Automatic Water Changes... what's the best practice? How much should I change daily? Etc.

[Jamesmost]

I think I have the exchange module as well

 

[Laith]

1% a day using litermeter 3. Love it ;Happy. Would never setup another tank without AWC...

 

[CheckeredPants]

DO YOUR WATER CHANGES!

The ocean has had the same water for millions of years but I see your point.

 

[Katrina71]

I personally think of AWC as an added measure of filtration. I wouldn't stop doing manual cleaning and wc.

 

[Crustaceon]

I know that my view goes against the views of a lot of people and I will now receive a bit of flack but water of a ducks back so to speak. Anyway here goes Water changes to me are a way of trying to hide something, they are a short term measure to try and rectify a problem with your tank. They are an old fashioned way of running a tank that is always never completely resolves the issue. In today's advancements in the hobby we should be keeping the water topped up and stable with the trace elements and major elements our systems use, with the number of companies that are selling these replacement elements this is the path we should be going even the electrics are starting to go that route. Focustronic's new Mastertronic, Powertronic, and Solartronic will take your test results and increase or decrease refugium lighting to suit nutrient control, can adjust the intensity of your leds for par readings, and of course automatically dose the big 3 and the minor elements within them (from Triton, ATI, or the others) . Then by doing regular ICP testing we can top up the minor elements we are using more off. Hit me now.

Or we can just do water changes and not do all of that other stuff.

 

[t5Nitro]

1% a day using litermeter 3. Love it ;Happy. Would never setup another tank without AWC...

I've been using a recently set up LM3 with WXM as well doing 1 gallon daily. Agreed that you shouldnt be in this hobby without this piece of equipment at the top of your priority list.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

I've set up an AutoAqua AWC, and I love it!

 

[Jamesmost]

Lm3, w/additional pump...
480 gallon system
10% water change per week (7 gallon day)
on 3rd week now...


Pic 1 - lm3 and add pump
Pic 2 - drain to sink
Pic 3 - left tube saltwater in
Pic 4 - salt water out, pvc is holding ro line

 

[Rick.45cal]

I do between 1%-2% per day, and it’s been extremely successful for me. Lots of people think it’s inefficient or a waste of money, but arguably everything in this hobby is a waste of money. As for inefficient I spend my time watching my corals grow instead of messing with my tank.

 

[Jamesmost]

Tank looks great....

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I do between 1%-2% per day, and it’s been extremely successful for me. Lots of people think it’s inefficient or a waste of money, but arguably everything in this hobby is a waste of money. As for inefficient I spend my time watching my corals grow instead of messing with my tank.

Waste of money is an opinion, but efficiency is an easily quantified fact, and it seems to me to not be an issue.

I show it here:

Water Changes in Reef Aquaria by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com


Changing 1% daily for 30 days is exactly equivalent to one 26% change. That seems a small efficiency trade off.

The issue only becomes substantial when one considers very large changes (50% +) and few folks do water changes that size except perhaps on tiny aquaria.

 

[WallyB]

Waste of money is an opinion, but efficiency is an easily quantified fact, and it seems to me to not be an issue.

I show it here:

Water Changes in Reef Aquaria by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com


Changing 1% daily for 30 days is exactly equivalent to one 26% change. That seems a small efficiency trade off.

The issue only becomes substantial when one considers very large changes (50% +) and few folks do water changes that size except perhaps on tiny aquaria.

That's a Great Article showing the differences between Daily vs Less Frequent Water changes.
It convinced me to Confidently Daily Water Changes (For the Convineince and Illustrated benefits) .

Yet I do try to make a effort to sweep the Tank with the Odd Manual Water Change (something we quickly forget Autmotation doing all the work)

This "EFFECTIVE" Water Change calculator is great to show the Effective Water Change differences (Frequent Small, VS Less-Frequence Larger)
https://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/EffectiveWaterChange.php
I assume it's accurate, and have used to tune water change Volumes/Frequencies.

Plug in a few Values, and it's cool to understand the variances.

 

[Crustaceon]

I have my own autoaqua smart awc on the way and have a question for you guys. Has your nitrate control changed since adding your awc system? If you’re doing a 1-2% daily change, have you been able to remove other nitrate removal methods or at least dial them down?

 

[Kyl]

I was doing 1 gallon on my DT, I'm now doing 2 gallons daily on my combined system.

