How often do you do water changes? Anyone do none?

Ksull72487 · Nov 8, 2020

It depends how big the tank is and how old it is. Small tanks are easy to do water changes on. Large systems no. But it takes along time for a reef to actually become more self sustaining. This is a screwy question. Because it depends. The best answer is parameters and growth. If things are doing well and are in check. You don’t need to do a water change. If not absolutely. New tanks almost always need more frequent water changes than old tanks. Smaller tanks will need a more frequent change than large ones. A seeded filter can provide more benefits than than a new filter. Which is why you wouldn’t want to replace as frequently. This is all subjective to where your tank is as far as maturity and bio load and nutrients. The older it gets and the better it does the less likely you need to maintain it. The reef starts to do what it does in its natural environment and that’s what a reefer struggles to recreate.

joshwaggs · Nov 8, 2020

90's reefer said:
120 16 months since startup.
Only 2 water changes.
1 9 gallon around 13 months just because, no swing.
One at 14 months 12 gal after a half dose of fluconazole to treat hair algae, no swing.
Check my build thread for more info as these threads always turn into arguements.
No scheduled water changes work if you have a plan and know what you are doing.

Holy crap. That's awesome. I would be too afraid to try no water changes with a new tank as small as this one (30 gallons).
Hopefully, this wont be an argument, just a bunch of experiences from reefers.

Pistondog · Nov 8, 2020

75dt + 20st + 25g sump. Triton for 24 months, wc's as requested by ice test.
Maybe 60g so far.

Lightspeed · Nov 8, 2020

250-300 litres weekly with NSW. 0 TDS for evap top off daily, DKH top up with Sodium Carbonate as needed.
I rarely feed any type of pellet food, just make my own from fresh seafood, dose amino a few times per week.

joshwaggs · Nov 8, 2020

Ksull72487 said:
It depends how big the tank is and how old it is. Small tanks are easy to do water changes on. Large systems no. But it takes along time for a reef to actually become more self sustaining. This is a screwy question. Because it depends. The best answer is parameters and growth. If things are doing well and are in check. You don’t need to do a water change. If not absolutely. New tanks almost always need more frequent water changes than old tanks. Smaller tanks will need a more frequent change than large ones. A seeded filter can provide more benefits than than a new filter. Which is why you wouldn’t want to replace as frequently. This is all subjective to where your tank is as far as maturity and bio load and nutrients. The older it gets and the better it does the less likely you need to maintain it. The reef starts to do what it does in its natural environment and that’s what reefer struggles to recreate.

Good points. I was thinking about that, too. I have been stocking for biodiversity with different bateria, copepods, foods, amino brands, and phyto. Im hoping that the diversity will help keep everything stable. I try not to stick to any particular brand for anything. Even the fish food is switched between 6 different brands and types.

Auquanut · Nov 8, 2020

I've never done the no water change thing, but I've seen a lot of folks that have had long term success without water changes.
Just curious. I'm sure that dosing major and minor trace elements in some fashion is a must, but what about removing contaminants that may be introduced from the air (aeration), or our hands, or whatever? Do those that succeed long term without water changes run carbon on a schedule or use something else to keep the water clean?

danieyella · Nov 8, 2020

No water changes on my 90 (mixed, primarily LPS and softies), weekly almost 100% water changes on my pico. The 90 is supplemented regularly - I do a monthly ICP for some of the less common elements to bring them back up. I don't test the pico at all.

Pistondog · Nov 8, 2020

Auquanut said:
I've never done the no water change thing, but I've seen a lot of folks that have had long term success without water changes.
Just curious. I'm sure that dosing major and minor trace elements in some fashion is a must, but what about removing contaminants that may be introduced from the air (aeration), or our hands, or whatever? Do those that succeed long term without water changes run carbon on a schedule or use something else to keep the water clean?

Ozone for an hour a day. GAC, skimmer and refugium.

