** StevieT's How to Change Water Guide **

[solefald]

Hello, I am new to this and I am in a cycle right now so I have yet to change the water. I was wondering do i really need a siphon or can i just scoop water out with a big jug or pitcher? is the a reason for the siphon?

 

you should be fine, but syphon is much easier and you wont be spilling/dripping water everywhere. plus syphon is good for vacuuming sand and sucking in crap that you have floating around or laying at the bottom.

[StevieT]

You can remove it any way you want but a siphon is the easiest and cleanest way.

[Chrisl1976]

You can remove it any way you want but a siphon is the easiest and cleanest way.

 

Just remember to pre-prime the hose or make sure you pay close attention to how hard you suck......Nothing like a mouth full of tank water.

[trong]

Thanks guys, your advice is really appreciated. also I am in my 3 week now and I been getting brownish algae on my sand about a week ago. will this go away or do I need a good CUC? If I need CUC what do you recommend? It is a 15g column tank

[Chrisl1976]

Thanks guys, your advice is really appreciated. also I am in my 3 week now and I been getting brownish algae on my sand about a week ago. will this go away or do I need a good CUC? If I need CUC what do you recommend? It is a 15g column tank

 

Go to ReefCleaner.org. They have express crew packs already designed for different size tank. Best price around, great service and you get a bunch of extra to cover die-off's during shipping. If you check around the posts, there seems to be very little die off so you get lots of bang for your buck!!!.

 

If you have different kinds of algae growing, send them a picture and they will design a crew just for your tank!!

[Pipposanta]

I use the following method to change water. Never had a problem.

Remove the needed water using an 1/2 liter beer glass, really quick method.

Then I wash accurately the glass with tap water and I use it to pour the desired RO/DI water in a dedicated container where I mix the salt water. To find the correct quantity of salt, I initially used a simple balance now I know that I need to pour 3-4 tea spoons of salt every liter and then correct with RO/DI or more salt after reading the hydrometer.

[Rollermonkey]

Wow.

 

Have you seen this?

 

http://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/

 

All kinds of calculators for aquarium related things like how much salt to add to reach a desired salinity level, what salinity level of a water change to elevate salinity in a larger volume to reach a desired salinity, and 44 others for various things.

 

As soon as I found it, I bookmarked it.

[CAmor07]

When i do a wc,

I pour in water while taking it out. By doing this am i not actaully doing a water change

[StevieT]

When i do a wc,

I pour in water while taking it out. By doing this am i not actaully doing a water change

 

You are most likely taking good water out the second after you put it in. Don't do this.

[Chrisl1976]

You are most likely taking good water out the second after you put it in. Don't do this.

 

and dumping money down the drain. Dont do this. This hobby is already expensive enough.

[ny300z]

great thread! just read it all and i am going to attempt my first water change making my own salt water.

 

i have a quick question about the mixing.

 

since i dont have any old pumps to throw in the bucket should i just buy a cheap air pump ($12 at the LFS)

 

or should i buy the cheapest powerhead i can find at the LFS? @$22

[d0lph1n]

Cool guide.

 

I would add a reminder to calibrate the refractometer, once in while, with Salifert Refracto-check or Pinpoint Salinity Calibration Fluid (shake the bottle before use)

Edited August 13, 2012 by d0lph1n

[nanolutionary]

Can anyone direct me to an ATO set up walk-through?

[Reefer Al]

I built one in the ten gallon thread in my signature.

 

On the second page I have pics of a little diy auto top off I built up.

[bonjorno2]

New to the game and this write up answered a lot of my questions. So much to know!

[wannaknow]

 

you should be fine, but syphon is much easier and you wont be spilling/dripping water everywhere. plus syphon is good for vacuuming sand and sucking in crap that you have floating around or laying at the bottom.

Yes that is true and a good way. Thanks

[RideTheLightning]

 

Just remember to pre-prime the hose or make sure you pay close attention to how hard you suck......Nothing like a mouth full of tank water.

 

 

Another option might be a Fermtech Autosyphon made for the homebrewing hobby. You just pump it a couple of times (like a piston) and the syphon starts. The only issue is it doesn't have a fat nozzle at the bottom end for vacuuming but for just moving water around I think they would work great.

 

[Manuelnvrz]

This helped a lot

[Jason0717]

Hey stevieT, i just purchase the complete set of the intank media for my oceanic biocube 29, so since there is a separate piece for refugium, i can safely remove the sponge in chamber three where the return pump is at? If i was to put chaeto in the refugium basket, it wont be able to go anywhere correct? And cause problem with like chaeto flowing into chamber three and ruining or stopping the return pump.

[Bar0n]

great post! thanks for the info!

[StevieT]

Hey stevieT, i just purchase the complete set of the intank media for my oceanic biocube 29, so since there is a separate piece for refugium, i can safely remove the sponge in chamber three where the return pump is at? If i was to put chaeto in the refugium basket, it wont be able to go anywhere correct? And cause problem with like chaeto flowing into chamber three and ruining or stopping the return pump.

 

If you are running chaeto I would still use the sponge to protect the pump. It may not be needed but if any comes loose it can clog the impeller or end up in your tank. Get a spare sponge and swap them out during a water change. Clean the old and let it dry. This will reduce any nitrate risk.

[goodwinsplace]

Picking up a AquaEL Nano Reef 30L today and this thread has visualised all the reading I have been doing. Thanks for such an in-depth post.

 

One question, would taking water from an established tank be better than newly made RO Salt water?

[Chadf]

Picking up a AquaEL Nano Reef 30L today and this thread has visualised all the reading I have been doing. Thanks for such an in-depth post.

 

One question, would taking water from an established tank be better than newly made RO Salt water?

 

No, that would defeat the purpose of the water change.

[goodwinsplace]

No, that would defeat the purpose of the water change.

 

Sorry, what I wanted to ask and what I actually asked were two different things.

The water I want to take from an established tank is for getting the tank established, not the water change.

[lakshwadeep]

Sorry, what I wanted to ask and what I actually asked were two different things.

The water I want to take from an established tank is for getting the tank established, not the water change.

 

There is nothing beneficial about using water from an established tank. As saltwater remains in a tank, some good things get depleted, and many bad things (like nitrates and other nutrients/pollutants) get accumulated. It will not help a new tank get established, if you mean in terms of biofiltration, because there are very few bacteria in the water itself (hence the reason bare tanks with no live rock/sand need external filters).