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limited water changes... next step, overkill

so I have a 1/4 inch line of well water "t'd" off from the RO feed line, that I'll use to add back some minerals as needed, depending on tank mate needs... The 1/4 inch lines are easy... but also easy to forget I have them on, as slow as they fill... most of my main tanks will only take a gallon or so, once I begin with the bigger water changes, so, that shouldn't be a problem... I just need to put the work area door back on... but didn't like the side it opens from before, so this is a good chance to change that... unfinished basement under the stairs... 100 gallon tank in place.. diaphragm pump to fill tanks, sitting on top...
IMG_7580.jpeg
 
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Magnum Man said:
so I have a 1/4 inch line of well water "t'd" off from the RO feed line, that I'll use to add back some minerals as needed, depending on tank mate needs... The 1/4 inch lines are easy... but also easy to forget I have them on, as slow as they fill... most of my main tanks will only take a gallon or so, be big water change, do that shouldn't be a problem... I just need to put the work area door back on... but didn't like the side it opens from before, so this is a good chance to change that... unfinished basement under the stairs... 100 gallon tank in place.. diaphragm pump to fill tanks, sitting on top...View attachment 363076
Click to expand...



All my tanks are mixed ro/tap. I used to test for everything but now it's become so 2nd nature I rarely test at all anymore except....I use my TDS meter in the mixed barrels. My desired range is between 40-60TDS, that works for what I'm doing and my tap water/minerals/ro etc etc etc...once you get dialed in you might be able to do the same thing, just measure by TDS and be good to go.
 
well one issue with the new tank... much more area... my barrel was narrow and tall, and filled to a useable level faster... I'm waiting for a special push lock fitting to come in, before exchanging the new RO unit in... the smaller unit took more than a day to fill the bottom of the new tank, enough, to be able to pump any water out... with all my terrestrial plants drawing water, my tanks will all be a couple inches low, by the time I can get them refilled... not dangerously low, just annoyingly low...

It'll be nice to get the new system running, and have all the water I could ever use on the tanks, rather than having to ration during water changes...
 
MaloK said:
I remember straightening old rusted nails to make cabins in the wood...

Because, if Pops catches you hammering a brand new nail on that...

Your no better than dead.

Loll.

But beside building a house, I use screws for everything else possible.

When I nail something, I get it as it's final in my brain. I know It isn't. It's in the brain.

But it's a lot more fun to dismantle. :cool:
Click to expand...
Nails are applications where shear is a factor. Screws are for attachment when grip is important. Good rule of thumb is nails for structural builds and screws everywhere else.

Of course if the idea is future demolition, then screws are the best.
 
This is the pump I currently use to pump water from my tank to the aquariums... I have a 2nd one, that will pump out water from the tanks to the drain... there will be a connection point in the center, above the tanks to hook up a screened syphon tube, or a gravel vacuum attachment, depending on what I want to use... this pumps 240 gallons per hour, and is adjustable to stall, with no problem, so a line ball valve by the tanks, will control the flow rate, if I need less, to vacuum...

 
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Magnum Man said:
This is the pump I currently use to pump water from my tank to the aquariums... I have a 2nd one, that will pump out water from the tanks to the drain... there will be a connection point in the center, above the tanks to hook up a screened syphon tube, or a gravel vacuum attachment, depending on what I want to use... this pumps 240 gallons per hour, and is adjustable to stall, with no problem, so a line ball valve by the tanks, will control the flow rate, if I need less, to vacuum...

Click to expand...
The link is for larva not pump; though i suppose if you wnat to pump up larva you have to buy them first.
 
fixed... thanks for letting me know
 
I have decided to build in a safety into the pumping out of water... I'm using an 8 inch stainless pipe, with a screened end, to draw water from the tanks, for water changes, the weight will keep it positioned, in the tank, and with an elbow on the top, an 8 inch draw pipe, and the screened end, will at maximum, draw water down between 8-9 inches in the tanks.. this will be for regular water changes... I will also have an end I can exchange, that will vacuum gravel, & could be used to pump a tank fully empty if desired... 8-9 inches down, aught to be an acceptable water change percentage, at maximum...

next thought, will be the temperature of the holding tank, which would likely be 68-73 degrees through out the year... I expect most tanks would be OK, with those temperatures, at a 40-50% water change level, but I may need to put a warming mat under the tank, to keep the RO tank at closer to the average aquarium temp???

thoughts???
 
Magnum Man said:
I have decided to build in a safety into the pumping out of water... I'm using an 8 inch stainless pipe, with a screened end, to draw water from the tanks, for water changes, the weight will keep it positioned, in the tank, and with an elbow on the top, an 8 inch draw pipe, and the screened end, will at maximum, draw water down between 8-9 inches in the tanks.. this will be for regular water changes... I will also have an end I can exchange, that will vacuum gravel, & could be used to pump a tank fully empty if desired... 8-9 inches down, aught to be an acceptable water change percentage, at maximum...

next thought, will be the temperature of the holding tank, which would likely be 68-7degrees through out the year... I expect most tanks would be OK, with those temperatures, at a 40-50% water change level, but I may need to put a warming mat under the tank, to keep the RO tank at closer to the average aquarium temp???

thoughts???
Click to expand...
I keep a big heater in my holding container . Change water is up to temperature all the time . One less thing for me to fiddle with . I keep it five degrees above the temperature of my aquariums .
 
I'm thinking something similar to this... under the tank, with the controller, set to around the temperature, of the coolest tank, since all the tanks have decent sized heaters

 
Keeping the water temperature as close as possible as room temperature is the best way to prevent moisture in the tank to start developing molds.

So I try to heat the holding tank as little as possible and only during the cold months.
 
MaloK said:
Interesting, why 5 degrees ? I keep mine like 1 above no much more.

Is it because you use long tubes and lose heat during the process ?
Click to expand...
@GaryE said he does this for a couple reasons in another thread here someplace and it made sense to me . I can’t remember why but I recall one reason being to not chill the fish and scare up ich . Five degrees is nothing , the temperature in the aquarium won’t go up that much with a partial water change and will quickly adjust to your set temperature . Also , I use the old bucket and siphon method of water changes and this allows me a little leeway if I’m slow .
 
that was my thought... several tanks are basically at room temps, low 70's... they warm a little more in the summer, but the house is climate controlled, so they don't get too hot in the summer, and don't get too cold during the winter, but the heaters may heat those tanks 1-2 degrees, during the winter, or if we get aggressive with thermostat, on the cooling... I figure the tropical tanks, a cooler water change will be like spring rains, as long as I keep my change percentage within reason...
 
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