Ksull72487 · Nov 8, 2020

Ksull72487 said:
It depends how big the tank is and how old it is. Small tanks are easy to do water changes on. Large systems no. But it takes along time for a reef to actually become more self sustaining. This is a screwy question. Because it depends. The best answer is parameters and growth. If things are doing well and are in check. You don’t need to do a water change. If not absolutely. New tanks almost always need more frequent water changes than old tanks. Smaller tanks will need a more frequent change than large ones. A seeded filter can provide more benefits than than a new filter. Which is why you wouldn’t want to replace as frequently. This is all subjective to where your tank is as far as maturity and bio load and nutrients. The older it gets and the better it does the less likely you need to maintain it. The reef starts to do what it does in its natural environment and that’s what a reefer struggles to recreate.

I’m going to reply to my old post. Lol. It’s a good answer. Why do some guys dose nitrates. It wasn’t that long ago we struggled to get rid of them. It all depends. Water changes should come as required not on schedule. If it fits into your schedule then you do it. How much you take out is up to experiment. The goal here is a long term mature reef which will likely require less maintenance.

Jon Fishman · Nov 8, 2020

Pistondog said:
Ozone for an hour a day. GAC, skimmer and refugium.

Ozone with carbon secondary continuously, 100W UV, Skimmer, ATS, and filter socks here

joshwaggs · Nov 8, 2020

Auquanut said:
I've never done the no water change thing, but I've seen a lot of folks that have had long term success without water changes.
Just curious. I'm sure that dosing major and minor trace elements in some fashion is a must, but what about removing contaminants that may be introduced from the air (aeration), or our hands, or whatever? Do those that succeed long term without water changes run carbon on a schedule or use something else to keep the water clean?

lol, I was hoping carbon would handle that. That is a really good point though. I think that is the common idea for the reason of old tank syndrome, right?

dieselkeeper · Nov 8, 2020

I do 30 gallons once a month on a 220 gal tank. I vacuum the sand bed 3-4 times a year. Tank is 7 years old. I'm a believer in old tank syndrome. I think when the sand bed gets full of nasties, success with a reef tank gets tougher.

Pistol Peet · Nov 9, 2020

joshwaggs said:
So, I have been considering not doing anymore water changes. At all. It has been a couple months since my last water change and so far everything is very stable. I have to feed heavy just to keep the nutrients above zero, too. I dose Polyplab ONE and sometimes, two part. I also dose amino acids, PNS Probio, Phytoplankton, and PNS Snow. The two part is Brightwell, which has trace elements. So I dont dose trace elements very often. I keep dkh at 10.

Is anyone else doing the no water change option? How has it gone for you?

I completely understand that this is a heated topic, but please keep this friendly. I want to hear what people have seen with no water changes over long swaths of time. What works and what doesnt?

20 percent weekly water change wouldn't dare not do a weekly.

Pkunk35 · Nov 9, 2020

Think the water changes become much more necessary when there is a sand bed and debris to siphon from it.

Spieg · Nov 9, 2020

I do 20-25% WC about twice a year when I vacuum the sand bed. I change socks twice a week, run a skimmer and a chaeto reactor (chaeto reactor runs about 10 hours per night). Dose ESV 2-part every day to maintain parameters, as well as Brightwell Amino twice a week and Replenish once a month (ICP tests confirms this is enough to keep levels where I want them, although I home test for Alk and Phosphate every week and Nitrate about once a month just for piece of mind). Recently started dosing Nitrate because it was bottoming out after I upgraded lighting (corals started consuming more Alk, Ca and NO3). Sometimes I use carbon if the water looks off color (maybe every 3 months or so). I also use Lanthanum Chloride about every other month to lower Phosphate.

Zionas · Nov 9, 2020

My LFS suggests bi-weekly 10% water changes. Would that be too little considering I will be going for a pretty decently stocked tank? Most of the fish will be 2-4”.