folkner Posted June 29, 2004 Share Posted June 29, 2004 I must admit I am feeling a bit guilty now after reading this post. I have always done the straight from the tap theory. I do limit my changers to 10% and have not seen a problem in my fish. If anything it normally causes them to breed. Folkner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo Posted July 2, 2004 Share Posted July 2, 2004 I do a weekly 50% water change by filling a 100 litre container (twice) with warm water (about 27 degrees) and then adding prime and cycle. I then pump the water into the tank. I have never had any problems and my Egyptian mouth brooders cannot stop breeding. Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViS Posted July 2, 2004 Share Posted July 2, 2004 What flow rate should I be aiming for? As a general rule you should look at turning over your water 3 times per hour. This of course depends on your stock levels, size of fish and size of system. If it's a big system (3000 litres plus) then 2 - 3 times per hour is heaps. If it's a small system (say four 3 footers) then I'd be aiming for 3 - 4 times per hour. A larger water volume is more stable and can handle less turnover. As long as the filtration system is good enough that is.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 Andy have you ever sat down and added up you total water capacity and the water turn over you do. I just did mine. 4 x 6x2x2 + mini reef = 3000lts At 230watts it costs me $57 per quater or $228 a year to run just the pump. Then you have the cost of the heaters. That’s where the $$$ add up. At a guess I would say about $400 a year. Then there is water… I am running a King 6 which should pump 8500L/H meaning I am turning my tanks over 2.8 times an hour presuming I am getting 8500L/H at the head hight I am running. So I would be safe to say I am turning each tank over twice an hour which is fine seeing as my tanks are extremely under stocked. I had never added it up before. I just ran of the fact that my water is crystal clear and my fish are happy and breed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViS Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 Yeah I run 3 pumps on my system. An 8500 litre, a 4200 litre and a 3000 litre. If I assume I lose 20% through head height, that leaves me with 12,500 approx on a 3500 litre system which is about 3.5 times per hour turnover. I have no doubt it is costing me more in electricity running the 3 pumps, but I'm always hesitant to leave the system relying on one big pump in case it stuffs out (like that would ever happen ). My system is lightly stocked too so I could probably get away with just the big pump running the lot. I'll be adding another pump soon for my marine system..... ....I'm not even going to consider working out the sums for that..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.s Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 Thanks for the replies! Sounds like the costs are going to be within reason for running the pump. For heating i'm planning on spending $$$ at the outset on good insulation and then heating the room with an oil heater or something like that.... or do you guys think it would be more cost efficient to heat the tanks with heaters in the sump? Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 I am sure most people will agree that heating or cooling an extremely well insulated room will be more economical than heating or cooling the tanks. Your tanks are always going to cool or warm to room temperature. If you make the room temp what you want you tanks to be then the tank have no choice but to go to that temperature. If you raise your tank temperature above room temperature then your tanks will then be heating the room. This is where the expense comes in. Using, depending on the size of your setup, 4 x 300w heaters on 24/7 over winter to heat a room is going to cost the earth, where as a heater that is on for maybe a total of 5 hrs a day is going to be a lot more economical. From what you have said For heating i'm planning on spending $$$ at the outset on good insulation and then heating the room with an oil heater or something like that. Sounds to me like you are heading down the right path. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.s Posted July 5, 2004 Share Posted July 5, 2004 Thanks a lot for all the input, it has helped a lot! Now its just a matter of making it happen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishie4me Posted July 5, 2004 Share Posted July 5, 2004 ducksta, why do you have to treat thew hole tank if there is only 60l of new water that is untreated going into the tank? i dont see the point as 80% of the water has been treated and aged and therefor i think you only need to treat the amount of water that you are adding into your tanks, i have always been odoing this and i dont really see the problem. however there might be bad effects doing it my way, if there is can you please tell so i can change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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