water changes techniques

[mike90]

i havent done any water changes since my tank has only been up for a month but i was wondering how everyone else goes about doing their water changes. do you guys use a siphon or do you let your pump pump the water out of the tank. also what is the best method of getting the new water into the tank? a pump?
i know these sound like stupid common sense questions but i wanted to know if anyone found easy and the most non-effort like way.

 

[Anonymous]

I siphon out of the tank to remove the crap that builds up on the sand, then I pump out the sump. I then us a ph to pump new water back into the sump.

Some people use a pitcher to remove water from the tank and to also put it back in. A saucer or plate can be used to diffuse the water so that it doesn't turn over any rocks or coral.

It's more of what works for each individual. 8)

 

[Anonymous]

I agree with the siphon. I use a turkey baster or a powerhead to blast the LR first. Then I siphon out the piles of detritus. I refill the tank with a pump in the mixing container when finished.
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[mike90]

i like the idea of pouring the new water back into the sump. then i can just use the pump that is in my sump to pump the wtaer back to the tank. that is ok to do right even though you would be pouring into the return section of the sump which already has the filtered water right?

 

[Anonymous]

i like the idea of pouring the new water back into the sump. then i can just use the pump that is in my sump to pump the wtaer back to the tank. that is ok to do right even though you would be pouring into the return section of the sump which already has the filtered water right?

I change water using the sump in my 120, its the easiest way. In the smaller tanks I usually use the siphon hose.

 

[Anonymous]

I syhon water out then pump new water back to the tank. Even tho I have a sump the return compartment is small and I would risk burning the pump up.

 

[RacinRabit]

The method all depends on the size of your tank. For my 300 and 55 gallon tanks, I use a combination gravel washer/siphon system that connects to a faucett in my basement (by Python) to clean the tank bed and remove the desired volume of water. Water and detritus are sent directly to the sink rather than to a bucket which I would have to haul outside to dump. The new salt water mixture (made up ahead of time in large garbage cans used only for saltwater mixtures) is then transferred into the tank using a mag pump - fast, little aggitation of the water column during transfer into the tank and very quite. This system has made a big job much easier to handle.

 

[mike90]

do you guys buy fresh RO water and make your own saltwater when doing water changes or do a lot of you just buy the saltwater from the LFS?

 

[Anonymous]

I have my own RO unit. Amazing how the prices have come down in the past 5 years.

 

[Anonymous]

I never do waterchanges. Just top offs and my fish are doing fine however my tanks are fish only with liverock.

 

[Anonymous]

do you guys buy fresh RO water and make your own saltwater when doing water changes or do a lot of you just buy the saltwater from the LFS?

When I only had a 20 gallon tank I bought the mixed saltwater from the store.

But now I have about 250 gallons, so I need to go the homemade route! I have a RO unit so I don't buy that either.

 

[RacinRabit]

I have FWLRO tanks and make up my own salt water using our well water and Instant Ocean salt. We live in the country miles from any development and our water quality is pretty good and is not treated as virtually any water coming from a public water distribution system is. I do check it prior to mixing up batches of water just to be sure (I am a ground-water contamination specialist by profession). If I had a reef tank - well, I'd take the plunge and use an RO system, but I travel too much for a reef tank. With the size of my tanks, purchasing salt water from the LFS is not practical.