Ascidians can be used as indicators of ocean pollution. Microcosmus sulcata concentrates heavy metals cobalt, zinc, chromium and selenium, and Ciona intestinalis indicators iron build-up. Other species accumulate scandium, antimony and some other harmful pollutants.
Sick of having to lug buckets of water around to do a water change? Don't enjoy that 'lovely' saltwater taste as you get a mouthfull after starting a siphon? Well, here is a simple and easy project to do that will get rid of all of that hassle. And it is a perfect way to do large percentage water changes without having to expose any of the reef structure.
This project idea only works on a system that uses an overflow. How it works and the procedure is as follows:
Turn off the flow from the return pump using a valve. This allows water in the main tank to drain to the minimum level via the overflow. Good idea to turn off the return pump here after you have closed the valve, of course.
Turn off all circulation pumps in the tank and allow the current to settle for around 5 minutes or so.
Run a hose from a pump for the fresh saltwater into the tank at the opposite end of the tank to the overflow. This, along with the last step, is to reduce the amount of mixing of the fresh and old water. Therefore the majority of the water coming out of the tank is old water. Of course some mixing will occur, reducing the efficiency of the water change, which the small problem with this system.
Run another hose from a T point below the overflow to drain to waste. The drain point should be lower than the water level in the tank.
Turn the valve off from the overflow to the sump, and turn on the side T valve that will allow water from the overflow to drain to waste.
Now turning on the pump in the fresh saltwater will move water into the tank, increasing the water level. As the water level increases water will start to flow over the overflow, and via the drain pipe to waste. No need to measure any volumes of the water change to make sure that the same amount is put back is as what is taken out, the minimum water level due to the overflow takes care of all of this.
Once the required amount of water has been changed, turn off the pump in the fresh saltwater and allow the tank to drain to the minimum water level via the overflow. Turn off the drain valve and open the valve from the overflow to the sump.
Then open up the valve on the return pump and turn back on.
Water change is now done.
Below is a diagram and list of parts required to do this. The list of parts is very general, because it depends on how things are plumbed the exact parts needed. But it should give you the idea.
Water Changer Diagram
Required Parts
Return pump valve
This is to shut off water flow to the main tank and stop any draining from the tank into the sump via a route other than the overflow.
If this was allowed to happen then would be difficult to measure the correct amount of water for the water change.
Overflow drain valve
Valve located in the line from the overflow to the sump to stop water flowing into the sump while performing the water change.
T fitting
To split the overflow line to the sump into two paths, must be located upstream of the overflow drain valve.
Water change valve
Located on the side of the T fitting to allow water to drain while performing the water change.
Water change pump
To pump water from the storage container into the tank.
Hose
Two lengths, one from the water change pump and the other fromm the water change valve to a drain.
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