easy question - please chime in

potatocouch · 08/25/2014, 08:04 PM

re: Water Change

For those that have sump (most of you would), do you take water out and fill water in via the Sump or Display Tank?

I'm quite confident that 10% WC would probably equal 1/2 or perhaps 3/4 of your Sump capacity.

Do you see if there's a need to perform WC directly from the Display Tank?

Common diagram of DT & Sump:

Pife · 08/25/2014, 08:44 PM

Dt because I just use a siphon.

DDon · 08/25/2014, 09:35 PM

I change water from display, unless i am cleaning the sump.

Crooked Reef · 08/25/2014, 10:11 PM

Sump unless I feel the need to siphon the sand bed at all.

pyithar · 08/25/2014, 10:21 PM

display tank because i usually clean the rocks with turkey baster and then siphon the water.

Dozer1one · 08/26/2014, 12:23 PM

Dt as we'll. I like to remove as much detritus from the rock work as possible

igot2gats · 08/26/2014, 12:44 PM

From the sump. The less I'm in the DT, moving, cleaning, etc, the better if you ask me.

shesacharmer · 08/26/2014, 12:50 PM

I clean the glass and pump covers then stir the top of the sand bed and baste the rocks before throwing my little pump in there and pump out exactly 14 gallons to a nifty drain that my husband made outside the window (can't put saltwater in my septic tank so it goes to a runoff drain via conduit). Another pump for clean water goes into my mixing barrel which coincidentally holds exactly 14 gallons!

ca1ore · 08/26/2014, 01:25 PM

Unless you are combining a water change with some other husbandry chore, it makes no difference. May simply be easier for most people to siphon out of the display. Personally I employ a dual upper sump system and just 'switch' one out and one in to effect a water change.

Jpugh73 · 08/26/2014, 01:35 PM

Siphon from the dt then new water in though the sump

BlueFyre · 08/26/2014, 01:43 PM

I siphon from the display cuz it's faster. Then I fill up via the sump.

potatocouch · 08/26/2014, 01:50 PM

I assume return pump is off?

How do you take out from DT and fill via Sump? Sump would still be full in this scenario.

billdogg · 08/26/2014, 02:50 PM

I usually drain from the DT and refill the sump. I leave the return pump running until just before it sucks air, then unplug it. very little backflows from the DT to the sump that way. I refill the system by using a $10 remote control to turn on a mag18 in my basement water change barrel, then open a valve on my top off line (I hard plumbed the barrel into the system so that I would NEVER have to schlepp buckets around again.) With the remote control, I just let it go until I reach the "full" line on the sump and I am done.

panhandler01 · 08/27/2014, 01:57 PM

I use a Python and siphon from the DT. I turn off all the pumps and use a turkey baster to blast all of the rockwork and get detritus floating in the water so I can siphon as much of it as I can. Seems to work pretty well for me.

BlueFyre · 08/27/2014, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by potatocouch

I assume return pump is off?

How do you take out from DT and fill via Sump? Sump would still be full in this scenario.

The pump is on until the water gets too low, then I turn it off.

I do the opposite as it fills. The pump is off, once the sump starts getting too full I turn the pump back on.

DoubleM 10 · 08/27/2014, 02:06 PM

i have changed water out of the dsplay for many many many years. i dotn see a problem with it. do whatever is easiest for you.

if you have a set up that allows easy removal from the sump than do that.

in my case it is mush easier from the display

FDdragon · 08/27/2014, 04:04 PM

I remove from sump. I don't like getting on a step stool to get into my DT. sump works easier for me

johnike · 08/27/2014, 04:25 PM

I built a drain valve on the closed loop manifold.
Hook up a hose, put it in the floor drain 4 feet away, done.

CuzzA · 08/27/2014, 05:37 PM

Sump. I turn my DC powerheads to 100%. Clean the glass. Grab one of the powerheads and blast the rocks and lightly kick up anything settled on the top of the sand bed. Wait about a half hour as much of the detritus has now been caught by my filter sock. Then with a pump that remains in the sump hooked to my house drain I completely empty the sump, swap the filter sock, then hit the switch for my water change container, which also has a pump and is connected to my sump and that's it. Takes about 45-60 minutes per week.

Rob6311 · 08/27/2014, 08:15 PM

It's easier to change water from the sump just because it mixes the new water with the display tank water a lot better you know just in case anything is off and especially if your just topping off your tank with fresh water because of evaporation it'll mix a lot better then just dumping fresh water on your coral

shaggss · 08/27/2014, 08:45 PM

Sump. With a turn of a valve my chiller pump , pumps out the water. I replace with new water in sump as let it mix. Then turn the return pump back on

potatocouch · 08/27/2014, 09:16 PM

Those that have replied with WC via sump ... this question applies to you:

Do you ever have to clean the wall tank of your DT then? If so, I assume you don't do it at the same time with this WC process?

