sparty059
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///forum/thread/380517/flower-s-sump-fuge-build/1620#post_3339680
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///forum/thread/380517/flower-s-sump-fuge-build/1620#post_3339630
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///forum/thread/380517/flower-s-sump-fuge-build/1620#post_3339577
I don't mind finding a new way...just need to know how. The dipping water out from the 90g gets a little old..which is what I did before I used the skimmer. What are other peoples methods. I have never had a sump before.
Well on my 50gal. I just do 2.5 gallons once a week on Sundays. It's just half of a 5gal. bucket so I don't mind scooping it out since it doesn't take me long. I fill 2.5 gallons in my mixing bucket and mix it up saturday evening usually so it's ready to go on sundays. Then I just pour it in slowly. It's only 5 percent which is usually room temperature in the mid 70's so I don't even heat it up. Comes out to 20% a month.
For the 120gal. I have a syphon hose that hooks up to the kitchen faucet that I use to pull water out of the tank (real easy). And then same thing...I have a 32gal. Brute can for mixing that I set up right next to the tank the night before a water change. Fill it up then mix. Pump it into the tank with a cheap $15-$20 powerhead from ***** that has a hose hooked upto it with a DIY pvc U-tube that hangs over and into the tank. I was doing bi-weekly water changes at 10% that way. I don't like waiting a whole month.
Well I don’t have a laundry drain like meowzer nor a sink handy..My tank is in the living room not close to anything I can drain into. So old water must go in buckets.
What is throwing me for a loop is the fact that the DT is always full, the sump drops the water level. Do you guys just turn off the whole system while you putz with the DT and just change the water from that point? Then turn the sump system back on when you are done?
Exactly! How I do it is I will shut everything down except for my lights and powerheads. The DT will have the level drop SLIGHTLY when you turn everything off and that will be due to all the water above the syphon break will drain into your sump. Which is why it's so important that in a situation of a power failure, you leave just enough room in your sump to be able to handle all that excess water without over flowing. Once all the water drains into your sump from your DT (above the syphon break) you can do either of the following:
#1. You can place a tube in the sump and another tube in a very hardy bucket that holds 10+ gallons (place it on wheels of some sort) and start the syphon off manually by sucking the water through the tube to start it out.
Most wouldn't prefer the first method
, however, that's how I do it because it's the least expensive way...
#2. You can do as Corey mentioned and get a $15 cheapo pump and place it in your sump run a hose from the output of the pump into your bucket and drain it that way.
Once you have it empty (or at least as empty as you can get it without allowing your pump to suck in air) you bring your mixed water over place the pump in it (or do the first method) and start the syphon in reverse order bringing the water from the new mixed salt water over to your sump. Once it's back to the point where you turned it off you can go ahead and turn your main pump, heater, whatever else back on and call it a day!
I have the same situation as you, my tank is about 40 feet away from the closest sink so I don't have the luxury like some of these other pros!
Originally Posted by Flower http:///forum/thread/380517/flower-s-sump-fuge-build/1620#post_3339680
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///forum/thread/380517/flower-s-sump-fuge-build/1620#post_3339630
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///forum/thread/380517/flower-s-sump-fuge-build/1620#post_3339577
I don't mind finding a new way...just need to know how. The dipping water out from the 90g gets a little old..which is what I did before I used the skimmer. What are other peoples methods. I have never had a sump before.
Well on my 50gal. I just do 2.5 gallons once a week on Sundays. It's just half of a 5gal. bucket so I don't mind scooping it out since it doesn't take me long. I fill 2.5 gallons in my mixing bucket and mix it up saturday evening usually so it's ready to go on sundays. Then I just pour it in slowly. It's only 5 percent which is usually room temperature in the mid 70's so I don't even heat it up. Comes out to 20% a month.
For the 120gal. I have a syphon hose that hooks up to the kitchen faucet that I use to pull water out of the tank (real easy). And then same thing...I have a 32gal. Brute can for mixing that I set up right next to the tank the night before a water change. Fill it up then mix. Pump it into the tank with a cheap $15-$20 powerhead from ***** that has a hose hooked upto it with a DIY pvc U-tube that hangs over and into the tank. I was doing bi-weekly water changes at 10% that way. I don't like waiting a whole month.
Well I don’t have a laundry drain like meowzer nor a sink handy..My tank is in the living room not close to anything I can drain into. So old water must go in buckets.
What is throwing me for a loop is the fact that the DT is always full, the sump drops the water level. Do you guys just turn off the whole system while you putz with the DT and just change the water from that point? Then turn the sump system back on when you are done?
Exactly! How I do it is I will shut everything down except for my lights and powerheads. The DT will have the level drop SLIGHTLY when you turn everything off and that will be due to all the water above the syphon break will drain into your sump. Which is why it's so important that in a situation of a power failure, you leave just enough room in your sump to be able to handle all that excess water without over flowing. Once all the water drains into your sump from your DT (above the syphon break) you can do either of the following:
#1. You can place a tube in the sump and another tube in a very hardy bucket that holds 10+ gallons (place it on wheels of some sort) and start the syphon off manually by sucking the water through the tube to start it out.
Most wouldn't prefer the first method
, however, that's how I do it because it's the least expensive way...#2. You can do as Corey mentioned and get a $15 cheapo pump and place it in your sump run a hose from the output of the pump into your bucket and drain it that way.
Once you have it empty (or at least as empty as you can get it without allowing your pump to suck in air) you bring your mixed water over place the pump in it (or do the first method) and start the syphon in reverse order bringing the water from the new mixed salt water over to your sump. Once it's back to the point where you turned it off you can go ahead and turn your main pump, heater, whatever else back on and call it a day!
I have the same situation as you, my tank is about 40 feet away from the closest sink so I don't have the luxury like some of these other pros!
