pumps, siphon the sandbed, etc), this usually takes me about an hour on top of the weekly WC.
It takes about 5 minutes to actually change the water. I have 2 brute cans with wheels that both have overflows that flow into my sump and 1/4 inch RO line siphon from the DT into the brute can.
Takes about 10 minutes to empty the old brute can, wipe it, and fill it with new water. Just add salt and a circulation pump.
Takes about 10 minutes to empty the old brute can, wipe it, and fill it with new water. Just add salt and a circulation pump.
Cstar_BC
Well-Known Member
240 gallon gets 15%
60 gallon gets 25%
1 bucket manually with gravel vac and clean the sand bed
the rest - sump pump attached to garden hose down laundry sink or onto gravel outside to kill weeds
water from brute can to tank using sump pump as well.
60 gallon gets 25%
1 bucket manually with gravel vac and clean the sand bed
the rest - sump pump attached to garden hose down laundry sink or onto gravel outside to kill weeds
water from brute can to tank using sump pump as well.
Boomer52
Community Member
I checked 2 hours or less. It actually takes about an hour and 15 minutes. 80 gallon tank and oversized sump. Actual water volume is 80 gallons. Sump makes up for water displaced by rocks in DT. I change 10 gallons once a month. The only reason it takes this long is I have to go to my LFS to buy the new water. I don't mix my own. The LFS I go to is meticulous about mixing their water. They have a large RODI system and say they mix it to 1.024. Every time I check a new batch it is right on. Of course, some of the time is spent looking around the store while they are filling the containers.
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