So as most of you know. I run my tank a bit different then most. I like to go against the grain. It has been almost a year without a water change and I hate to admit it but it just feel like I'm hurting my system more then the experiment is worth. I will however state I do not believe water changes need to be made as much as most here would like to claim.

So any who My upstairs show tank is a 150gallon. Which runs down into the basement into a 90 gallon sump/refugium tank.

So I realized if I wanted to do a water change i wasn't about to use a siphon or cary buckets of water or anything like that.

I have a 40 gallon trash can which has RO water it it, level controlled by float valve. This water is then mixed with salt the day before a water change. Along with a heater that keeps the water a bit warmer.

There is 1" pipe running from the trash ban to an inlet on the sump controlled by a 3500 GPH pump and a ball valve. there is another pipe leading from right above the tank all the way outside. This pipe can easily be hotswaped with the return line as it is a T off the return line. Turning off the ball valve on return and turning on the output valve causes pumping water outside. turning outpipe off and return line on continues normal tank operation. Once the water is pumped out. the pre-mixed water can be pumped from the trashcan back to the sump. The water change from start to finish takes approx 10 minutes.

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sounds alot like my set up i use my eheim 2080 to pump the water out and turn a ball valve to fill it up from the holding tanks.

Id like to see pics of the remote sump, i run mine in another room then my tank but thats horizontal not vertical for the most part.

i'm also going to try to do video also

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that would be neat.

I need to get some free time to take pics, Ive had to deal with tons of fry these past two months and there looks to be no end in sight.

Are you pumping this water back up to the main level to go outside? I got mine plumbed into the house sump to eject it out of the house. Id only be able to use the water for maybe 6 months of the year around here outside for the plants and landscaping, it was 28 degrees this morning and only nov 1st.

my basement is partial in-ground. so I just pump right out the basement into the backyard. Pics and vid as soon as my stupid camcorder charges :-D

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If I had a big tank like that I would feel the same way you do. "I'm not carrying 15 gallons of water in buckets!!" But that isn't an issue. I have a 5 gal. fresh, and a 12 gal. salt.

here is the video

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Ahh ok you got a split level then, I got the full basement and dont want to get a huge pump to pump up 8 feet then out another 10 feet.

Lol, do you spend all your money on your tanks and can't afford to light your house? Seriously though, thanks for sharing, very interesting.

yeah again guys sorry for the terrible lighting haha, pictures tonight with a flash :-D

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thats funny, my basement is my fish level of the house(floor drains and concrete all around) and i truly dont need any lighting down here when the tank lights are on.
my 210 lights a 20x17 foot room like it was in a sunroom.

LOL. Interesting setup.

Great video, nice setup.
I just setup an automatic waterchange system also on my tank last week using my LitermeterIII pumps.
15% weekly, automatically.
I just need to keep the salt tank filled with saltwater.
If I forget to and it runs dry, it wont drain my tank the way I set it up with an overflow system in my sump for the draw to the drain. I will have to do a video to show you guys what I mean..

great idea!

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Turn your lights on before you start filming...

thats with all the lights on man, i just don't have very good lighting

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Nice setup.

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