Auto water changes

[Tknecht]

Just wondering if anyone here is running an auto water change system, something like 1% daily and if you had details on your method of setting it up. I have been looking at maybe doing this with a cheaper dosing pump (jaebo) on a 60g system.

[ReefMadness]

in theory its a really good idea as stability is the goal.... however, you really need a solid set up to do it. a reliable dosing pump, outlet run to a drain and a constant supply of pre-mixed saltwater sitting a the right specific gravity.
miss one of those things and it either risks your system, your house and/or the equipment. plus if you aren't doing it daily you are already defeating the purpose of "continuous" water changes.
i'm also not big on the idea that you are basically pulling new water out with the old water continuously whereas with a normal water change people generally pull the dirty water out and replace with new, clean water.
bottom line, its just too many moving parts for me.

[Tknecht]

Yeah definitely a lot of things to worry about but not much different that what I do now for water changes. Seems feasible to mix water in the basement and pump up to the main floor using 1/4" tubing to a calibrated dosing pump. This would skip the whole carry two buckets of water up the stairs and don't spill step. I did read somewhere that the effect is a little less efficient than just a straight water change but not much


Just wondering if anyone had done it on here.

[brotherd]

This http://genesisreefsystems.com/produc...hange-systems/

[dino]

I'm running a drip on my fresh water gets dripped in and goes out on a bulked in the sump to a drain in the hot water tank room

[Galizio]

Be super cool to do a continuous water changes, I was thinking to set up my apex dos for that...
But for me at the moment is easier to do 5%weekly water changes and eventually in future set up a tank with automated WC.. the only down side is probably to pick up all the detritus at the bottom


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[dino]

i have set up my tank so it has a bulkhead near the bottom of the tank with a ball valve and a garden hose and drain as much as i want. then i have a extra pump that i pump my new water in with. works well

[Galizio]

Originally Posted by dino

i have set up my tank so it has a bulkhead near the bottom of the tank with a ball valve and a garden hose and drain as much as i want. then i have a extra pump that i pump my new water in with. works well

Definitely sounds a good way to do it, but I'm thinking something like fully automated...
for example if you go away for long periods of times from home. But I'm always paranoid that something can go terribly wrong lol, that's why I like manual WC


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[daplatapus]

I've been doing 1% changes on my system for over 2 years. I love it. If it wasn't for that I bet I'd be one of these guys doing 1 every year, lol.
Check out my build: http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...us%27s+upgrade

The pump I use is on pg 13 post # 126. It's got a matched dual head pump so what is taken out is exactly what's going back in.
And the ATO water and New Salt water tanks it gets it from are on pg 16 post 158.

I made the decision to go this route based on this article: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/rhf/

[Galizio]

Originally Posted by daplatapus

I've been doing 1% changes on my system for over 2 years. I love it. If it wasn't for that I bet I'd be one of these guys doing 1 every year, lol.
Check out my build: http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...us%27s+upgrade

The pump I use is on pg 13 post # 126. It's got a matched dual head pump so what is taken out is exactly what's going back in.
And the ATO water and New Salt water tanks it gets it from are on pg 16 post 158.

I made the decision to go this route based on this article: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/rhf/

Nice!!!
I'll like to get something like that done in the future. I was thinking that the apex dos should be good to do the job.
I have a couple questions tho.
How do you store your SW? I mean I guess you have a power head, an heater, maybe a stone . Do you have to clean the container every once in awhile?
I always get some detritus settling in a corner of the tank(bare bottom) and get rid of it with water changes, how you clean your substrate if you have any


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