The reason I ask this is because if you're doing it via sump, meaning DT will always be at full capacity ... so it would probably harder to stick your hand/arm in to clean the tank because it will spill.

I hope my question does make any sense.

CuzzA · 08/28/2014, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by potatocouch

Those that have replied with WC via sump ... this question applies to you:

Do you ever have to clean the wall tank of your DT then? If so, I assume you don't do it at the same time with this WC process?

The reason I ask this is because if you're doing it via sump, meaning DT will always be at full capacity ... so it would probably harder to stick your hand/arm in to clean the tank because it will spill.

I hope my question does make any sense.

My hands never go in the tank to clean glass.

http://www.coralvue.com/flipper-magnet-cleaner

I clean the glass before a water change to export some of the algae that has now made it to the sump.

rocsec1 · 08/28/2014, 06:33 AM

I do it from the sump so i can stir up the water and suck the stuff that ends up settling in there

Gabriel_Yoder · 08/28/2014, 07:13 AM

I vacuum the dt with a long siphon hose that's ran into a sock in my sump. Once the cleaning is done I shut all pumps off and remove X amount from the sump. .. then add same X amount back to sump. Turn pumps on. Bam!! Vacuumed with mess and trash caught and water change done. Typically do 25g on my 275g.

View Poll Results: On average, do you do WC: via Sump or via DT?
Sump	27	52.94%
DT	24	47.06%
Voters: 51. You may not vote on this poll

08/25/2014, 08:04 PM	#1
potatocouch Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 201	easy question - please chime in re: Water Change For those that have sump (most of you would), do you take water out and fill water in via the Sump or Display Tank? I'm quite confident that 10% WC would probably equal 1/2 or perhaps 3/4 of your Sump capacity. Do you see if there's a need to perform WC directly from the Display Tank? Common diagram of DT & Sump:

08/25/2014, 08:44 PM	#2
Pife Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 7,408	Dt because I just use a siphon. __________________ Brandon I'm not saying let's get rid of all the stupid people.* I'm just saying let's remove all the warning labels and let the problem work itself out. Current Tank Info: 150g DT plumbed to an 80g frag tank and 220g sump in the basement. ~6-MP40s ~ 12 ATI powered t5s ~ Reefbrites and Radions supplementing ~ Custom GEO Skimmer ~ GEO CA Reactor 6x24~ Iwaki 70 Return ~

08/25/2014, 10:11 PM	#4
Crooked Reef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1,765	Sump unless I feel the need to siphon the sand bed at all. __________________ “In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank.

08/25/2014, 10:21 PM	#5
pyithar Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: yangon,burma(myanmar) Posts: 1,786	display tank because i usually clean the rocks with turkey baster and then siphon the water. __________________ take it easy, pyithar Current Tank Info: 150G display, 50G sump, mixed reef

08/25/2014, 09:35 PM	#3
DDon Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Brentwood,CA Posts: 776	I change water from display, unless i am cleaning the sump.

08/26/2014, 12:23 PM	#6
Dozer1one Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: levittown, PA Posts: 349	Dt as we'll. I like to remove as much detritus from the rock work as possible

08/26/2014, 12:44 PM	#7
igot2gats Deeeetroit Basketball! Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 1,063	From the sump. The less I'm in the DT, moving, cleaning, etc, the better if you ask me. __________________ Jeff Stop being lazy, and use the search function. Seriously. Current Tank Info: 75g DT / 20g sump / 20g QT - Eheim 1250, Tunze Osmolator 3155, GHL Profilux 3, 2 Tunze 6095, Tunze Wavebox, Aqua Illumination Hydra LEDs

08/26/2014, 12:50 PM	#8
shesacharmer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Central NH Posts: 1,241	I clean the glass and pump covers then stir the top of the sand bed and baste the rocks before throwing my little pump in there and pump out exactly 14 gallons to a nifty drain that my husband made outside the window (can't put saltwater in my septic tank so it goes to a runoff drain via conduit). Another pump for clean water goes into my mixing barrel which coincidentally holds exactly 14 gallons! __________________ 75 gal, LR w/refugium, 79 deg, PH 8.0, sg 1.025, amm 0/nit 0/nit 0, Calcium 420, dKH 8.3, mag 1300, Phos 0 Current Tank Info: A work in progress...

