Shold I put a drain for H2O changes?

[West1]

I was thinking of putting a pvc drain on the bottom of a barebottom tank to try to hurry up the water changes thing. Whats your thoughts on this. I was thinking of tapping the acrylic ID hole and screwing in the pvc attached with a shutoff valve (will use stuff to seal completly). Im trying to prepare for when I get my big tank (looking at 10'x5'x30"-1000gl), the best way to do big weekly water changes.

What are some of your large water changes methods??????????

 

[pacu mom]

I was thinking of putting a pvc drain on the bottom of a barebottom tank to try to hurry up the water changes thing. Whats your thoughts on this. I was thinking of tapping the acrylic ID hole and screwing in the pvc attached with a shutoff valve (will use stuff to seal completly). Im trying to prepare for when I get my big tank (looking at 10'x5'x30"-1000gl), the best way to do big weekly water changes.

What are some of your large water changes methods??????????

If you're going to have a barebottom tank, you have some options available. Check out my posts on this filtration thread:

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97647&page=3.

Our water changes are super easy, and there's no vacuuming. The water siphons out super fast. We dump out 200 gallons in minutes.

 

[West1]

Nice stuff PcauMOM!
Im trying to stay away from all that plumbing . I dont think I have the time or patience to go high teck like you guys did. I was just thinking of getting a pool filter and that should get my water moving. I know eventually Ill have to make a move towards the automatic pooh cleaning.
What im trying to do is get everyones idea and take little pcs of each one and make mine. I like your set up and might have to talk to you later about some things
P.S. I think thats pretty cool that you are into fish like your husband. My wife likes them, but only for me

 

[Danh]

Auto changer with plumbing is the only way to go with a big tank like that. I have a water line coming into the top of my tank with fresh, purified water. When the water level in the sump reaches the overflows in the sump, it goes down the drain to the sewer. I don't don't water changes manually at all, except maybe once a month vac some poo off of the bottom from behind some of the larger rocks in the tank.

A pool filter isn't going to filter a tank that size with any kind of a load. Pool filters are mainly just mechanical filters. They work well on fish tanks when they're used with a bio filter.

I wouldn't want to put a drain in the bottom of my tank. It would create too much of a danger of a complete mess.

 

[West1]

What do you mean by "auto changer"?

Someone recom. me to use a pool filter, thats why I thought it was a good idea (havent done research on it yet though).

Around what was the price tag on your filter setup (if you dont mind me asking)?

 

[Wolf3101]

Pool filters (pleated cartrage type) can be a great addition to your filtration system but they lack any real sort of bio-filtration. If your also going to run a sump or even a bio-tower or FBF then they are worth looking at. You best bet in that case is to get a unit thats backflushable and you solve two problems at once...you make servacing the filter faster and more painless and you are automaticly doing a water change...

 

[West1]

With big filter systems, im lost about whats good and not. I do plan on having a sump (thats a diff topic). Right now im trying to get a filter and water movement are my biggest concerns.
What on earth is a backflusher? What do I need to make this transformer

 

[Wolf3101]

A backflushing system is really nothing more than a series of valves and pipes that run water through the filter backwards and then out to a drain taking most of the waste with it and extending the servace interval. When I get a little more time I can draw a diagram for you. They are used a lot on Ocean clear canister filters and work amazingly well.

 

[ercnan]

As wolf has said, They are worth the research (backflushing).
Just one of the many methods I'm thinking about for "our" prospective tank build as posted in another DIY thread.
Big tanks need big ideas.

 

[West1]

A backflushing system is really nothing more than a series of valves and pipes that run water through the filter backwards and then out to a drain taking most of the waste with it and extending the servace interval. When I get a little more time I can draw a diagram for you. They are used a lot on Ocean clear canister filters and work amazingly well.

Yeah thanks. That would be great