# Water change systems



## Green Reef (Apr 26, 2007)

I think everyone goesa through a phase of really hating weekly waterchanges. I'm building a new 85 gallon setup at the moment, and I'm researching some systems that will make water changes a little easier and less messy than emptying into buckets and then re-filling.

I'm thinking of having drilled in plumbing at the back that connects both to the drain and to the outside tap. Then by having 2 taps on the pipe I can then control either a drain or a fill directly into the tank with ease. 

Has anyone tried this, or have any other systems that work for them?


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...cts/29066-continuous-water-change-system.html is the water change system I use. It has been in use for almost a year now and I couldn't be happier with it. I still have to do occasional 50+% changes in order to do major tank maintenance, but for routine changes I do nothing - the water changes itself continuously. No problems at all, and the drain water now goes to a 5 gallon bucket, where I use it to water my deck plantings.


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## Green Reef (Apr 26, 2007)

Hoppy - thankyou, your system for the constant water change is awesome - great DIY job on the plumbing. Could you post a picture sometime of your overflow system that you have drilled into your tank?

At the moment I'm thinking about plumbing into the filter in and out tubes. Adding a T junction and 2 taps to both lines so I can pump the water out and then turn on the tap outside and fill it up. 

I'll post a picture soon of what I'm planning for a critique.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

My overflow system is extremely simple. My tank had been drilled at the top right corner when I got it, so I installed a bulkhead fitting, with an elbow on it, inside the tank. The elbow is turned to the opening is at the top and level with the top of the tank. I trimmed the top of the elbow about a quarter inch to lower it to where I wanted the water level to be. On the outside of the tank I just attached a hose barb for 3/4 inch clear vinyl 3/4 inch ID hose, which went to another same size hose barb on the end of a piece of 1/2" PVC pipe sticking through the wall to my deck outside. On that I plumbed a downward facing elbow and 1/2" pvc to a tee with a shut-off valve under the tee; the outlet of the shutoff valve goes to the edge of the deck. The horizontal leg of the tee has a short stub of pipe in it. If the shutoff valve is open it drains off the edge of the deck. If it is closed it drains thru the short pipe in the tee to drip into a 5 gallon bucket. Most of the time I just fill the bucket, then use that water for the plantings on my deck. Very simple and easy to make, plus fool proof. So far I have only found one shrimp and one guppy that drained into the bucket!


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