Partial water change

[Ladykrup]

I am ready to do a partial water change. The pH has dropped a bit and I know it is time. (55 gallon tank). I will have to change a good chunk of the water since this is the first time and I have waited probably longer than I should have. Will I need to turn off the filter? If I take out 10-20% of the water (assuming there are about 40 gallons in there with the rocks and all) the water will no longer flow into the overflow box. Do we shut it down, siphon out, replace with our new water, and turn it back on? Now I am beginning to understand the benefit of doing it every two weeks, seems like there would be less water to fool with. Thanks for the help!

[riptide]

You will need to shut off yor filters.... The pump will move all of the water from the sump into the display tank unless it is disable once your water level drops below the overflow... I would recommend bereaking the siphon, and then shuting off the pump.... This way you can also get a much better idea of exactly how mush water you are replacing..

[fishfreek]

Are you running a sump?

If so then take the water out of your sump vs out of your main system. If you dont have a bunch of extra capacity in your sump you will have to shut down your sump by turning off the sump pump. Wait for the water to stop backflowing. Then take the water out of your sump and put new saltwater into your sump. If your heater is in the sump unplug it if its expose to air during this process. Once your ready to go you can start your sump pump back up. Your overflow should start its syphon back up automaticly. Its good to verify that it starts up but it should assuming you did not allow air to get into the U tube (assuming its a hang on overflow).

[Ladykrup]

Am I running a sump? I have no idea! I have the wet/dry/trickle or whatever filter. There is part of that with water in it and a pump. When I add water to top off the tank I have started putting it in this part of the filter (hope that is O.[acronym:4b6ce436ea="Kelvin or Potassium, depending on context"]K[/acronym:4b6ce436ea].). Is that the sump?

[fishfreek]

For this use you can classify a wet/dry as a sump. Its fine to add top off water to your wet/dry filter. Infact you shoudl have a max fill line on your sump and use that line as a point of knowing where to top the sump off to.