continuous water change idear

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
A

Arowanana

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 15, 2008
210
0
0
NC
Despite my religiously followed water change regimen, I've recently had a problem with flluctuating nitrate levels in my 180 gallon that made my motoro "unhappy". This has given me an idea that I would like to explore. I'm looking for opinions on whether or not this is a good idea. Bare with me, cause this is going to be a long post, but I think this will work...

What I would like to do is have a constant water changing system. Right now I have a 40 gallon wet/dry sump with a Magdrive 18 pump with a turnover rate that should be about the entire tank's volume every hour or so. I'm thinking about ditching the pump altogether. My idea (and I'm sure its been done before) is simply replacing my magdrive with an aqualifter or some other very low gph pump and sending the return waterflow outside.

Essentially, I will refill the sump with treated water every day (or as needed) which the aqualifter will pump into my tank at a very low flow rate constantly. The overflows in my tank will slowly drain water out of my tank out to the "waste line". With a pump like an aqualifter it seems like that may equate to a pretty large water change daily, with no effort on my part!

My concerns are that this seems to take the biological filter out of the equation....is that bad? What am I missing?
 
You should set up a WC system, but I do not advise removing the pump from the plans. If you do, you will have detritus all over the bottom of the tank. There will be no water movement to remove this.

It would work providing there was enough flow, but there are other options that are more effective.
 
Thanks P! I understand what you are saying completely. I suppose you still need some kind of filtration on the system even if the water change setup is running all the time. Constant water change=VERY low flow rate.
 
Arowanana;3652276; said:
not really, but I plan to plumb it in a way that drains the waste water to outside
Click to expand...

what about a water supply? do you have one near your tank?
 
My plan is to have a large barrel of treated water from which new water will be pulled from that I will re-fill upon necessity....probably located in an adjacent room
 
I will get back to you soon with what i have on my piranha tank, may be just the thing your looking for. just getting kids ready for school then i will get back to you.
 
Hi,
Right how to explain this lol.

First of all i have a RO unit hooked up to my water supply, this stops the need for always having to treat your water(imo), so in the long run works out cheap for you.

The water inlet goes into my tank, at a slow trickle. approx 75lts every 24 hours.

The outlet is in the sump linked to my main waste pipe for my house.

I drilled a hole(at the same level as your water line) in the section of the sump where the water level rises and falls. I used a small tank connecter attached to a pipe to go into the waste pipe. This works really well as, when the water rises to right level it goes down the pipe 24/7. it also work if you ever have a power cut your sump will never fill above the outlet.

I have only cleaned my sump once in over a year, water and tank are always clean, fish happy as hell and never have to do any water changes.

I have 18 RBPs in my tank so as you will know not the cleaness of fish. lol

If you have any questions just ask. HTH
 
Magdrive 18 pump with a turnover rate that should be about the entire tank's volume every hour or so.
Click to expand...

That was a goof, right?
1800gph @ 0 head are spec for a mag18.
You have a large enough sump to consider an algae scrubber or plants to keep nitrates in check.
Not saying an auto or semi auto water change sytem is a bad idea.
Just curious, is this an ongoing problem, or did it just start?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom