Looking for pump for waterchanges

[mike]

Hey, I have a 55g sal****er tank. I am fairly new to tanks so I dont
know much about pumps and such, I have 2 whisper 30-60 powerfilters and
2 powerheads hooked to my undergravel filters. Currently I have been
using a python to take the water out of the tank, then use it to fill up
a 5 gal bucket, mix in the salt and cholorine remover, then once it
settles pour the bucket into tank, then rinse and repeat. This really
gets old doing a partial water change on a 55g tank. I have a 20g
rubbermaid tub that I would like to be able to fill up and mix the salt
in, then use a pump to pump the water back into the tank, but being as I
know nothing about pump specs, cant find one that will do it. I tried a
pond fountain pump, and 2 diff powerheads, and none will pump the water
uphill to the tank. Can anyone explain what the specs are on pumps and
suggest a cheap pump that I can use to accomplish this? Thanks!

Mike

[George Patterson]

mike wrote:
> I tried a
> pond fountain pump, and 2 diff powerheads, and none will pump the water
> uphill to the tank.

Odd. I use a 402 powerhead. Works fine. This head originally drove half of the
UG filter for a 125 gallon tank -- that info might be useful for selecting a size.

> Can anyone explain what the specs are on pumps and
> suggest a cheap pump that I can use to accomplish this?

When you look at pumps, check the claims for "water column height." This is a
measure of the amount of pressure produced. If the water column height is
greater than the distance from the top of your tank to the floor and the
diameter of the water column is at least as large as the hose you intend to use,
it will pump the water far enough.

George Patterson
Whosoever bloweth not his own horn, the same shall remain unblown.

[George Patterson]

mike wrote:
>
> I tried a
> pond fountain pump, and 2 diff powerheads, and none will pump the water
> uphill to the tank.

Just had a thought. Most powerheads have a hole in the output tube to allow you
to add an aeration line. Make sure this hole is covered up when you try to use
it as a pump.

George Patterson
Whosoever bloweth not his own horn, the same shall remain unblown.

[mike]

Let me ask this, when you use a powerhead to pump from bucket to tank,
where do you put the powerhead, in the tank or the bucket?

mike

George Patterson wrote:
> mike wrote:
>
>> I tried a
>> pond fountain pump, and 2 diff powerheads, and none will pump the water
>> uphill to the tank.
>
>
> Odd. I use a 402 powerhead. Works fine. This head originally drove half
> of the UG filter for a 125 gallon tank -- that info might be useful for
> selecting a size.
>
> > Can anyone explain what the specs are on pumps and
>
>> suggest a cheap pump that I can use to accomplish this?
>
>
> When you look at pumps, check the claims for "water column height." This
> is a measure of the amount of pressure produced. If the water column
> height is greater than the distance from the top of your tank to the
> floor and the diameter of the water column is at least as large as the
> hose you intend to use, it will pump the water far enough.
>
> George Patterson
> Whosoever bloweth not his own horn, the same shall remain unblown.

[Warren Bailey]

In the bucket.

The pump is also good to just leave going with no hose on so it really mixes
up the salt.

Get a refractometer with automatic temperature compensation to make sure the
SG level is the same

W

"mike" > wrote in message
...
> Let me ask this, when you use a powerhead to pump from bucket to tank,
> where do you put the powerhead, in the tank or the bucket?
>
> mike
>
> George Patterson wrote:
> > mike wrote:
> >
> >> I tried a
> >> pond fountain pump, and 2 diff powerheads, and none will pump the water
> >> uphill to the tank.
> >
> >
> > Odd. I use a 402 powerhead. Works fine. This head originally drove half
> > of the UG filter for a 125 gallon tank -- that info might be useful for
> > selecting a size.
> >
> > > Can anyone explain what the specs are on pumps and
> >
> >> suggest a cheap pump that I can use to accomplish this?
> >
> >
> > When you look at pumps, check the claims for "water column height." This
> > is a measure of the amount of pressure produced. If the water column
> > height is greater than the distance from the top of your tank to the
> > floor and the diameter of the water column is at least as large as the
> > hose you intend to use, it will pump the water far enough.
> >
> > George Patterson
> > Whosoever bloweth not his own horn, the same shall remain unblown.

[BiG Orange]

you should use a python hose to drain, and you should mix your water in a
Gray 32 gallon Rubbermaid commercial container with a heater and let the
salt mix in for 12 hours or more. Then pump the water back in useing a
submersible pump with the hose attached to it. The container should also be
filled with RO/DI water.

BiG Orange

[George Patterson]

mike wrote:
> Let me ask this, when you use a powerhead to pump from bucket to tank,
> where do you put the powerhead, in the tank or the bucket?

I thought I sent a reply, but I don't see it. I put the powerhead in the bucket
(I actually use a 32 gallon plastic trash can, but I have a bigger tank than
yours). Mine is pumping up about 5 feet. I have a piece of clear plastic tubing
that fits closely over the powerhead discharge tube. The discharge tube
originally had a small port for an aeration tube. I cut that off so that my
plastic tubing can slide all the way up to the body of the powerhead. If you
have an aeration port and don't seal it, you won't get enough pressure from the
powerhead.

George Patterson
Whosoever bloweth not his own horn, the same shall remain unblown.

[Ray Martini]

I use a cheapo Rio 1100. pumps fine. Are you using tapwater for a marine
tank?


"mike" > wrote in message
...
> Hey, I have a 55g sal****er tank. I am fairly new to tanks so I dont
> know much about pumps and such, I have 2 whisper 30-60 powerfilters and
> 2 powerheads hooked to my undergravel filters. Currently I have been
> using a python to take the water out of the tank, then use it to fill up
> a 5 gal bucket, mix in the salt and cholorine remover, then once it
> settles pour the bucket into tank, then rinse and repeat. This really
> gets old doing a partial water change on a 55g tank. I have a 20g
> rubbermaid tub that I would like to be able to fill up and mix the salt
> in, then use a pump to pump the water back into the tank, but being as I
> know nothing about pump specs, cant find one that will do it. I tried a
> pond fountain pump, and 2 diff powerheads, and none will pump the water
> uphill to the tank. Can anyone explain what the specs are on pumps and
> suggest a cheap pump that I can use to accomplish this? Thanks!
>
> Mike