Using a sump pump for water changes

[gajeep94yj]

In the never ending effort to ease maintenance I am about to tackle my water changes.

I have a RO/DI unit in the basement pumping into a brute can. My tank is on the first floor and I am tired of carrying the buckets up the stairs (combination of bad back and laziness).

My initial thought was to drop a small pump into the brute and run small 1/4" line to the tank. I was advised that 1/4"would be too small and take forever and I would burn up my light weight pump because of head pressure.

I also got a recommendation of using a sump pump like people use in basements to get leaky basements dry. I would drop that into the brute and wire it up to a switch instead of a float switch. Then run some pvc from it to the ceiling, across the room, then up through the wall to my tank.

Would this work? Would the plastic leach chemicals? Would screws rust and contaminate it?


Any other thoughts? I know I'm not the only person doing this so any suggestions or recommendations would be appreciated!

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[myreefclub0070]

don't know the exact lay out but there has got to be a better way.

 

[gajeep94yj]

What do you need to know about the layout? Up 5-6', across the room in the ceiling around 12', then up another 5' or so into the tank.

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[gajeep94yj]

Ok let me ask this another way..

How can I make water changes more automated? How does everyone get their water from the brute containers to their tanks?

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[atlfishes]

How big is the tank? Do you have room for a sump in basement. I drain and add water through my basement sump.


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[w_hartyjr]

my sump is in the basement, thru the floor.

 

[gajeep94yj]

35 gallon display tank do not really worth separating the sump.

But the same concept would apply. Move the water from the tank in the basement to the tank upstairs. Only difference is mine doesn't need as much flow our even need to be quiet really....

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[serpent]

I went through this too when I moved into the new house. I would not use a sump pump, as most are made of iron.

If you are only going up 1 story, I would get a Mag 18 and plumb that up. I tried it with a Mag 9.5 and there isn't enough head pressure.

If you want to just have something quick and dirty, get a potable water hose, the kind for campers, and attached that to the pump with PVC fittings. They make them to where you can attach water hoses to them. Also, remove the metal fittings from the hose and replace them with plastic ones. I know Walmart has these.

To control the pump, get one of those remote controlled outlets (the kind you see during Christmas). The controller has an on and off button that way you can run the hose to the tank and when it is done filling, just turn it off.

That is the cheapest and easiest way to automate. Now if you want to hard plumb it, same still applies with the exception of the water hose. Of course if you have an Apex you wouldn't need the remote outlet.

 

[bkostuch]

I am lazy and have my brutes in the same room, originally had a mag 12 but downsized to a mag 9.5 for it. I still have my mag 12 that is available for sale , PM me if interested.

 

[gajeep94yj]

I have a hard time believing the only way to move water up 15' is with a $150 pump!

Gotta be a cheaper solution.

Finding lots of sump pumps that are not cast.

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[bkostuch]

Yeah you would need a Mag18 for 15' head. Mag12 will shutoff @ 15'. i saw someone selling an Mag18 for around 55$. That's not a bad price, most used Mags are running about that.