how do you do your water changes?

[Nemo2007]

I have a 72 gallon tank. I siphon out 10 gallons (used to be 15) every week and replace it with premixed salt water from the pet store. They sell if for 79 or 89 cent per gallon. I'm running my tank bare so I take the opportunity to suck out all the debris I can duiring water changes.

 

[das75]

I do about 10% every 2-3 weeks.

To prep the water I have a Rubbermaid can in the basement which I'll fill up with 20g of ro/di, place in a couple of PHs, heater then let sit for a day. I'll then add the salt, supplement for Mg and Ca and then let mix for another day.

For the water change itself, I turn off the return pump and siphon out 15g from the BB display into a large tub with volume markings that sits on a wheeled dolly (I'll wheel to the main floor bathtub to dump). I'll then siphon out 5g the basement sump and fuge both which sits on stands above a laundry sink (again marked so I know how much I'm taking out).

Finally, I'll pump up into the sump from the Rubbermaid that sits under the sump stand, the 20g of prepped SW and turn the return pump back on.

 

[Nemo2007]

Some of the LFS's in my area say corals should not be exposed the air at all and when acclimate them, you should keep them submerged. This seems idiotic to me. The question is, during the water changes mentioned above, are corals exposed to air and has there been any deleterious affects.

 

[Nemo2007]

Some of the LFS's in my area say corals should not be exposed the air at all and when acclimate them, you should keep them submerged. This seems idiotic to me. The question is, during the water changes mentioned above, are corals exposed to air and has there been any deleterious affects?

 

[Nemo2007]

Sorry about the double posting. My intention is just to get an answer to what IMO is a related question and not to alter the true focus of this stream.

 

[Ben1]

Depends on the coral. If you are talking a fleshy LPS that is suddenly exposed the skeleton could cause tears in the tissue if it doesnt have time to retract. Mostly though its not a problem to expose corals for a short time.

 

[Nemo2007]

Thanks. That sounds reasonable. Following that advice, as long as only SPS is at the top and LPS below the water line during the water change, I will be fine as long as the water chage is done relatively quickly.

 

[Gaffes]

My routine is similar, I change 10 gallons of water in my 80g every week.

I have a big rubbermaid with aerated RO/DI water, but i wait to mix the salt until right before my water change. Does it really matter that I don't premix?

 

[Rlumenator]

I always hear you should wait 24 hrs- and I do wait - but why I don't know, as Oceanic dissolves instantly. I used to have a service come in, and they mixed on the spot.

 

[Anonymous]

I always hear you should wait 24 hrs- and I do wait - but why I don't know, as Oceanic dissolves instantly. I used to have a service come in, and they mixed on the spot.

I think they assume you are airating the water. If you airate new salt water it will mix better, raise the pH and O2 levels. I usually have to wait 24 hours just because I do not have time, but I do not airate either. I have used the water right after mixing and have never had a problem(using IO salt in my case).

 

[Brian5000]

To be honest, I don't think I've ever waited 24 hours on purpose. Most of the time, I end up using the water about 1 hour after mixing.

My guess is that the amount in a regular water changes isn't enough to really mess up pH n' such for the buffered, live system. If one where to do a large change, maybe then waiting would be more important.
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[SnowManSnow]

I have 65g display with 15g sump.

I try to keep up with a 5 g water change every weekend. I will also, on occasion, vaccume the sand bed with a syphon once every few months to pull out excessive detrius.

I dont have any corals SUPER close to the surface so on my 5g water changes I can just start a syphon hose over the side of the display and into the bucket.

After it fills up I just pour the new water in. The only catch is you have to make sure u turn off ur sump so the water level doesnt drop below a pump in there.

B

 

[ReefDiversity]

I have a fairly large system (about 575g) and I feel it's best to do a 5 gallon water change per day. I do this so I'm not stressing the corals and fish. My parameters for the most part are the same in my water change barrel but that's only what I can test and I'm sure not all my parameters are right on.

I plumbed a waste water line for changing water and for emergency overflow. So all I need to do is open a valve for a couple of minutes and open another to put the new salt water into the system. Within 5 minutes I'm completely finished.

I did this because with my old tanks I hated changing the water manually - lunging buckets got old. I did it every week of 10% but hated every minute.

 

[liquid]

Typically I shoot for a 25% waterchange monthly. That being said, I'm sorely due for one!

Shane

 

[youareafever]

im planning on putting an automatic water changer system in my tank.
i want some advise before jumping into this. i plan on using a perilastic pump (cole-parmer) to pump out 1% of water from my system and replace it with fresh saltwater at the same time. im gonna use a 60 gallon container that has a panworld plumbed in to keep the water circulating in the container at all times.

do you guys think there would any problems with this system?