Is it true you don't have to do any water changes?

[n2585722]

I do auto water changes on my 42 gallon tank. It is split into 4 times in a 24 hour period and is in sync with my auto alkalinity testing. First a test is done then a water change then All For Reef and a KH buffer is dosed based on the readings. It all done with my controller. The water drained is sent to the drain under the kitchen sink. I use dosing pumps for my water change pumps and my ATO pump. The pumps and storage tanks are in the garage and the tank is in a room 35ft from the garage. The 4 changes is almost a gallon a day at this time. I vary the drain time depending on my nitrate readings when I test. If it starts to drift up I increase the time some and if it starts to get too low I decrease the drain time. The fill will fill back up to the same level sensor used by the ATO.

 

[Rick's Reviews]

You should do water changes in all aquariums. Yes a FOWLR is a little easier and you can do fewer but Id never do none.

I do more water changes then majority, it's a 45g, but it's less than minority, I do this very regularly more often than not

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

I’m new to this but didn’t see anyone ask him about oxygenating the water. Isn’t that what the power heads do? Circulate and add oxygen and one of the reasons for water changes too?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I’m new to this but didn’t see anyone ask him about oxygenating the water. Isn’t that what the power heads do? Circulate and add oxygen and one of the reasons for water changes too?

No, water changes aren't done to oxygenate the water.

 

[n2585722]

I’m new to this but didn’t see anyone ask him about oxygenating the water. Isn’t that what the power heads do? Circulate and add oxygen and one of the reasons for water changes too?

My reservoirs which are in the garage have no pumps or airstones that run to add oxygen to the water. It takes about 20 days for the AWC to use up the 20 gallon container of saltwater.

 

[las]

In a 20 gallon FOWLR, I would be doing weekly 10 gallon water changes. I wouldn’t have a skimmer or dose anything. Super simple/easy. I would use carbon also. You will have Super healthy and fat fish

 

[Karliefish]

For years I bought into the school of “water changes” are important to maintaining a healthy reef/fish environment. Then over a year ago I got introduced to Moonshiners method and it changed my whole outlook at what is required to maintain a healthy and viable reef thank. Yes you are exchanging the work of mixing salt and the manual effort of changing, in my case over sixty gallons of water each week, to maintain a regiment of dosing a variety of trace elements. It’s been one year since I changed my approach to reef-keeping and my 400 gallon tank has never looked so vibrant and healthy - not a single water change.

 

[James M]

You do have to change the water in any tank you have. for saltwater, it replenishes the elements that have been used by any corals you have I.E. calcium, alk, Ect. the only way you can reduce water changes. is if you dose your main and trace elements. It will also help keep elements like nitrate and phosphate in check. those are good to have, but too much can hurt your tank.
For a 20 gal tank, I would say 5 gal per week.

FOWLR does not use trace elements

 

[BanZI29]

FOWLR does not use trace elements

yea, forgot that your tank is FOWLR. Duh!

 

[beaslbob]

water changes are not necessary in any aquarium. fresh, salt, reef or whatever. They will limit but not prevent changes to the environment.
With a constant water change schedule, what happens is the environment builds up to the change between water changes/the fraction of water change. plus whatever is in the replacement water.
For instance, if change 10%(1/10) of the water with 0 nitrate water and the tank nitrate increased 10ppm between changes, the tank will build up to 10ppm/(1/10)=100ppm just before a water change. Drop down tp 90 then rise tp 100 before the next water change.
With or without water changes IMHO what is important is to build a balanced stable environment so what water changes are more or less irrelevent.

 

[Supa]

Is it true that you don't have to do any water changes if it is a 20 gallon FOWLR tank? How and why is that possible, and how come for a freshwater tank you have to do frequent water changes?

ROFL you need water changes

 

[The_Paradox]

No need to but you dont want to wait for it to climb either

Range- po4 .06-.08 up to .1 and nitrate 145-20 or below but dont allow either to zero out. This is where testing will determine a need for water change

That’s why personally I don’t do water changes. All my tanks have coral and I have to dose to hold those numbers. Well actually lower. I dose hourly to hold 20ppb phosphorous and 5ppm nitrate.

 

[leon.1980]

I am really confused about all of this: some say do water changes every week, some say once a month, and now some say almost never?

My tank is a 20 gallon high FOWLR tank

That is because every reef tank is different. There is no one right answer. Honestly, I would do 2 gal a week changes till your tank is fully stocked.
Test nitrate and phosphate weekly during this time.
Once it’s fully stocked then keep going with weekly water changes at 2 gal and weekly tests of nitrate and phosphate.
if your nitrates and phosphates stay within tolerance you can keep adding a week between changes and a additional 2 gal your water change MONTHLY. nothing good in this hobby happens fast. Your nitrate/phosphate tolerances will be determined by your fishes sensitivity to them.

 

[beaslbob]

ROFL you need water changes

ROFL

 

[Supa]

ROFL

I will say I have a friend that doesn’t do water changes but like 1 time a year and just strictly doses etc… but for the masses a water change is necessary in the hobby

 

[beaslbob]

I will say I have a friend that doesn’t do water changes but like 1 time a year and just strictly doses etc… but for the masses a water change is necessary in the hobby

I agree we disagree.
The masses and most importantly newbies should be setting up balanced stable systems which don't need water changes.
but that's just me.

BTW I have not any water changed since the late '70's. My 2 tanks 1 fw 1 reef have not had a water change since startup in 2010.
I'm not a genius nor do I have exceptional water.

 

[The_Paradox]

I agree we disagree.
The masses and most importantly newbies should be setting up balanced stable systems which don't need water changes.
but that's just me.

BTW I have not any water changed since the late '70's. My 2 tanks 1 fw 1 reef have not had a water change since startup in 2010.
I'm not a genius nor do I have exceptional water.

Battle Cry of the Masses
Test and monitor your water and results.
Water tests fine?
CHANGE IT ANYWAYS!!!!

I too do not change more than maybe 20% of my water per year. I only change that much due to loss from cleaning or fragging.

 

[FishTruck]

What is "water changes safely"? Can I just use a plastic pitcher and scoop up about 2 gallons from my 20 gallon tank weekly? Or should I vacuum the sand bed?

Being impatient making the new water is an issue.

In your situation…. Making sure the salt is fully dissolved, that the salinity is no higher than what’s in the tank and if you dump in 20% new water all at once… temp should be close and the water should have been aerated a bit. Biggest risk is spiking the salinity.

Also, avoiding spills, slips, ruined floors.

Whether or not to vacuum the sand bed will also get people riled up. I say yes to that - if it’s done regularly.

 

[Supa]

I agree we disagree.
The masses and most importantly newbies should be setting up balanced stable systems which don't need water changes.
but that's just me.

BTW I have not any water changed since the late '70's. My 2 tanks 1 fw 1 reef have not had a water change since startup in 2010.
I'm not a genius nor do I have exceptional water.

Yeah that’s cool! There is several ways to skin the cat but what I’ve seen occasionally is numbers drop and there is no way to change the numbers without adding what the tank is using up… aka dosing etc…. Or a WC. I’m sure there is some magical other ways to keep things stable but dosing and or WC is all I’ve ever seen.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

You should do water changes in all aquariums. Yes a FOWLR is a little easier and you can do fewer but Id never do none.

It is the opposite. In general a fish only tank is a high nutrient system needing a high ammonia reduction capacity. Such systems need a manageable filtration system, not only WLR