A Water Change A Day...
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mcarroll
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Prefilters (sediment,carbon), membranes and DI resin all have finite lifespans determined by the water they filter, not by their rating. If you're even slightly cheap or lazy about replacing them or are just a bad guesser about when they've stopped doing their job, it's not hard for some nutrients like phosphate to get into your RODI reservoir.
Some also forget (or are lazy) about "TDS creep"...less specific but basically still means nutrients in the RODI water.
-Matt
Some also forget (or are lazy) about "TDS creep"...less specific but basically still means nutrients in the RODI water.
-Matt
scubasteve2580
Community Member
I think that's a problem for me. I use glacier water because I don't have a RO anymore. But really thinking I may pick one up soon. Make things easier anyway, plus the water is probably 10x's better
In The Deep
New Member
I have a 300 gal mixed reef system and usually do a mass water change once a week of about 40-50 gallons. I started the regime of approx. 7-8 gallon a day water change for 5 days (mon-fri) last Tuesday(3/27), after reading about this here. I have to say it has only been a week and 2 days and I do see a difference in my Acans, zoas, acros, hammers, etc.. Thank you for sharing your experience here.
beaslbob
2500 Club Member
Perhaps already mentioned in this thread but assuming you have a constant daily rate of change and the water change schedule it "tied" to the frequency (10% every 10 days, 20% ever 20 days etc.) the tank winds up having the same exact parameters just before a water change in all those schedules. What does change is the mount after the water change.
equation before water change=(buildup)/(fraction of change) + amount in replacement water.
buildup =1ppm per day
days before waterchange after water change
50______100ppm___________50ppm
25______100ppm___________75ppm
20______100ppm___________80ppm
10______100ppm___________90ppm
5_______100ppm___________95ppm
1_______100ppm___________99ppm
.5______100ppm___________99.5ppm
continuous_100ppm_________100ppm
my .02
equation before water change=(buildup)/(fraction of change) + amount in replacement water.
buildup =1ppm per day
days before waterchange after water change
50______100ppm___________50ppm
25______100ppm___________75ppm
20______100ppm___________80ppm
10______100ppm___________90ppm
5_______100ppm___________95ppm
1_______100ppm___________99ppm
.5______100ppm___________99.5ppm
continuous_100ppm_________100ppm
my .02
McCaroll, Lets say i have a 40 Gallon tank, 50 gallon total volume. I feed once or twice a week.
Parameters:
Nitrates are always "0"
Phosphates "0 - 0.25"
I dose Cal, Alk, Mag
strontium- 1x per week
Reef plus- 2x per week
What would be a good water change schedule?
Parameters:
Nitrates are always "0"
Phosphates "0 - 0.25"
I dose Cal, Alk, Mag
strontium- 1x per week
Reef plus- 2x per week
What would be a good water change schedule?
ReefMadScientist
Valuable Member
Curious on what results you found by doing a water change a day. Where were your parameters before compared to now?
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mcarroll
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McCaroll, Lets say i have a 40 Gallon tank, 50 gallon total volume. I feed once or twice a week.
Parameters:
Nitrates are always "0"
Phosphates "0 - 0.25"
I dose Cal, Alk, Mag
strontium- 1x per week
Reef plus- 2x per week
What would be a good water change schedule?
I would still shoot for weekly at minimum if you are keeping stonies.
I like daily water changes because they're physically easier and quicker to do. If they aren't quick and easy, it's just that much more likely they won't get done, so don't be afraid to be creative in making them easy for you!
If you use an enriched salt like Reef Crystals, be prepared to adjust your dosers down to compensate as needed.
Likewise if you drip kalk as well.
-Matt
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mcarroll
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I get out my salt bucket.
I get out my mix and waste water buckets.
I go to the water station for a fill.
I also get a fill for my ATO if it needs one.
I come back to the tank with water and mix the batch.
If I'm making good time I'll clean the skimmer while the mixing is happening. (5 minutes or less.)
When mixing is 90%+ done I'll give it one last stir and start draining tank water to the second bucket.
I dump the freshly mixed water into the sump.
I dump the waste water down the utility sink.
Rinse everything, put it all away.
Done.
-Matt
I get out my mix and waste water buckets.
I go to the water station for a fill.
I also get a fill for my ATO if it needs one.
I come back to the tank with water and mix the batch.
If I'm making good time I'll clean the skimmer while the mixing is happening. (5 minutes or less.)
When mixing is 90%+ done I'll give it one last stir and start draining tank water to the second bucket.
I dump the freshly mixed water into the sump.
I dump the waste water down the utility sink.
Rinse everything, put it all away.
Done.
-Matt
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