How long is too long for a water change? Thoughts

[Joshua Deretich]

Okay so no one call the police for animal abuse but I will admit I did a water change after about 6 months and my fish and coral haven't seemed to be bothered. I have a 10 gallon nano tank, no skimmer, with just a 20 gal HOB quiet flow filter to get the job done. My theory is that my live rock has kept my levels down and with my ghetto instant ocean marine stabilizer solution I add weekly I've been able to keep PH and alkalinity solid. I do admit I skipped scrubbing the tank so it got overwhelmed with algae, and some red algae I know isn't good but I was easily able to remove it by hand. Did a water change yesterday and coral is open and clownfish is happy. What is everyone's thoughts on the matter? (Also want to know a good algae eater that I know FOR SURE won't eat my coral. Had hermit crabs that picked at my GSP, which is all I have actually.) if I sound like an idiot it's because I'm 16 so please don't rip me up, I know how passionate some of y'all can be.
How long is the longest you've gone without a water change? What are your thoughts on this? Is my theory with the live rock breaking down waste plausible? Would this only work for FOWLR tanks? Could one include a light mix of solely photosynthetic corals for a long period of time without a water change, if they're a hardy species?

 

[thaitopher]

I used to have a ten gallon FOWLER. I got lazy for a while and probably went three years without a water change. Didn't harm my finish. Last year though I did a slight upgrade to a 20 gallon nano. Now I have coral so I am consistent with weekly water changes at 20%.

 

[thaitopher]

What exactly is the question? The amount if water changes really depends upon lots if dufferent factors. What kind of corals are you keeping, what do you so to get rid if your nutrients, how much do you feed your fish, etc...

 

[Joshua Deretich]

I used to have a ten gallon FOWLER. I got lazy for a while and probably went three years without a water change. Didn't harm my finish. Last year though I did a slight upgrade to a 20 gallon nano. Now I have coral so I am consistent with weekly water changes at 20%.

Interesting. I know I'm not gonna be able to afford super expensive corals so I will stick to the beginner ones so I'm hoping they can take the abuse. I'd be surprised to see how long they'll stay actively growing until they slow down and stuff. Gonna try and stick to mostly photosynthetic corals so I won't need to supplement as often.

 

[Joshua Deretich]

What exactly is the question? The amount if water changes really depends upon lots if dufferent factors. What kind of corals are you keeping, what do you so to get rid if your nutrients, how much do you feed your fish, etc...

It's not really a question more to get peoples thoughts and experiences. If it worked for someone else it might work for me, under the right conditions.

 

[thaitopher]

I would recommend a minimum of monthly water changes at 20% which is super easy to do with ten gallon nano but really weekly is best.

 

[Joshua Deretich]

I would recommend a minimum of monthly water changes at 20% which is super easy to do with ten gallon nano but really weekly is best.

I know water changes replenish minerals and stuff and take out waste but if I have a small bio load would this be different? I only have a small clownfish and one green star polyp in this tank.

 

[rrueger]

You hear the "20% monthly" used a lot, whether that be 5% weekly, 10% bi-weekly or all at once. IMO I would say it depends. It depends on what you want to accomplish and how your tank runs. Do you want algae? Do you want a low nutrient tank? Do you want to dose additives and trace elements? Do you want a heavy bioload? Do you want hard to keep SPS?

It comes down to two things... figure out what kind of tank you want to keep, then test religiously until you figure out husbandry that gets your tank how you like it.

 

[thaitopher]

Green star polyps are super flexible. If you do minimal feedings and you have plenty of live rock you really shouldnt have to do more than monthly water changes. Just test your calcium every now and then to assure it is at the appropriate levels. If you ever add different coral you will probably have to change your approach

 

[Joshua Deretich]

You hear the "20% monthly" used a lot, whether that be 5% weekly, 10% bi-weekly or all at once. IMO I would say it depends. It depends on what you want to accomplish and how your tank runs. Do you want algae? Do you want a low nutrient tank? Do you want to dose additives and trace elements? Do you want a heavy bioload? Do you want hard to keep SPS?

It comes down to two things... figure out what kind of tank you want to keep, then test religiously until you figure out husbandry that gets your tank how you like it.

That's the thing. Testing for me is almost impossible, one I can't afford the equipment, and two i would in all honesty consider getting some basic testing kits if I had problems but so far, winging it has worked. I know it's not going to be the most successful tank out there but if I can keep something alive and growing, especially coral, I'd be happy.

