WATER CHANGES with sumps.

[wolvo23]

Ok how does everyone with sumps do water changes? Whats the easy way to change a large amount of water? around 500-600litres runing 8 tanks.

[fullychichlid]

Ok dont know if this helps.

I do my water changes by turning off the pump, letting all the water drain into sump, then siphone water and all waste out of the bottom of the sump. This way I dont disturb my fish in the tank so he does not get stressed. My tank is approx 550 litres with 75 litres in the sump, this ratio works well for me I do water change once a fortnight.

[CThompson]

turn pump off,

drain 1/3 from each tank,

refill each tank with water pre prepaired (salts, buffers etc),

turn pump on,

add water to system to adjust sump water level.

[kasm]

turn pump off,

drain 1/3 from each tank,

refill each tank with water pre prepaired (salts, buffers etc),

turn pump on,

add water to system to adjust sump water level.

I do weekly water changes by turning off the pump and never touch anything else from the sump, drain around 30% of water from the tank and refill the tank with new water. My sump is full of matrix and bioball, I don't think disturbing the sump with full of good bacteria is a good idea, the only thing I clean from the sump once every month is the filter foam, the rest of the sump you can clean once every two year.