95% Water Change? Check out the video!

[NanaReefer]

Funny how so many are focusing on the use of Sea Water and not the fact that if you want to get your parameters back in check the best and safest way to do so is by large water changes. In stead of using chemicals.
That's what I've taken from this video/article anyways He also mentioned how he kept his corals wet during the entire process, so there was little to no danger to them.
Read the entire article!

Quote from the article:
When doing large water changes, the greater the fraction of water being changed the more crucial it becomes to ensure the replacement water is of the utmost quality, completely mixed, oxygenated and of an appropriate temperature. With water pulled off the reef he doesn’t have any of those issues, except to keep his water warm. End Quote.


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[turfster26]

FWIW......I've been doing 50% WC every 3-4 weeks on my 60-gl LPS Cube for several years will NO ILL efforts.

IMHO....it is the least expensive way to control your Alk, Cal, Phos and Nitrates. I do not incorporate and Bio-Pellets and only change my GFO and Carbon every 5-6 weeks. I do veeeeery little else to the tank as I find the large water changes do most everything the tank needs.

 

[jeffmit]

Thank you for sharing this - Q: What is the diffuser he is using to refill the tank without stirring up the substrate? I like that idea!

 

[jduck]

Thank you for sharing this - Q: What is the diffuser he is using to refill the tank without stirring up the substrate? I like that idea!

Looked like a plastic deli container with holes drilled in it.

 

[eliramos]

There's companies that sale it that run it through filtration before it gets sold.

really? do you know any places that actually do that? i would love to use natural sea water in my tank even if i have to have it delivered?

also quick question to everyone!

i have a 29 gallon biocube
im working on having a heavy bio load so im in the habit of doing 5 gallon water changes 2-3 times a week, my parameters are always perfect its pretty sweet doesnt take too much time
my only question is how long is seawater or even r.o okay to sit in a close 5gallon container? id rather buy my water once a week instead of driving twice.

 

[RichieT]

I was doing 5 gal water changes on my 12 nano once a week without issue. The only thing that would concern me about a tank that large is taking away the buoyancy that the water provides to some of those larger colonies. I know he mentioned that they were epoxied well but that doesn't prevent the longer branches from getting taxed by gravity. Also with softies and nems I can imagine them hanging in awkward positions or even laying across non friendlies. Just pointing out a few things from experience. Water changes are fantastic though, bigger the better

 

[RichieT]

really? do you know any places that actually do that? i would love to use natural sea water in my tank even if i have to have it delivered?

also quick question to everyone!

i have a 29 gallon biocube
im working on having a heavy bio load so im in the habit of doing 5 gallon water changes 2-3 times a week, my parameters are always perfect its pretty sweet doesnt take too much time
my only question is how long is seawater or even r.o okay to sit in a close 5gallon container? id rather buy my water once a week instead of driving twice.

You can def keep saltwater or rodi in a container for a week. At some point it's going to be worth it to get a small rodi for yourself. The tuck away very nicely.

 

[redtop03]

Considering all the reefs in nature that are declining/dying off I think you are on to something.

I think global warming is more to blame for natural reef dye off than pollutants,the increase in water temperature is the cause of a lot of the bleaching SPS at least according to some of the documentaries that I've seen

I think that nature is much better at making sea water than man and would much rather use it but I would want it directly from the reef and not from a beach somewhere...

PaulB uses natural sea water all the time in his 40+ year old reef tank he uses reverse flow under gravel filtration too

 

[cdness]

I don't know, the amount of plumbing required and the size of the pump needed to draw natural saltwater to West Fargo, ND may get to be expensive. Anyone in Florida have an extra outlet I can plug the pump into? Do I need a permit for the pipeline and will 1" PVC work?

All kidding aside, if you have the resources to do this it would be great. There are a few public aquariums that run with a consistent flow from the ocean so the water is always fresh. There are always unknowns that can occur, but the stability of the ocean would help I would think. Those of us "in-landers" will never know what this is like

 

[SloppyJ]

I think global warming is more to blame for natural reef dye off than pollutants,the increase in water temperature is the cause of a lot of the bleaching SPS at least according to some of the documentaries that I've seen

I think that nature is much better at making sea water than man and would much rather use it but I would want it directly from the reef and not from a beach somewhere...

PaulB uses natural sea water all the time in his 40+ year old reef tank he uses reverse flow under gravel filtration too

This. I'm pretty sure it's the change of ozone, UV light, and temperature more than the water itself.

 

[WesF]

This. I'm pretty sure it's the change of ozone, UV light, and temperature more than the water itself.

Acidification and pollution/runoff are often blamed for reef die off.

 

[FragDaddy]

Pretty interesting!

 

[zoous]

Not sure if he had any palythoas in the tank but if I did that with my tank all of my sps's would bleach out.

 

[SloppyJ]

Acidification and pollution/runoff are often blamed for reef die off.

Acidification can be from environmental factors as well. I totally agree that pollution is a major concern. I have a friend that went to the gulf and spent all of last summer checking water parameters in the estuary around LA. I just believe that the major factor is climatic conditions and everything associated with that. Eutrophication is a serious problem though.

 

[redtop03]

Acidification and pollution/runoff are often blamed for reef die off.

pollution could also be a factor,and with the polar ice caps melting,it is changing the salinity I would imagine....I still think it is better than man made salt,at least more consistent, I've had reef crystals salt to have different parameter reading from different buckets of salt

 

[Paul B]

Hmmm do you guys think it would also depend on the beach you get it from? Idk I think sea water is great but what about the pollutants, bacteria or parasites? Any thoughts?

I don't change much water but many of my corals are out of the water when I do them. I also use "some" NSW and would use all NSW if it were not so heavy. I also collect water right from the beach on Long Island as the picture shows but I started the tank with water from the Long Island Sound right near Manhattan. I also collect mud from bays to add to my tank for the bacteria. I have been using this water, usually with no treatment for 42 years. I don't worry about or ever get any paracites or diseases and some of my fish are almost 20 years old and spawning. I think people worry to much about using NSW as virtually all of your animals came from NSW with the exception of a few clowns or cardinals that someone raised. I only treat NSW if it smells or if it has red tide, then I add "Clorox".
Yes you read that correctly. I usually use ASW only because it is easier but I don't like it and would rather use all NSW.

 

[mainereefer]

I dont think I would collect water from the beach!! waves and beach sand are natures way of skimming.... who wants to put some of my skimmer water in their tank?

the places that sell nsw and live sand dont get it from the beach I once read something about a few miles out and water that was something like atleast 50' deep
I have used a little water from way out, in maine our water is green for a reason warm that up and a plankton bloom would reck a tank.

 

[chris neill]

i do very large water changes also colect my own water, the beach is the last place u want to colect. best is a chennal as the tide is comming in,usualy 1 hour before peak. i test the water as i c0lect it also. usuly colect 1000L and use that within a month

 

[Paul B]

I dont think I would collect water from the beach!! waves and beach sand are natures way of skimming

I just collected a bunch of grass shrimp, amphipods and seaweeds from around my boat and dumped it in my tank. As I said, I have been doing this for decades and never had a problem.

 

[mainereefer]

I just collected a bunch of grass shrimp, amphipods and seaweeds from around my boat and dumped it in my tank. As I said, I have been doing this for decades and never had a problem.

I collect all kinds of live food from tidepools. but not the water!