Sump/refugium water changes

[Phil O'Connor]

Ok, I'm in the process of assembling a sump/refugium for my 46 bowfront
FOWLR. One of the things I've read about sumps is it eases water
changes since you perform them from the sump.

So what about gravel vaccuming? All my water changes are done via
gravel vaccuming. I cant vaccum without taking water out.

Or do most people have sand rather than gravel (crushed coral in mine)
and thus vaccuming is not done?

Also, seems like you would need a pump to perform a water change from
the sump, since its down low and using gravity for the siphon isnt an
option. Is that what people do?

[Jim Anderson]

On Mon, 29 Mar 2004 11:35:38 -0500, Phil O'Connor wrote...


> Ok, I'm in the process of assembling a sump/refugium for my 46 bowfront
> FOWLR. One of the things I've read about sumps is it eases water
> changes since you perform them from the sump.
>
> So what about gravel vaccuming? All my water changes are done via
> gravel vaccuming. I cant vaccum without taking water out.
>
> Or do most people have sand rather than gravel (crushed coral in mine)
> and thus vaccuming is not done?
>
> Also, seems like you would need a pump to perform a water change from
> the sump, since its down low and using gravity for the siphon isnt an
> option. Is that what people do?

When I had a FO tank with gravel, I had a Magnum 350 with the hanger
option and the vacuum. Put in a cleaned one micron filter and vacuum
till the cows come home. Quick rinse of the canister, add the diatom
treated one micron filter and polish the water for a couple of hours. It
worked great but had to use both vacuum tube (21 inch total) or it sucks
in too much gravel.

--
Hope this helps.
Jim Anderson
( 8(|) To email me just pull my_finger

[TomW]

> When I had a FO tank with gravel, I had a Magnum 350 with the hanger
> option and the vacuum. Put in a cleaned one micron filter and vacuum
> till the cows come home. Quick rinse of the canister, add the diatom
> treated one micron filter and polish the water for a couple of hours. It
> worked great but had to use both vacuum tube (21 inch total) or it sucks
> in too much gravel.
>
> --
> Hope this helps.
> Jim Anderson
> ( 8(|) To email me just pull my_finger

Jim (or anyone else)-
Could I use a Diatom Filter to do the same thing you described above? Seems
like it might be an easy way to "clean up" my rock. I still have some
lingering algae blooms, even with a thriving refugium. I hand-pick off the
algae about once a month now, but that method seems like it would be far
more thorough.

-TomW

[Jim Anderson]

On Tue, 30 Mar 2004 08:59:11 -0500, TomW wrote...


> > When I had a FO tank with gravel, I had a Magnum 350 with the hanger
> > option and the vacuum. Put in a cleaned one micron filter and vacuum
> > till the cows come home. Quick rinse of the canister, add the diatom
> > treated one micron filter and polish the water for a couple of hours. It
> > worked great but had to use both vacuum tube (21 inch total) or it sucks
> > in too much gravel.
> >
> > --
> > Hope this helps.
> > Jim Anderson
> > ( 8(|) To email me just pull my_finger
>
> Jim (or anyone else)-
> Could I use a Diatom Filter to do the same thing you described above? Seems
> like it might be an easy way to "clean up" my rock. I still have some
> lingering algae blooms, even with a thriving refugium. I hand-pick off the
> algae about once a month now, but that method seems like it would be far
> more thorough.
>
> -TomW

Should work for the short term, but best if you would solve the source
of the algae problem, or is the Live Rock still curing?
And don't stir up the Live Sand too much, if any.

--
Hope this helps.
Jim Anderson
( 8(|) To email me just pull my_finger

[Ken N]

When plumbing my tank, I installed a reducing Tee in my drain line to the
sump above the main ball valve on the drain and installed a 1/2" ball valve
facing my door to the stand. Now when it is water change time I just insert
a 1/2" pipe into the Tee that extends out the front of the stand, close the
main ball vale and open the 1/2" ball valve and allow the water to drain
into a bucket. Pretty effortless. Of course I still hand add the new water,
but it works pretty slick.

Ken

"Phil O'Connor" > wrote in message
...
> Ok, I'm in the process of assembling a sump/refugium for my 46 bowfront
> FOWLR. One of the things I've read about sumps is it eases water
> changes since you perform them from the sump.
>
> So what about gravel vaccuming? All my water changes are done via
> gravel vaccuming. I cant vaccum without taking water out.
>
> Or do most people have sand rather than gravel (crushed coral in mine)
> and thus vaccuming is not done?
>
> Also, seems like you would need a pump to perform a water change from
> the sump, since its down low and using gravity for the siphon isnt an
> option. Is that what people do?
>
>
>

[Phil O'Connor]

That's an excellent idea! I'm glad I read this before assembling the
plumbing. I'll definitely install that.

Of course, I still have the gravel vaccuming issue, but I'm migrating toward
turning this tank into a reef, which will require a change of substrate to
sand (let the good times roll). So once thats done, I'll be glad i have the
water change valve.

thanks.


Ken N wrote:

> When plumbing my tank, I installed a reducing Tee in my drain line to the
> sump above the main ball valve on the drain and installed a 1/2" ball valve
> facing my door to the stand. Now when it is water change time I just insert
> a 1/2" pipe into the Tee that extends out the front of the stand, close the
> main ball vale and open the 1/2" ball valve and allow the water to drain
> into a bucket. Pretty effortless. Of course I still hand add the new water,
> but it works pretty slick.
>
> Ken
>

[Marc Levenson]

Because I don't like to drain the display tank if I can avoid it, I use a MaxiJet
1200 and some vinyl tubing to pump 10g out of the sump and refugium, then I use
the same pump to push new water into the sump again. I turn on the return pump
when I'm done and it all mixes together.

Marc


Phil O'Connor wrote:

> That's an excellent idea! I'm glad I read this before assembling the
> plumbing. I'll definitely install that.
>
> Of course, I still have the gravel vaccuming issue, but I'm migrating toward
> turning this tank into a reef, which will require a change of substrate to
> sand (let the good times roll). So once thats done, I'll be glad i have the
> water change valve.
>
> thanks.
>
> Ken N wrote:
>
> > When plumbing my tank, I installed a reducing Tee in my drain line to the
> > sump above the main ball valve on the drain and installed a 1/2" ball valve
> > facing my door to the stand. Now when it is water change time I just insert
> > a 1/2" pipe into the Tee that extends out the front of the stand, close the
> > main ball vale and open the 1/2" ball valve and allow the water to drain
> > into a bucket. Pretty effortless. Of course I still hand add the new water,
> > but it works pretty slick.
> >
> > Ken
> >

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