water change tank question

[nuch]

Is the a way to plum a 20long tank that i wanna use for my water changes that will sit under my 75 gallon without using a pump. Just trying to cut down on electric. I'm not gonna have a problem getting the water down into the tank, i'm just wondering if and how i can get it back up into my sump. from the pic you can see were i wanna put it. Right now im using it as a qt tank for my pbt.



I know i can prob squeze it above the sump somewhere and have it gravity feed the sump like the fuge but i have all that room under.

 

[thirty5]

If you are asking if there is a way to get water from a tank under the sump into the sump without a pump???

Well if you coul defy gravity then maybe. But you need some sort of pump to get the water "up" to the sump.. if you are doing it for water changes you will run it for such a short period of time you will prob not even see the cost.

I am sure that you can some sort of self powered pump to do it.

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[Jim]

Unless you find a way to defy gravity, you're gonna have to use a pump.

 

[thirty5]

Unless you find a way to defy gravity, you're gonna have to use a pump.

Hahahahaahh you took the words out of my post. I guess we posted at the same time

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[Reef Fixations]

you can disconnect your return pump and put it down low.

Use the bulkhead that used to be for your return pump to now drain in your 20g water change tank BUT add a tee to it with ball valves on both outputs of the tee. (I'll explain later)

Drill a new bulkhead in your 20g to connect to your return pump BUT install a tee between the bulkhead and your return pump. Conect that tee to the extra ballvalve. (here's the explanation)

1. you will increase your water volume by 20g and possibly make your system more stable
2. use the ballvalves for doing the water changes:

2a. you can shut the one off that goes into your 20g and open the one that goes into the tee that you installed on the 20g between the bulkhead and inlet of your return pump. In doing so, you won't have to shut down the system during water changes so that extra ballvalve will now act as a
"bypass" valve to bypass the 20g while you are draining it and mixing in it.

2b.Once the water is mixed you can now open the one ballvalve and close the bypass off so now the water will again drain into your 20g and the new bulkhead on the 20 that goes to your return pump.

U can either use a small submersible utility pump to drain it OR install another bulkhead to use as a drain to empty 20g.

 

[nuch]

If you are asking if there is a way to get water from a tank under the sump into the sump without a pump???

Well if you coul defy gravity then maybe. But you need some sort of pump to get the water "up" to the sump.. if you are doing it for water changes you will run it for such a short period of time you will prob not even see the cost.

I am sure that you can some sort of self powered pump to do it.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2

What do you mean i will run it for a short period of time? Can you explain? I'm thinking there has to be some sort of pump in there to keep it moving.

 

[thirty5]

From what I am understanding from your original post. You want to use the 20 for water changes. So you are going to mix 20 gallons of SW and then put that into the sump?

So you will only need a pump when you need to pump the water out???

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2

 

[nuch]

you can disconnect your return pump and put it down low.

Use the bulkhead that used to be for your return pump to now drain in your 20g water change tank BUT add a tee to it with ball valves on both outputs of the tee. (I'll explain later)

Drill a new bulkhead in your 20g to connect to your return pump BUT install a tee between the bulkhead and your return pump. Conect that tee to the extra ballvalve. (here's the explanation)

1. you will increase your water volume by 20g and possibly make your system more stable
2. use the ballvalves for doing the water changes:

2a. you can shut the one off that goes into your 20g and open the one that goes into the tee that you installed on the 20g between the bulkhead and inlet of your return pump. In doing so, you won't have to shut down the system during water changes so that extra ballvalve will now act as a
"bypass" valve to bypass the 20g while you are draining it and mixing in it.

2b.Once the water is mixed you can now open the one ballvalve and close the bypass off so now the water will again drain into your 20g and the new bulkhead on the 20 that goes to your return pump.

U can either use a small submersible utility pump to drain it OR install another bulkhead to use as a drain to empty 20g.

Thanx, that sounds good. Good explination.

 

[nuch]

From what I am understanding from your original post. You want to use the 20 for water changes. So you are going to mix 20 gallons of SW and then put that into the sump?

So you will only need a pump when you need to pump the water out???

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Your right, sorry i did'nt explain it better. I wanted to plum everything together. I'm using brute pals now with a pump, but i wanted it to be less hands on. A valve or 2 would be cool and easier.

 

[Reef Fixations]

maybe this is better

 

[Reef Fixations]

you can put unions where ever necessary (like on both sides of the pump) but that's how u can do it with 1 pump

 

[Reef Fixations]

just make sure you upsize the drain from the sump to the 20g so that you don't slow down the water because of bends just to be safe and allow water to flow as freely as possible.

Is that what you were looking for?

 

[Reef Fixations]

nevermind.... it's a bad idea. when u lose power it will overflow out of the 20g unless it is 100% sealed and leak free but then you'd have to put in another bulkhead on top with a valve to fill it.

 

[thirty5]

nevermind.... it's a bad idea. when u lose power it will overflow out of the 20g unless it is 100% sealed and leak free but then you'd have to put in another bulkhead on top with a valve to fill it.

I was thinking the same thing. Small tank should really not be below larger tank

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[nuch]

alright i got ur guys concerns, maybe i'll just stick to the 20 gallon brutes or maybe build a shelf and put it above the sump.

 

[Reef Fixations]

Then again, if you had room for a 30breeder or preferrably a 40 breeder then you could let it only run a 1/2 the volume because of the the outlet to the pump would be at about 1/2 way up the tank, then you would have the other 1/2 of the breeder to fill with water in the event of a power outage or if you just have to turn off the pump for any reason.

That would give u 10-20 gallons of a safety net provided that when your system shuts down that 10-20 gallons is enough.

How much does it fill now with the power off?

 

[thirty6]

These plumbing related post fascinate me and confuse the heck ut of me

 

[thirty5]

These plumbing related post fascinate me and confuse the heck ut of me

:splitspin :splitspin :splitspin :splitspin :splitspin

That is you with plumbing.

 

[nuch]

i agree deffinetly confusing. lol. Thats why i asked about getting the water up to the sump, cause i've seen some crazy plumbing stuff. As far as the water level rising when the pump is off. Only about 2-2.5 inches of water rises in the 75 gallon sump. Is a 30 gallon breeder just as high as a 20 gallon breeder? I have room for it to be wider from front to back and left to right, just no more room in height.

 

[thirty5]

I would not take the chance. If you can put it above then do that...