Frequent Mini-Water Changes Log

[zemuss]

I believe another member has done this and still does, so it isn't something that is new.

I am going to start doing water changes 5 times per week. (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat and Sun)

The water change will be as follows: 2 gallons per night. I am starting today and will take pictures along the way.

Schedule:
Monday, Wednesday and Friday 2 gallons per day
Saturday and Sunday 2 gallons twice a day.

The goal is to keep everything happy and healthy and parameters stable.

Current issue is keeping SPS coral alive in my tank.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

OK, let us know what you notice, if anything.

FWIW, I do about 70 very small water changes a week, automatically, amounting to about 1% daily.

 

[NicksMixedReef]

OK, let us know what you notice, if anything.

FWIW, I do about 70 very small water changes a week, automatically, amounting to about 1% daily.

I'm guessing you do not have to do a lot of dosing this route!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Well, water changes don't adequately supply alkalinity to reef tanks with actively growing corals or coralline algae unless they are on the order of 20-50% daily.

Same for calcium, unless the salt mix has calcium far higher than natural seawater (mine does not).

So I use limewater (kalkwasser) in all top off to supply calcium and alkalinity.

The only other additives that I regularly use are iron for macroalgae and silicate for sponges.

 

[zemuss]

@Randy Holmes-Farley can you describe your Automatic Water Change methods? I would like to incorporate it later.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Here's a brief description:

I use the new salt water for automated water changes using a dual head Reef Filler pump on a time so it changes about 1% daily spread over many 15 minute periods of the day. I mix the salt water for about 24 h then turn off the powerhead (unless I forget ) and let it sit unstirred. I never heat the new salt water, except in emergency need of a lot of water. The old water is sent down a basement sink drain.

which is from my system description:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/randys-tank-description.172508/

 

[zemuss]

Thanks.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You're welcome.

Happy Reefing.

 

[zemuss]

Here are the pictures of the current issues in the tank. I am on day three of 2 gallon water changes and will see what I see tonight as results. I am not expecting much as I should see a difference a few weeks into the process.

Since I didn't perform the second set of water changes Sunday, I will perform a 4 gallon change tonight.

Also will be adding filter flow and carbon to my media reactor. (Hoping to change this out every two weeks)

 

[NicksMixedReef]

Well, water changes don't adequately supply alkalinity to reef tanks with actively growing corals or coralline algae unless they are on the order of 20-50% daily.

Same for calcium, unless the salt mix has calcium far higher than natural seawater (mine does not).

So I use limewater (kalkwasser) in all top off to supply calcium and alkalinity.

The only other additives that I regularly use are iron for macroalgae and silicate for sponges.

Would kalk have a negative result in a top off that has lanthanum chloride?

 

[beaslbob]

Hope everything works as planned.

The tank will wind up to the point where tank condition changes are removed by the water change. For instance, say you change 1%/day and the tank is increasing nitrates at 1ppm/day and the tank replacement water has 400ppm calcium ( and 0 nitrate) and is consuming 1ppm calcium per day, it will wind up at 100 ppm nitrates and 300ppm calcium before that water change. After the water change values will be 99ppm nitrates and 301 ppm calcium after the water change then change to 100 and 300 before the next water change.

So smaller more frequent changes do result in more constant values. The after water changes values would be much different conducting larger less frequent changes. For instance a 10% change every 10 days would result in 90ppm nitrates and 310 calcium after the water change. But the before water change values would still be 100/300

my .02

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Would kalk have a negative result in a top off that has lanthanum chloride?

I think you might precipitate the lanthanum from solution as lanthanum hydroxide since it is very insoluble. So I wouldn't mix them.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hope everything works as planned.

The tank will wind up to the point where tank condition changes are removed by the water change. For instance, say you change 1%/day and the tank is increasing nitrates at 1ppm/day and the tank replacement water has 400ppm calcium ( and 0 nitrate) and is consuming 1ppm calcium per day, it will wind up at 100 ppm nitrates and 300ppm calcium before that water change. After the water change values will be 99ppm nitrates and 301 ppm calcium after the water change then change to 100 and 300 before the next water change.

So smaller more frequent changes do result in more constant values. The after water changes values would be much different conducting larger less frequent changes. For instance a 10% change every 10 days would result in 90ppm nitrates and 310 calcium after the water change. But the before water change values would still be 100/300

my .02

This shows graphically what you are talking about:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/rhf/index.php

from it:
Figure 11. A blowup of Figure 10 to allow comparison of the differences in nitrate depletion between daily and monthly changes amounting to 30% total changed each month.

 

[zemuss]

SO are you saying I am doing something bad by doing a 2 gallon change every other day?

 

[beaslbob]

SO are you saying I am doing something bad by doing a 2 gallon change every other day?

Absolutely not. And actually not saying either good or bad.
What the analysis is saying is the smaller more frequent water changes will result in more constant conditions.
But the just before water change values will be a function of how much water you changing each day on average. 1%/day, 10%/10 days, 20%/20 days.......100%/100days will all wind up at the same before water values. But the after chang evalues will vary from 100-99 (1%/day) to 100%-0 100%/100 days.

my .02

 

[AquamanE]

Ive been doing daily water changes of 2.5 gallons a day on a 200 Gallon tank, with a dual head Stenner pump for a few years. It really is beneficial. You get your 30% WC per month without lifting a bucket.

My tank has never been better. I have a thread in the DIY section.

But- this has nothing to do with keeping up with the HOLY TRINITY- alk/ca/mg. Two separate issues.

The graph shown above has always been my inspiration to do a minimum of 30% WC/month.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

SO are you saying I am doing something bad by doing a 2 gallon change every other day?

No, there's nothing wrong with many small water changes, and they can be less stressful.

 

[zemuss]

@AquamanE

Link to your thread?

 

[zemuss]

Added pictures with my Samsung Note 3. Not the best pictures but does illustrate the issues I am having. More updates to follow as I complete the first week.

My long term hope is once i get the algae under control is to drop to a 3 time per week water change at 2 gallons per day. This would put me at 24 gallons total per month or 40% water changes.

 

[AquamanE]

@AquamanE

Link to your thread?

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/automatic-water-changes-it-doesnt-get-any-better-then-this.141619/

Many of my pictures are gone dont know why, Im almost sure they where lost when the new update happened. Maybe @revhtree can help. The fisrs tfew pages you will see folks trying to use ebay pumps from a used ink printer, have not seen anyone have long term success with them, at least I havent seen anyone post any success stories.

I am still using the same system since Dec 2013 with little issues. No salinity swings of any significance. Works very nice.