Can I hold off water changes?

[USMC 4 LIFE]

I have a 90 gallon DT with a 40 sump / refugium. Using Red Sea salt, new tank (~ 2 months old), salinity 1.024, temp 78, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 5-10. These parameters have been constant for three weeks since I changed my water (50%) after it cycled. I only have a clown, yellow watchman goby, pistol shrimp and cleaner shrimp. Do I need to perform a water change or can I hold off until nitrates rise to ~15ppm?

I run cheato in the fuge with the light on at night.

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

No3 at 15ppm isn't going to kill your fish. you could also cut down on feeding.

 

[RJinPV]

Why do you want the nitrates to get higher? Regular changes (at least monthly) also help keep minor and trace elements in balance and one dead turbo snail (if you have any) could cause nitrates to jump higher yet. All you need is a little phosphate and BAM! Algae problem...

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

too lazy to do water changes? lol, jk!

Why do you want the nitrates to get higher? Regular changes (at least monthly) also help keep minor and trace elements in balance and one dead turbo snail (if you have any) could cause nitrates to jump higher yet. All you need is a little phosphate and BAM! Algae problem...

 

[Evan West]

Yeah i keep my NO3 at around 5-10ppm so I would say water change away!.......WC are almost never a bad thing......almost lol

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

too lazy to do water changes? lol, jk!

Lol lets not mistake me for a civilian........
With no coral and phosphate now in check, I saw no point in doing a water change if parameters remain consistent, steady and safe. Again, no coral so what damage would succumb to developing a monthly water change routine in which the quantity of water replaced is dictated by the quality of the water.

But if you guys insists on doing water changes more frequently, I'm open to that since the advice given on here is pretty helpful.

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

Why do you want the nitrates to get higher? Regular changes (at least monthly) also help keep minor and trace elements in balance and one dead turbo snail (if you have any) could cause nitrates to jump higher yet. All you need is a little phosphate and BAM! Algae problem...

I seriously doubt a snail would cause a significant water quality change.

No coral in tank. Never stated I had any.

Phosphates are in check.

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

You don't have to but doing so would cut down on the risk of algae.

Lol lets not mistake me for a civilian........
With no coral and phosphate now in check, I saw no point in doing a water change if parameters remain consistent, steady and safe. Again, no coral so what damage would succumb to developing a monthly water change routine in which the quantity of water replaced is dictated by the quality of the water.

But if you guys insists on doing water changes more frequently, I'm open to that since the advice given on here is pretty helpful.

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

A dead snail wouldn't pose a risk in a tank your size. smaller tank, possibly depending on size.

I seriously doubt a snail would cause a significant water quality change.

No coral in tank. Never stated I had any.

Phosphates are in check.

 

[RJinPV]

I seriously doubt a snail would cause a significant water quality change.

No coral in tank. Never stated I had any.

Phosphates are in check.

Ok, one snail a 90 can handle but my point is still valid. Are you doing any phosphate control such as GFO? I wasn't and I went away on vacation and 2 weeks of pet sitter feeding with pellet food caused a big algae outbreak by the time I got back.

 

[ReeferBob]

Your nitrates are low because you do water changes. Water changes are the only way to get rid of nitrates in your tank and the main reason to do water changes. You are being proactive with your tank, why would you want to change that to being reactive?

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

Ok, one snail a 90 can handle but my point is still valid. Are you doing any phosphate control such as GFO? I wasn't and I went away on vacation and 2 weeks of pet sitter feeding with pellet food caused a big algae outbreak by the time I got back.

Yes sir I am. I'm running some phosguard at the moment.

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

Your nitrates are low because you do water changes. Water changes are the only way to get rid of nitrates in your tank and the main reason to do water changes. You are being proactive with your tank, why would you want to change that to being reactive?

My nitrates are low because I have one active fish. Being reactive in a young tank as I am getting accustomed to it necessities isn't negligence. Lol you write as if it's a child that I'm neglecting man. I simply want to see what my tank needs and when during this early stage to develop water changing routines.

You wouldn't wash your car after 2 days if it wasn't dirty? So why change water in a 120 gallon system if the water quality has been stable for 3 weeks? Oh and please refrain from an apocalyptical scenario to validate a water change.

 

[Bunnee911]

In the early days of my little reef, monthly wc was ok. Now that I have it full, it is bi weekly. And I now use kalk in my ATO.
Fixin to have to start 2 part. Kalkwasser is not keeping up. Tank is a year old this month.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

imo yea. Your on the right track. definitely.
Id go refugium. Its a much more passive nutrient export...then you can ditch the gfo. (not really sure why your running now it anyway)
for the No number you have now, Id add a bacteria. +chato

fwiw....a rotting turbo can give you nutrients and ammoina. A dead turbo excretes toxins. its usually what the real problem is when one dies.

I do agree to an extent about nuisance algae a bit. With elevated nutrients, dip and clean the corals well. the introduction of a species with a high available food source will be bad. I use a tooth brush, sometimes peroxide, revive. its one of the reasons its recommended to QT coral.

 

[ReeferBob]

My nitrates are low because I have one active fish. Being reactive in a young tank as I am getting accustomed to it necessities isn't negligence. Lol you write as if it's a child that I'm neglecting man. I simply want to see what my tank needs and when during this early stage to develop water changing routines.

You wouldn't wash your car after 2 days if it wasn't dirty? So why change water in a 120 gallon system if the water quality has been stable for 3 weeks? Oh and please refrain from an apocalyptical scenario to validate a water change.

Don't take it personally no one said it was negligence. Being pro-active is being pro-active. Tank husbandry is tank husbandry. Water changes are to remove nitrates and refresh depleted resources of your saltwater. If you feel your tank is fine without this, then you are good to go. If nitrates should rise to the point that you get an algae bloom, you can address that when it happens. Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate. That is the nitrogen cycle. Nitrate is the end of the line unless you remove it or something uses it (or you have a DSB). Using your example, would you wait until your car is so dirty that you can't tell what color it is before washing it?

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

In the early days of my little reef, monthly wc was ok. Now that I have it full, it is bi weekly. And I now use kalk in my ATO.
Fixin to have to start 2 part. Kalkwasser is not keeping up. Tank is a year old this month.

Wow looks great. What is Kali? I've heard of it but haven't had the time to research it.