Thinking of setting up Liter Meter for continuos Water Changes

[Mike]

I have the liter meter doing just top off right now. With Christmas coming I might buy the water change module and a second pump to pull water to the drain. This will alleviate the need for my to carry water upstairs and it is just around eight feet so the liter meter will have no issues. I figure I can set it for roughly 15 gallons a week and watch the parameter to see how much of the three part I will need to add. I am guessing with hte water being exchanged like this it will decrease dosing some.

[Reef Flyer]

Now I understand what you were talking about in your post last night!

I'm a relative newbie, and hadn't considered or even heard of doing the water change that way, using peristaltic pumps. This is something I could really use to help reduce my maintenance time/effort, and provide a more stable system at the same time!

Would you even need to heat the water, with doing it at a very slow rate?

[Mike]

put in a small powerhead to constantly circualte it so it does not stagnate and no heater is required.

[jimsflies]

My advice, both from a reefkeeping and keeping the household peace standpoint, is to keep it simple. A 5 gallon water change...or even a 2.5 once a week is easy to do and will avoid reefing catastrophe and limit the equipment/gadgets.

[Mike]

I was thinking of this making it simple. I do understand the limiting of the extra stuff though. It is a hard one and I guess I have time to mull it over. Still need to work out lighting right now.

[jimsflies]

It sounds simple...but your adding two or three(?) pumps and a water change module for your controller to manage something that can be done with a hose and a bucket in about 5 minutes once a week. And on top of that you have a top end skimmer (if I recall correctly) which should make up for an occasional slacking on water changes.

[stunreefer]

I agree with Jim on this... I would love automated water changes, but IMHO it's something else to fail, and I try to eliminate any and all points of fialure from my system.

I'm not that familiar with their "water change module", but what keeps the pumps running at the exact same rate? Pumps wear down over time and one would certainly be running faster than another, causing either too much water to be pumped in or out...