Moving tanks to Basement of the house

[subramn]

due to multiple tank syndrome i started with 1 and now i have 8.  due to space issues from my spare bedroom need to move the tanks to basement.

i am wondering what are the options for water changes from basement to ground floor.

does any one run into this kind of situation of keeping tank in basement ?

any one has experiences with it. any recommendations.

[FrozenFins]

Are you talking about runing water to a floor drain. If so thats how I do waterchanges on some of my tanks and I haven't had any problems.

[subramn]

my basement is unfinished yet. yah. how do i do water changes?

[Andrew Puhr]

Do you have a sump in your basement? What I did was hook up a utility sink to drain into my sump it and then I luckily had a water supply line (just cold water) down there. So I use a python to the sink drain into the sump pit. My basement is unfinished to so it is really nice and getting water on the floor is not an issue which is a huge plus. 

[Mr_Manifesto]

I'm assuming your basement is 100% below grade (underground) and has no plumbing accessible down there.   If thats the case, options are going to be limited.  You might be able to get an extra long hose and use a python system, to suck the water up to the first floor, not sure how well that will work,  other options are something like using buckets or a large trash can and maybe get a pump to empty it up to the first floor,  that pump is going to need to handle whatever height (head pressure) it needs to pump too.  from basement to first floor is probably a good 10' to 15' height.  Other options might be using a basement window to drain (less head pressure). 

 

Does this unfinished basement have any hookups for water, maybe talk with a plumber and see how much it would be to add a hot/cold water line and a drain down there?

[subramn]

Yes i do have sump in the basement so can i drain the water into it?

[Andrew Puhr]

Most sumps drain either outside of the house or into a storm sewer. Mine drain into the storm sewer so as long as you have freshwater tanks I haven't had any issues with discharging through the sump. 

[subramn]

i have sump pump and also washer / dryer so there is a pipe line, probably i can split the water and use?

[subramn]

all i have is few guppy tanks. and they drain it into outside of the home.

[Andrew Puhr]

Yeah you could put a T on the supply lines for hot and cold for your washer to hook up to a utility sink to drain into your sump pump. I don't know where your washer drains to but in theory you could use that as well. 

[Mr_Manifesto]

hang on, you have a washer and dryer in the basement?  There is a drain that the washer is hooked up to, you can just tap into that. 

[Andrew Puhr]

I just have the sump but I wasn't sure how your washer drained if it is hooked up to an ejector pump. If you have a picture of it I can be of more help but potentially you can tap into it but I don't want to risk a leak for you. 

[Andrew Puhr]

Sump is the safer option most likely. 

[Mr_Manifesto]

If he has an actual plumbed drain that his washer is hooked up to, that is by far the better option.  The only thing using the sump will do is wear the pump out faster.  If there is no need to use it, why use it.

[subramn]

i attached pictures, could you please advice

[Mr_Manifesto]

 

The white pipe behind that 2x4 has the black drain pipe from your washer going into it correct?   that is a proper drain, i'd drain all your water there... there is probably an opening at the top to put that black pipe into, you should have room to stick another tube/pipe in there.  

[Mr_Manifesto]

From the looks of this, it looks like all you plumbing is roughed in , it would be fairly easy to get a plumber to add a utility sink, or if you or someone you know is handy, it'd be a weekend project 🙂

Edited January 11, 2021 by Mr_Manifesto
info

[subramn]

Thanks a lot yah i found it.. i didnt even know there was a drain i can stick an another pipe in it.

any idea to fill the water?

[Mr_Manifesto]

Well, you have hot and cold hookups right there at the washer, but that involves some plumbing, if you're not into having it hard plumbed, you could get garden hose splitters and hook them up below the red valves.  One side of each going to the washer, other side going to however you wanna do that, but you'll need to mix the water manually that way.  you could also plumb a utility sink that way, but you'd have to get the water back up to that drain.
other than that, you can run a hose from the floor above.  

Edited January 11, 2021 by Mr_Manifesto

[Andrew Puhr]

Since it is all PVC it should be easy enough to put something like below on to feed into a utility sink. 

 

[Andrew Puhr]

@Mr_Manifestoand I are on the same page. I think you are on the right track and wish you success! Can't wait to see your fish room set-up!

[subramn]

Thank you so much friends. i have got the idea now, my main worry was draining the water and i have a solution and i have a garden hose to take the water down stairs.

[Mr_Manifesto]

yeah.  If you are honestly turning this into a fish room,  I seriously think about having someone hard plumb a utility sink right next to that washer/dryer.  It will save you a bunch of headaches, and isn't really that expensive, but if that's not really an option, I would go with the splitters into a utility sink and maybe a bucket/pump to pump it back out that drain.

[subramn]

i am seriously looking into converting this to fish room, can you post some pictures or examples.

[Andy's Fish Den]

Something to think about, if you are doing racks of tanks, any tanks that are at the same level or lower that where that drain connection is will drain very slow or not at all. My suggestion would be if you are going to use a Python system, make sure you have plenty of hose, when you are draining it, run the hose to the sump pit in the floor. In my basement fish room, my utility sink sits higher than several of my tanks so they wont drain or drain slow, I just run the hose to the sump pit, not in the sink. I can take some pics later when I get home and show my set up.