Pumps for water making & changing...

[sn4265]

I just recently got my RO/DI unit up and running and I'm now using my own water for top off. However, I haven't begun mixing my own salt water just yet and one reason is that I don't have any pumps for this. I'm assuming that I can use just a simple/cheap powerhead in the trashcan for mixing the saltwater. That part is easy enough. I'm wondering about what to use to pump the water from the trashcan into the tank, and out of the sump for doing cleanup.

The trashcan that I picked up for the salt water mixing/storage is a 30 gal with a roller base. This is in our laundry room on the same tile floor as the fish tank about 25 feet away so I don't need to worry about pumping water a great distance as I can just roll the trashcan over to the aquarium. I assume that I want a pump that I can attach tubing on both the input and output that way I can also use it to vacuum out the sump periodically.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[reefinmo]

sn4265, I'd like to find a good answer to those questions as well. From what I can gather on pumps, most of the pumps we hobbyists use aren't really designed to "pull" water out of vessel (say a sump). They do a better job of "pushing" water out of a vessel because of the way they are designed.

For water changes, I've read a lot of people like to use a "water changing python" system for water changes and vacuuming out a sump. You'll find a bunch of hits if you search for that in google. I've not tried one yet, but I've been thinking about it.

[J2T]

I have a Mag 2 with about 6 foot of hose attached that I just drop into the bottom of a can to pump the water into the tank. Works well for me.

[Lynnmw1208]

I use the maxijet 1200. It has the other attachments to stir up the saltwater and then turn it back into a pump to pump the water back into the tank.

[Netofficer3710]

I use a 400 GPH aquaclear with a 8 foot hose on it for pumping water

I use a cheap 15 dollar 250 GPH petco powerhead for mixing water, I run the puwerhead at the top of the trashcan with a lifter tube attached so it sucks the salt off the bottom and spits it out the top. I also have the air intake tube attached to aerate the water. This ensures I get good circulation through the mixing container.

I have 2 44 gal brute cans on dollies. one of these cans has a float valve and my RO fills into it, and the other can is my mixing container.

I would also recommend running a heater in the mixing container (I run them in both containers since I keep freshwater as well.)

[dwculp]

I also like the MJ-1200. When I had a 30 gallon trash can for saltwater I used to leave the MJ in powerhead configuration (actually, that was the ONLY config back then) churning the water. I then would pull it out and attach a hose when I was ready to pump water out during a water change. Once done, I pulled the hose off and dropped it back in.

[Baldguy]

I also use the Mag 2.

[lacosta28]

I use a maxxi jet 1200 for mixing water and to pump water from my brute can into the tank during water changes. I use a mini jet 404 pump for my ATO. I really like that little thing. It's small, inexpensive, reliable, AND adjustable.

[ihavtats29]

1 use a octopus 3000 from a old skimmer i had built and a heater, salt disolves better when it is at temp , you want to heat you water to the same temp you tank is at before adding it. and like the others i just attach some hose to pump into the tank.

[jeff@zina.com]

I have a Mag7 in mine, it also is a spare for my system. I also use MaxiJet 1200's for this purpose.

Jeff

[crvz]

Having been through so many tanks, I tend not to have a shortage of pumps on hand. For a 30 gallon water change, you'll probably want something with a bit higher flow rate than a mag2 or maxijet1200... but those will work fine if you're patient (meaning it will take longer to move the water). I use a mag 7 as well, with a bit of spare hose attached. For removing water from the sump, I generally get a small diameter hose to siphon out wastes, but that can be tedious if not at all possible depending on your configuration.

[J2T]

Yeah, depending on the size of your tank and the size of your water change the Mag 2 might just try your patience, but for me it works well. ;)

I guess my point for the OP was that you can really make just about any pump work.

[sn4265]

Well, I have a 120 gal tank with a 40 gal sump. I'm typically doing about 15 gal water changes when I do them. It may be better for me to bump this up to 20 gal or so, and this will be much more feasible now that I have the RO/DI unit at home and will soon begin making my own saltwater.

Now just to figure out if I have poisoned my tank by using a brass splitter on the laundry line to feed the RO/DI unit? This has me nervous at the moment. So far I've probably put about 20 gal of top off water from the RO/DI unit into the tank and everyone looks fine. I assume that the filters would pull any Cu out of the water passing through the fitting, but I'll replace that with a Zinc fitting this weekend I guess just to be safe.

[J2T]

I would think you might want to change that out but I understand that you should be ok as long as it is before the RO/DI.

[jeff@zina.com]

Now just to figure out if I have poisoned my tank by using a brass splitter on the laundry line to feed the RO/DI unit?
Not an issue. Brass and copper will be common in the water lines up to and inside your house anyway. It's contact with salt water that's an issue. Though I probably wouldn't want fittings like that in my RO/DI storage either.

FWIW, the time it takes for a brass fitting to be an issue is so long you really wouldn't remember you used brass anyway. :)

Jeff