Cheap Pump

Just need a pump that I can connect a hose to so I can do water changes easier. All the specifics don't matter much. I just need it to be cheap!!! lol.

How are you doing water changes now?

I use an Aqueon water changer. One end hooks to your garden hose so your water goes outside. I think you can hook it to your sink but I have not tried that yet. It removes and refills and its not too expensive like $30

Just good old fashion gravity. Siphon water out of tank into bucket on the floor. Put bucket that has new water on top of another bucket that's on top of the table (to raise it higher than my tank) so it will siphon back into the tank.

I used to do that, almost reminds me of having to drain a waterbed uggh lol.
The water changer I mentioned will save you alot of time.

This is going to sound funny but I love spending time doing this stuff. I'm more upset when I have nothing to do than when I need to do a lot. However, the bucket on top of a bucket on the table thing is just a little too much. Plus my wife freaks out every time a drop of saltwater gets on the table.

Matt
I use an old maxijet 1200, Since I only change four gallons at a time I mix it in a 5 gal. bucket and then just carry it in to the tank, hook up a 4' piece of hose and pump it in the tank. Sure beats the gravity thing.

BTW, I turn off all pumps, siphon out the four gallons and pour it down the toilet, best way to get rid of it.

Nice... throwing it off the side of my deck would start killing my grass sooner or later. lol.

Would you suggest weekly water changes instead of bi-weekly for my tank while it's so young? Or bi-weekly would be okay still?

Matt
When I started out, I changed every week but have since gone to every other week because when I would test my water before changes it would still have calcium levels around 460 so I saw no need for weekly changes, even changing biweekly now the calcium level stays around 460. Only thing I have noticed is my alk dropped a little. My DKH now stays around 7-8 which is fine for this type tank. But to answer your question, yes, I would say four gallons every two weeks is fine.

I talked with a guy yesterday that has the same tank i do and he has only been changing water once a month and he was having problems with his corals not opening. He was also using a skimmer which I don't like to do in a nano running Chemipure and Purigen, just my experience, I don't like skimmers, they have always caused me problems. They are probably needed in a large tank with infreqent water changes and lots of dosing but unnesasary and non benificial and in my opinion harmful in a small tank.

I know I will probably get bashed for that statement but from about fourty years experience, thats the conclusion I have come up with.

on my freshwater tanks.... i just pull the garden hose in.... ill make sure the line is full, turn off the spray head, put it in the tank, then walk outside and unscrew it from the faucet and its a ready made siphon. i then just go inside, and take off the nozzle (while under water) and i can drain 50% of my 240 in a relativly short amount of time. when ready to fill it i just put the nozzle back on, go screw it back to the faucet, and turn it on, and go back in and fill.

no mess no fuss no muss. AND NO BUCKETS!

haulin water for a 240 in buckets gets old REALLY FAST!

dang... keep sayin my 240.... i sold it 2 days ago.... LOL.... sigh....

FYI, those cheap 20 dollar powerheads they sell at walmart, will fit perfectly into a 5/8" hose with a tight enough fit that they wont easily come off. thats how i move water to and from my saltwater tanks, as well as mix my salt

matt did you find your pump??