 

[WallyB]

I have my own autoaqua smart awc on the way and have a question for you guys. Has your nitrate control changed since adding your awc system? If you’re doing a 1-2% daily change, have you been able to remove other nitrate removal methods or at least dial them down?

I can certainly answer that question with Confidence (from experience and observation)

I used to do 10-20% water changes every month. Never has my Nitrates been below 25ppm. Highest was 50. Usually around 25. Maybe once it was 20 after large water change.

I then wanted to do better with SPS so started doing 10-20% every other week. Maybe my Nitrates got close to 20ppm.

Then I installed the Auto Daily Water changer. Nothing else changed. Same Sump, Skimmer, Same Algae Scrubber, etc.
I do approx 1/2% water change per day. (1 Gallon for a 150 Gallon setup=Tank+Sump)
It took many, many months, but things sped up after a while and for the First time Ever in 20+ years, my Nitrate is 2ppm.
But on this Tank First time in last 2.5 years.
It was 5ppm few weeks ago. The 2ppm was just last week, and that was a suprise.
I am watching things a bit more closely, since I don't want to bottom out.

So I just dialed down the Algae Scrubber.

I am pretty sure the Nitrate drop was due to Daily Water changes, since Nothing else was changed.

 

[Crustaceon]

I can certainly answer that question with Confidence (from experience and observation)

I used to do 10-20% water changes every month. Never has my Nitrates been below 25ppm.
I then wanted to do better with SPS so started doing 10-20% every other week. Maybe my Nitrates got close to 20ppm.

Then I installed the Auto Daily Water changer. Nothing else changed. Same Sump, Skimmer, Same Algae Scrubber, etc.
I do approx 1/2% water change per day. (1 Gallon for a 150 Gallon setup=Tank+Sump)
It took many, many months, but things sped up after a while and for the First time Ever in 20+ years, my Nitrate is 2ppm.
But on this Tank First time in last 2.5 years.
It was 5ppm few weeks ago. The 2ppm was just last week, and that was a suprise.
I am watching things a bit more closely, since I don't want to bottom out.

I am pretty sure the Nitrate drop was due to Daily Water changes, since Nothing else was changed.

Great info, thank you! I was planning on changing 1 gallon out daily on my 65g total system. I’m running a skimmer and a biopellet reactor right now. I’d love to be able to remove that reactor depending on how things go.

 

[Futuretotm]

Just an FYI
If anyone wishes to add an extension to the DC pumps, the wire used needs to have 5.5mm x 2.5mm Barrel (male and female end). Autoaqua does have "official" extenders which are the same thing and cost around 30ish for one of them... or:

Here is a two pack for 8$
2pcs/Pack 3m/9.84ft Black 5.5mm x 2.5mm DC Plug Extension Cable DC Extension Cable Cord with Male to Female 5.5mm x 2.5mm Connectors DC Power 12V 5.5mm x 2.5mm Barrel Male Plug Connector

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Just an FYI
If anyone wishes to add an extension to the DC pumps, the wire used needs to have 5.5mm x 2.5mm Barrel (male and female end). Autoaqua does have "official" extenders which are the same thing and cost around 30ish for one of them... or:

Here is a two pack for 8$
2pcs/Pack 3m/9.84ft Black 5.5mm x 2.5mm DC Plug Extension Cable DC Extension Cable Cord with Male to Female 5.5mm x 2.5mm Connectors DC Power 12V 5.5mm x 2.5mm Barrel Male Plug Connector

Yep. I did the same thing.

 

[Absolutekind]

Just an FYI
If anyone wishes to add an extension to the DC pumps, the wire used needs to have 5.5mm x 2.5mm Barrel (male and female end). Autoaqua does have "official" extenders which are the same thing and cost around 30ish for one of them... or:

Here is a two pack for 8$
2pcs/Pack 3m/9.84ft Black 5.5mm x 2.5mm DC Plug Extension Cable DC Extension Cable Cord with Male to Female 5.5mm x 2.5mm Connectors DC Power 12V 5.5mm x 2.5mm Barrel Male Plug Connector

Saved me a lot of time and money providing the dimensions for the Autoaqua Smart ATO pump “barrel” (male and female) for the cord. Just got two for $20 off Amazon and they fit perfectly.

 

[Absolutekind]

I really appreciate this!