Water Change....?

As I type this I'm watching my RO/DI setup trickle into an 80gal bowfront, my first SW setup! I have about 20 more gallons to go.

I've added salt mix and am waiting a few more hours to add my live sand, if everything goes well I have 100lbs of live rock to pick up this afternoon at my LFS.

I understand during my initial cycle I will be doing quite a bit of WC's and am just curious as to what you guys would reccomend. My setup is in my living room and I'm curious how to drain and replace >20% of the total volume (20+gal) without making a disaster/mess in my living room.

I have about a 25 gallon rubbermade container I was planning on mixing in, then using a small pump to fight gravity and send clean water back into the tank. Just curious if anyone had any better ideas? Thanks in advance....!


PS. Watching water trickle is painfully boring and my patience is being tested! I guess I picked an interesting hobby for my impatient personality....?

 

Yea, the best piece of advice anyone can offer you is also 3reef's motto: "Go slow, let it grow." But as for water changes, I think your method for adding water is a lot easier than mine (I just pour it in from 5 gallon buckets). for removing it you can get one of those siphon tubes and use another tub that is the same size as the one u mix ur clean water in, so you can exactly match the amount of water you take out to the amount you're putting back in. sounds like you're gonna have a fun aquascaping weekend!

 

You'll want to wait until after your cycle to begin water changes. Just let the tank sit with the live sand and rock and nature take its course. Check daily your ammonia nitrite and nitrate levels. When you see ammonia spike then fall and nitrite spike then fall you should be left with ammonia 0 nitrite 0 and nitrate will rise. Now you can do a water change and add a small hardy fish.

 

I don't think you are supposed to do water changes during your cycle. I'm not 100% sure if this holds for every situation, but i think for most.
I think using the pump would cut down on the work and mess a lot.
I learned that you need a lot of patience to do this hobby right.

 

Welcome to 3reef.

You do not need to change water during the cycle. Just keep the water level topped off. Don't worry about using your lights either, nothing light needy is in the tank. Start the cycle by using a piece of table shrimp, the most humane way not using livestock. Don't worry about parameters until you are ready to start stocking the tank. Get your parameters in line before you order your clean up crew, the first additions to the tank.