Water changes through sump

[westturnreefer]

Hey everybody,

This is my first post I'm starting a new build 300g peninsula 84L 24H 30W, I'll post some details about that later, I have an idea I'm toying with and need some feedback. I have built a 48L 12H 24W sump (u shape design) 3 1.5" returns flows into 2 filter socks, into 2 filter socks, into skimmer, into media/bio blocks/reactors, into refugium, into return. I'm thinking to wye off one of the return pumps and then a ball valve to hook up a hose for water changes. I will drill small 1/2" or 3/4" hole in each one of the baffles. This way when I want to perform a water change I shut off return pumps, skimmer, heaters and allow the display to drain into the sump until it is almost full (roughly 50 gallons) then open the valve to the wye, close the valve to the manifold and pump the water to a 55g barrel in fish room for use in qt tank water changes. Drilling the holes in the baffles will allow the water to equalize slowly between the baffles during water removal. Let me know your thoughts

 

[outhouse]

I have a rubbermaid 100g tub, I plumbed in a drain line with a gate valve. I also have another 100g tub for water changes plumbed into the return line.

So, it literally only takes me 10 minutes to do a 100g water change, 5 min to drain, and 5 to fill. Just 2 gate valves and a pump to turn on.

Making water changes simple is always a good practice

 

[Greg P]

In the past I thought about messing with the baffle levels in my remote sump but gave up on it.
Same as you are thinking about how to transfer/scavenge water between chambers.

I have a 115g system on a 75g tank with a 60g remote sump.
I've been able to do a 25% WC without removing water from other chambers so just go with it.
I do need to pump water from my skimmer chamber to my return chamber as that's where I take my WC water from, but a small pump (MJ1200) takes care of this for me.
It's made life simpler than trying to over-think how to get all the water out.

 

[Poochaku]

If you drill holes in your baffles to equalize water during water changes, you won't be able to keep a separate constant skimmer chamber unless you have an ATO that is really accurate. you will be running the whole sump at the same water level.

This is fine and doable, just something to be aware of.

 

[westturnreefer]

In the past I thought about messing with the baffle levels in my remote sump but gave up on it.
Same as you are thinking about how to transfer/scavenge water between chambers.

I have a 115g system on a 75g tank with a 60g remote sump.
I've been able to do a 25% WC without removing water from other chambers so just go with it.
I do need to pump water from my skimmer chamber to my return chamber as that's where I take my WC water from, but a small pump (MJ1200) takes care of this for me.
It's made life simpler than trying to over-think how to get all the water out.

Hmm, ok that's an idea to think about, I would like to minimize the amount of electrical/outlets being used and tasks as well, if I can come up with a way to keep it very simple I'd like to stay the path, in theory I believe it will work just wanted enough people to chime in and give pros and cons

 

[westturnreefer]

If you drill holes in your baffles to equalize water during water changes, you won't be able to keep a separate constant skimmer chamber unless you have an ATO that is really accurate. you will be running the whole sump at the same water level.

This is fine and doable, just something to be aware of.

The amount of water traveling through the sump should keep the levels up, I'm talking about a single small hole just to equalize the water as I'm pumping it out, it may be slower to drain down but it shouldt affect the levels in the separate chambers between baffles except when the return pumps are turned off, which then an apex will turn the skimmer off anyways all in theory, I can always silicone the hole after testing if it doesn't work anyways

 

[Greg P]

Just to clarify ...
I was thinking about having some kind of plugable bulkheads. Some way to remove the plugs during a WC. Such as an upwards facing elbow with a removable pipe. An elbow facing up with a slip fitting and a length of pipe above the water level would do it.
Twist the pipe out of the elbow and now you have flow between the baffles. Just seemed like too much work to me.

In the end, I opted to pump water to the chamber which is removing the WC water

 

[westturnreefer]

Ah, I see, that makes more sense. I like the idea of plugs in the baffles but yes on the other hand more work, I think everybody will agree less work more better , thanks for the thought process!