Fast pump for 60 gallon water change?

[s2002]

I have a 60 gallon tank and it takes me 20 minutes to drain 75% of water during water changes using a regular siphon. (Roughly 135 gallons per hour.)

Would love to cut this down to 5 minutes or less. Here are some of my requirements for this pump:


Ideally would like to spend no more than $150.
The pump must not leak! Tank is in home office if anything leaks I'll be in big trouble.
Dirty tank water has to travel 15 feet from tank to the yard.
I have a planted tank (jungle val) with Petco black sand (its pretty heavy sand, not very dusty). Don't want pump that will kick up too much sand or kill plants.


So those are the requirements for the pump for taking water OUT.

But I may also need to use the pump to pump water from my water aging tank INTO the show tank. The show tank is 25 inches tall, sitting on a 30 inches tall stand (so overall 55 inches vertical). The aging tank is placed on the floor next to the show tank, so the pump would have to pump 55 inches (4.58 foot) up. I want to make sure I get a pump that can do this quickly as well.

Some questions:


What pump is going to save me the most time in taking out and putting in water from aging tank?
Seen some suggestions in this forum for this Dannon mag drive pump (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003WRG4NU/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza). What do you think? Which model should I get?
Not sure if using inline or submersible. Suggestions welcome.
What kind of hose do I get to go with your suggested pump?
How should I use the pump in a way that won't disturb the sand and plants too much?
Are the gallons per hour ratings for pumps accurate? When I'm pumping water vertically up 4.58 foot, will I still be getting the same gallons per hour or would it be like half the rate promised?


Thank you for your help!

[Ryan925]

101334101335

This is what I just started using works great.

[Clawhammer]

I have a 120 and I do 50% WC every day. I just completed my project to speed this up as fast as possible (without drilling the tank). I now drain the 60 gallons of water in 4 minutes and refill in 4 minutes.

Here is the (1/2 HP) pump:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002YQUBM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

When I originally set it up it took twice as long. The key was large hoses (5/8' or 3/4" ID) and full flow valves like these. Also, you will need reinforced hoses because the suction of the pump is so great is will collapse the hose on the intake side.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000A4XS0K/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/Pressure-Braided-Tubing-Clear-Reinforced/dp/8963293440/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1473771699&sr=1-1&keywords=3%2F4+reinforced+tubing

I also use my old submersible pump in the bottom of the aging barrel for a little extra lift. The only downside is the pump sounds like a hair dryer.

[s2002]

This is what I just started using works great.

Thank you Ryan! You're a lifesaver as usual. May I ask what you think the gallon per hour is? (or you can tell me how many minutes it takes to clear a specific number of gallons and I can figure it out that way).


I have a 120 and I do 50% WC every day. I just completed my project to speed this up as fast as possible (without drilling the tank). I now drain the 60 gallons of water in 4 minutes and refill in 4 minutes.

Awwww yisssss. 60 gallons in 4 minutes? THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. :thumbsup:

Assuming that I only use the Wayne pump (no additional submierssible pump to give "extra lift"), how long do you think it will take for me to bring 40 gallons of water from floor level to 55 inch higher (top of my display tank)?

Also, given how STRONG this pump is, how do you deal with the strength? How do you protect the fish/plants/substrate when pumping out? And how do you make the water fall gently when dumping in?

Thanks again for such detailed advice!

[Clawhammer]

Awwww yisssss. 60 gallons in 4 minutes? THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. :thumbsup:

Assuming that I only use the Wayne pump (no additional submierssible pump to give "extra lift"), how long do you think it will take for me to bring 40 gallons of water from floor level to 55 inch higher (top of my display tank)?

Also, given how STRONG this pump is, how do you deal with the strength? How do you protect the fish/plants/substrate when pumping out? And how do you make the water fall gently when dumping in?

Thanks again for such detailed advice!

Before I added the extra pump in the aging barrel it took 7 minutes for 60 gallons, so 5 minutes for 40 gallons without the additional pump.

I also use a submersible pump inside the tank to drain, mostly because it nicely attaches to the glass, I had it already and might as well use it, and the intake grating distributes the water well when water is pushed back through it. I also have a bare bottom tank.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41fTmUTsZiL._AC_UL115_.jpg

[s2002]

Hi Clawhammer!

I took your great advice and ordered the items you suggested. I just received all three of the items you suggested today:

-- 1/2 hp pump (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002YQUBM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1).
-- Gilmour Full Flow Poly Connector (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000A4XS0K/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
-- 3/4" ID 10 Ft High Pressure Braided PVC Tubing Clear Hose Braid Reinforced (https://www.amazon.com/Pressure-Braided-Tubing-Clear-Reinforced/dp/8963293440/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1473771699&sr=1-1&keywords=3%2F4+reinforced+tubing)

Here's a picture of me trying to connect the intake side of the pump (http://imgur.com/a/U8I51). On the very bottom is the pump. The bronze connector is a connector that came with the pump, and it is connecting the intake hole of the pump with the Gilmour Full Flow Poly connector.