 

[Joshua Deretich]

Green star polyps are super flexible. If you do minimal feedings and you have plenty of live rock you really shouldnt have to do more than monthly water changes. Just test your calcium every now and then to assure it is at the appropriate levels. If you ever add different coral you will probably have to change your approach

The only other corals I was considering adding was a zoa or two, pulsing Xenia, mushroom, and leathers.

 

[Joshua Deretich]

You hear the "20% monthly" used a lot, whether that be 5% weekly, 10% bi-weekly or all at once. IMO I would say it depends. It depends on what you want to accomplish and how your tank runs. Do you want algae? Do you want a low nutrient tank? Do you want to dose additives and trace elements? Do you want a heavy bioload? Do you want hard to keep SPS?

It comes down to two things... figure out what kind of tank you want to keep, then test religiously until you figure out husbandry that gets your tank how you like it.

Let's say I kept my regimen, do you in all honesty think I could possibly keep some other basic corals like mushrooms, zoas, Xenias, or leathers? I'm not really into the super rare and hard to keep ones. Simple and colorful is fine with me. I know getting into the hobby I wouldn't be able to afford the high tech equipment and high end corals, and I'm fine with that

 

[thaitopher]

The only other corals I was considering adding was a zoa or two, pulsing Xenia, mushroom, and leathers.

Not exactly sure if zoas would make it in those conditions. Many Zoa frags are only $25 so you could try at minimal cost.

 

[jsker]

Basically you are running the Dutch Reefing Method, with very few water changes. Link to article and great read.

 

[jsker]

Let's say I kept my regimen, do you in all honesty think I could possibly keep some other basic corals like mushrooms, zoas, Xenias, or leathers? I'm not really into the super rare and hard to keep ones. Simple and colorful is fine with me. I know getting into the hobby I wouldn't be able to afford the high tech equipment and high end corals, and I'm fine with that

Yes, the article explains how

 

[Saltine]

So I recently upgraded to a 180 (Build Thread https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/saltines-180g-project.280174/page-5#post-3813015) from a 60 gallon. I used to do religous water changes on the 60, 10g every two weeks. Since I've owned the 180, I've done 1 water change over the past 4 months and it was only 20g. I have done 5g changes here and there but that was mostly due to needed the water to rinse new corals, acclimate fish etc. But my nutrients are stable, I dose amino's, I have a refugium, and I use kalk in my ATO for calc/alk. I monitor my alkalinity often and haven't had any issues. My corals have exploded and grow like crazy (mixed reef, more towards heavy SPS). I'm going to continue with the minimal water change approach....

Salt

 

[roberthu526]

A month and half and tank was doing okay. Now I stick with 20% every other week and the tank looks much better.

 

[Joshua Deretich]

So I recently upgraded to a 180 (Build Thread https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/saltines-180g-project.280174/page-5#post-3813015) from a 60 gallon. I used to do religous water changes on the 60, 10g every two weeks. Since I've owned the 180, I've done 1 water change over the past 4 months and it was only 20g. I have done 5g changes here and there but that was mostly due to needed the water to rinse new corals, acclimate fish etc. But my nutrients are stable, I dose amino's, I have a refugium, and I use kalk in my ATO for calc/alk. I monitor my alkalinity often and haven't had any issues. My corals have exploded and grow like crazy (mixed reef, more towards heavy SPS). I'm going to continue with the minimal water change approach....

Salt

Is there any all in one dosage solutions you recomend. Kinda on a budget and wasn't looking into them. I do notice my coral pops up when I put in my cheapo marine stabilizer by instant ocean which claims to have "time realease control of pH and alkalinity and replenish essential vitamins and minerals"

 

[Joshua Deretich]

This is what I add and it claims to do a lot. Anyone know of an all in one additive that will help replenish some minerals that I need but I can't really OD on it if I follow directions lol

 

[Saltine]

This is what I add and it claims to do a lot. Anyone know of an all in one additive that will help replenish some minerals that I need but I can't really OD on it if I follow directions lol

Use Kalkwasser in your ATO, it's cheap, and effective. Just make sure you can measure your alkalinity while using it, once you dial it in it makes everything a breeze. That's all I dose other than Acropower/Reef Energy. Although I don't dose those regularly or even consistently, just whenever.... I was going to AcroPower via my doser, maybe 2ml a day? But wasn't sure how to come to an exact dosage. So right now I do 8-10ml every week of Acropower or Reef Energy.

Salt