Question on tanks with lots of coral and water changes

[PhoenixOne]

I see some here with corals loaded to the top. How to you perform water changes without the water level in the tank dipping to where the corals that are situated on the top most of the tank don't get exposed to air? This, I'd love to hear!

 

[nanoreefer22]

Make your water changes efficient is one way to minimize air exposure of the coral. Have all the make up water ready to add, drain the tank(about 5mins), then add your make up water. After all is said and done it should have been just a few minutes. The corals probably won't even notice, I've had frogspawn at the top of my tank and they were exposed to air many times without ill affects during water changes.

One way to completely stop air exposure is to use the water in the sump for a water change. That way the water in the main tank will stay level and the corals wont know the difference .

 

[Tonyscoots84]

just for some fyi some corals (sps corals) if i remember correctly are exposed to air on low tide for more then an hour... i wouldnt do it with my corals but do what mr. nanoreefer said up top :biggrin:

 

[PhoenixOne]

Water change from sump? You know, I tried that but I couldn't get a siphon going cause the sump is on the floor so I don't have the assistance of gravity.

 

[marrone]

Water change from sump? You know, I tried that but I couldn't get a siphon going cause the sump is on the floor so I don't have the assistance of gravity.

Use a pump or a power head. You can even run the hose right into the sink, if you're close enough.

 

[crox99]

Water change from sump? You know, I tried that but I couldn't get a siphon going cause the sump is on the floor so I don't have the assistance of gravity.

You can use a pH to pump the water out of the sump.

 

[PhoenixOne]

SONOVA.....that is a freakin great idea!!!:duh:. Why in the world didn't think of that!!! I have spare PH too!!! Thanks a whole bunch!!! Now I don't have to worry about doing water changes. I just got a bluespot jawfish on Fri and yesterday, while I was scraping coraline algae, all I heard was a "wooosh", and he disappeared. At that point, I knew he must of gotten out. I looked frantically around the tank. Then I stopped for a minute and heard a flopping sound. I lifed up my ballast againts the wall and there he was. Man was I lucky. Your advice is gonna be a world of help!! I thank you all soooo much!!!!:grouphug: