water changes?

[shizean]

what is the best way to change water in my 200 gallon tank i have a sump in the bottom. mix water and salt in a bucket and pour it in the top or in the sump, im not sure what the best way is.i also have a siphon that hooks up to the tap but again mixing the salt is my problem....thanks

[Trigger Man]

I would pour the mixed water into the sump where the water from your tank enters. That way it has time to mix with the tank water and keeps the temp more consistant.

[shizean]

wouldnt it overflow the sump?

[Trigger Man]

If you are doing a water change you are taking out water as well as putting in water. If you were just adding water yes it would overflow, but since you are taking out the same amount of water as you are putting in it will not overflow. When I do water changes I take out 1 bucket of water then add in a bucket of water and so on till I've changed the amount of water needed. My sump is only a 33g, so if I were to take out to much water before adding new water my sump pump would end up running dry.

[Kostas]

I have a very small sump!

Since I can’t just take a bucket of water out without the water level dropping to close to my return pump

What I do is have a tube coming out of my main tank siphoning into an empty bucket during my water changes

and as that is happening, I have a fresh bucket of pre mixed saltwater next to my sump and I just add cups full in till the exchange is done.

[fiorano]

i just turn my system off and use an internal pump in my sump to suck water out then put that same pump into my mixing bin and pump that in as i turn the return pump back on