How do you do water changes?

Posted By Waverz on 12/22/2007 10:41 AM
My water changes are pretty simple.  Being i have no floor drain in my basement i drain water from my display tank.  To do this i just use a chunk of garden hose.  I figured out that the garden hose drains about 5 gallons a minute, so what i do is set the timer on my microwave for 5 minutes and drain using a syphon until the timer goes off.  From there i go down stairs and add my make-up water that i have pre-heated and pre-mixed the night before in this.

Usually a night or 2 before i do a water change i had 13 cups of salt and a small dose of Mg to this container and flip a switch that turns on the heater and mag pump inside the container.  After i do the 5 minute drain from the main tank i just turn the valve on the container and my tank fills back up to the proper level.  I don't even have to get my hands wet.  Another cool thing about this container is that it has a float valve in it so it fills itself back up after i empty it.  Not to worry the float valve is on a solenoid that is only on from 5-9 daily, so if it does stick open and floods at least it will be when i am home and will only flood for 4 hours.  /site/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/_default/emoticons/wink.gif" align="absmiddle" border="0">
I was thinking instead of using the garden hose i could just put a "T" in my return line and have a permanent line going to a drain somewhere that way it would just be a a matter of turning two valves instead of using the garden hose.  Maybe I'll do it that way on my next tank build or when i get really bored this winter......
Someday i would like to have an automated system but i think without proper maintenence the system could fail, and that worries me.  Plus that would take all the fun out of it. 
I think the easier you make water change process the more you will do them.  I have seen people using buckets to scoop water and haul water, that just seems like way to much work, i let my pumps that i already have, and gravity do all the work for me.
I really think that a floor drain would be a good investment for you. Since u like to drain your Frag tank on to the basement floor. /site/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/_default/emoticons/smile.gif

 

Beleive me i would really like to have one but i dont think its possible without tearing up some of my basement floor and installing plumbing under it...sounds like too much work and money for what its worth. I do have a sump and sump pump, but i dont really want to be pumping a bunch of saltwater on the yard.....

 

I have simplified my water changes down to the brass tacks, working within the equipment I have that is.
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I have dual Durso overflows, so the water that I pump into the display is a refreshing bath for the fish and it forces the water back down into the sump. I have lots of poisonous and dangerous animals in my aquarium, and I don't go messing around with them if it can be avoided.
I think this was a great idea for a thread, I've learned a lot and I will undoubtedly alter this water change agenda very soon. Thank you to everyone !

 

Posted By Waverz on 12/23/2007 9:56 AM
Beleive me i would really like to have one but i dont think its possible without tearing up some of my basement floor and installing plumbing under it...sounds like too much work and money for what its worth. I do have a sump and sump pump, but i dont really want to be pumping a bunch of saltwater on the yard.....
I have seen this done before in a garage but I don't know if it would work for a basement...I don't know why not.
Dig a hole deep and wide enough for a plastic 55gal drum with extra room on the sides.  Drill holes in the drum and set it in the hole.  Fill the hole with larger rocks.  Modify a lid and floor drain cover.  Pack the top with sand and quickcrete the floor.  I would be careful on the volume you put down there all at one time and make sure you keep it hush hush as the city might not like this method.

 

Posted By Bullet on 12/27/2007 6:58 AM
Posted By Waverz on 12/23/2007 9:56 AM
Beleive me i would really like to have one but i dont think its possible without tearing up some of my basement floor and installing plumbing under it...sounds like too much work and money for what its worth. I do have a sump and sump pump, but i dont really want to be pumping a bunch of saltwater on the yard.....
I have seen this done before in a garage but I don't know if it would work for a basement...I don't know why not.
Dig a hole deep and wide enough for a plastic 55gal drum with extra room on the sides.  Drill holes in the drum and set it in the hole.  Fill the hole with larger rocks.  Modify a lid and floor drain cover.  Pack the top with sand and quickcrete the floor.  I would be careful on the volume you put down there all at one time and make sure you keep it hush hush as the city might not like this method.
I think i am more worried about my wife than the city....i can just hear it now.  "Your gonna dig a hole in the basement!!!?!?!?!?!?""
That is a n idea though, i will have to do some more research, but in theory it does sound like it would work, especially if it just  30 gallons or so at a time.  I wonder venting will be an issue?  I really don't want my basement to smell like a big old floor drain, although with all the water down there now, it is getting that "ocean" smell.
Thanks for the idea Bob.

 

Waverz, I've been using my sump pump for many years, i just hook another piece of pipe to it and dump the water onto my driveway which runs down hill into the street. I'm probally doing something illegal but i hope not.