On the top is my hand holding the clear hose up to the Gilmour connector. The diameter of the hose is exactly the same diameter of the threaded output of the connector. So I can't connect them. Should I get a bigger/smaller hose, or should I get an adapter to connect them? Or am I doing something wrong?

A few additional questions:

-- The instructions talk about priming the pump. Is this necessary? Do I have to do this every time I pump water?
-- What kind of output hose/connector do you recommend? Does it also have to be reinforced? Or is that not as important on the output side?
-- When I turn on the pump, will the suction be so strong that it will suck in all my plants (i have jungle vals) and sand? or is it pretty manageable?
-- Can the pump run "dry" for a few seconds? Or will that destroy the pump immediately?

Sorry for so many questions. I'm very excited about this setup and really appreciate your insights!



I have a 120 and I do 50% WC every day. I just completed my project to speed this up as fast as possible (without drilling the tank). I now drain the 60 gallons of water in 4 minutes and refill in 4 minutes.

Here is the (1/2 HP) pump:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002YQUBM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

When I originally set it up it took twice as long. The key was large hoses (5/8' or 3/4" ID) and full flow valves like these. Also, you will need reinforced hoses because the suction of the pump is so great is will collapse the hose on the intake side.


https://www.amazon.com/Pressure-Braided-Tubing-Clear-Reinforced/dp/8963293440/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1473771699&sr=1-1&keywords=3%2F4+reinforced+tubing

I also use my old submersible pump in the bottom of the aging barrel for a little extra lift. The only downside is the pump sounds like a hair dryer.

[Clawhammer]

Sorry for the slow reply, just saw this. What I did was cut the end off an old garden hose, insert it in the reinforced hose (may have to dip the hose in boiling water to get it to stretch) and then secured it with a hose clamp. The hose that runs to my aging barrel is a drinking water garden hose and the one that runs to drainage is a simple garden hose (all 5/8's ID). I also use quick connectors to make flipping around the unit easy.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xWV9tbnAbwWHAKxE54KiymxYzCTl5wrxUmVK4qlWCrwm9Mt6Ju gZJzFlTQHQ_0eWAVy3yTPSNWAJGcKjfm75JLJpTu9TWORcIVNQ WWBdoNSLkUwCTkGpVpZOi7vuttIvSX1GeNGftEqot9GiILONHB Q4j_OksD12QdzqPWtag_RPKubohViSqabmqidcNjZCPbzIac3P lGsXqQWVFqiBh75BscZtkq4Fy5MKZEx4meoPATHlH4W4Pf-xsKsJ-vXa8DopfI_XaHYkwpu8qj9wbplbDKYgpy-MYOPFrFzvpUG5li6F18xWpZOPwavcYk7-YAWdetEV-NnuvLOxqgrjF-AnQlyHbLMkrWJC-H6VnqAPzMHY9P0522ox-gxra6TBXsEl42YYB2NWhhuUW48eIQkkwT6TEeJi_sD-UOECJzaI9rrzvlDYT_gDCBu410LE_nYYXs19z8mteWzOMXNoOe 00FjI5pW8VVSXLz4Cx7vYTgLcFood3VcRZnar1rAj31bVmcLwD vcxExFFzxQIDvmKST-lOnZmtEiC_gRak6HNDD13phrB1jDS89PYIbrHy0PXYOBsqfdr-Ba2CFFmfg2rKJz40wC9ojHyg0_R6_hadslRFRg=w1274-h955-no

1.) It will self prime, but try to leave the the pump as full of water as possible after changing.
2.) Here is what I use. It is drinking water safe and reinforced. It will only collapse under pressure if it is kinked. https://www.amazon.com/Camco-22853-Premium-Drinking-Water/dp/B004RNR9QY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1475586003&sr=8-2&keywords=drinking+water+hose
3.) I have a bare bottom tank so I do not have that issue. The suction is very strong, you will want to find a spot without a lot of plants
4.) It says self priming, I think its ok. Mine sometimes goes dry at the end for a few seconds and its ok. It is slightly louder when dry and you can hear the volume decrease when its primed. I actually have submersible pumps at both ends of my system that I use to prime the pump and provide extra lift, although I don't believe they are necessary (I just had them from my previous system).

[Clawhammer]

Found this in case you don't have an old hose you want to cut up..

https://www.amazon.com/A8012-Garden-Repair-Mender-Stainless/dp/B01HNWY7JC/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1475587622&sr=8-9&keywords=garden+hose+fittings

[s2002]

Sorry for the slow reply, just saw this.

Oh my gosh you're too nice! I asked these long questions at night and the next morning the answers are already there. You're too kind.

Thank you so much for the answers. I will make the adjustments and report back immediately. You just saved me a ton of time. My discus and family thanks you!