08/26/2014, 01:25 PM	#9
ca1ore Grizzled & Cynical Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 17,319	Unless you are combining a water change with some other husbandry chore, it makes no difference. May simply be easier for most people to siphon out of the display. Personally I employ a dual upper sump system and just 'switch' one out and one in to effect a water change. __________________ Simon Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones! Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs

08/26/2014, 01:35 PM	#10
Jpugh73 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Lanexa, Va Posts: 253	Siphon from the dt then new water in though the sump

08/26/2014, 01:43 PM	#11
BlueFyre Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 587	I siphon from the display cuz it's faster. Then I fill up via the sump.

08/26/2014, 01:50 PM	#12
potatocouch Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 201	I assume return pump is off? How do you take out from DT and fill via Sump? Sump would still be full in this scenario.

08/26/2014, 02:50 PM	#13
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	I usually drain from the DT and refill the sump. I leave the return pump running until just before it sucks air, then unplug it. very little backflows from the DT to the sump that way. I refill the system by using a $10 remote control to turn on a mag18 in my basement water change barrel, then open a valve on my top off line (I hard plumbed the barrel into the system so that I would NEVER have to schlepp buckets around again.) With the remote control, I just let it go until I reach the "full" line on the sump and I am done. __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

08/27/2014, 01:57 PM	#14
panhandler01 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 131	I use a Python and siphon from the DT. I turn off all the pumps and use a turkey baster to blast all of the rockwork and get detritus floating in the water so I can siphon as much of it as I can. Seems to work pretty well for me.

08/27/2014, 02:06 PM	#16
DoubleM 10 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Steamwood, IL Posts: 1,432	i have changed water out of the dsplay for many many many years. i dotn see a problem with it. do whatever is easiest for you. if you have a set up that allows easy removal from the sump than do that. in my case it is mush easier from the display __________________ Matt Lions, Groupers and Eels o my! Current Tank Info: Marineland 60Gal ReefReady cube, DIY led, Euroreef Skimmer Ins-80, Mag 9.5 return

08/27/2014, 04:04 PM	#17
FDdragon Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 85	I remove from sump. I don't like getting on a step stool to get into my DT. sump works easier for me

08/27/2014, 04:25 PM	#18
johnike Moved On Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bureau County Illinois Posts: 5,406	I built a drain valve on the closed loop manifold. Hook up a hose, put it in the floor drain 4 feet away, done.

08/27/2014, 05:37 PM	#19
CuzzA Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Palm Harbor, FL Posts: 2,997	Sump. I turn my DC powerheads to 100%. Clean the glass. Grab one of the powerheads and blast the rocks and lightly kick up anything settled on the top of the sand bed. Wait about a half hour as much of the detritus has now been caught by my filter sock. Then with a pump that remains in the sump hooked to my house drain I completely empty the sump, swap the filter sock, then hit the switch for my water change container, which also has a pump and is connected to my sump and that's it. Takes about 45-60 minutes per week.

08/27/2014, 08:15 PM	#20
Rob6311 Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 704	It's easier to change water from the sump just because it mixes the new water with the display tank water a lot better you know just in case anything is off and especially if your just topping off your tank with fresh water because of evaporation it'll mix a lot better then just dumping fresh water on your coral

08/27/2014, 08:45 PM	#21
shaggss Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 1,709	Sump. With a turn of a valve my chiller pump , pumps out the water. I replace with new water in sump as let it mix. Then turn the return pump back on __________________ NEVER get eye level with an infants anus! New build, planning stages. 30 x 20 x 20", Geisemann Spectra 250W with Radium, Profilux controller, Profilux doser 2, Fluval SP4 return pump, Life Reef 28

08/27/2014, 09:16 PM	#22
potatocouch Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 201	Those that have replied with WC via sump ... this question applies to you: Do you ever have to clean the wall tank of your DT then? If so, I assume you don't do it at the same time with this WC process? The reason I ask this is because if you're doing it via sump, meaning DT will always be at full capacity ... so it would probably harder to stick your hand/arm in to clean the tank because it will spill. I hope my question does make any sense.

08/28/2014, 06:33 AM	#24
rocsec1 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Medina oh Posts: 1,782	I do it from the sump so i can stir up the water and suck the stuff that ends up settling in there

08/28/2014, 07:13 AM	#25
Gabriel_Yoder Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Apollo Beach Fl Posts: 8	I vacuum the dt with a long siphon hose that's ran into a sock in my sump. Once the cleaning is done I shut all pumps off and remove X amount from the sump. .. then add same X amount back to sump. Turn pumps on. Bam!! Vacuumed with mess and trash caught and water change done. Typically do 25g on my 275g.