Let's talk waterchanges
- Thread starter Larsen
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OP
OP
Larsen
Active Member
Ok well I have 150 gallon DD with about 170 total volume. I have been doing 10 gallon water changes once a week. Just wondering if it is better to do more small ones or bigger ones less often. Let me know what you think.
btkrausen
Fish Hoarder
Probably meant 25 percent of tank volume.
Be careful, there is no right/wrong answer to this question. I have seen multiple people go years without doing a water change successfully, and then I've seen people that change 25 percent weekly with success. For example, one of the tanks at our LFS, a full reef, went its entire life without water changes.
Personally, I change out about 40 gal of around 240 gal bi-weekly.
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wooboodoo
the ART of modern REEF
140 gal tank...
change 20 gal every week...
I can only imagine how much $$$ some members here with huge tanks spending on salt only...
25kg of Tropic Marin Pro-Reef cost almost $100
change 20 gal every week...
I can only imagine how much $$$ some members here with huge tanks spending on salt only...
25kg of Tropic Marin Pro-Reef cost almost $100
turfster26
Active Member
15-20% weekly on a 180gl display with 60gl sump (240 total). I find when I do weekly I never have to supplement with Alk, Cal or Mag. I do run a klak and CalRx reactors, but I find if I go 2 or even 3 weeks I have to dose Cal and Mag.
It is a small price IMHO to do weekly water changes and keeps my cost down on dosing. If I was running a mixed reef I would probably go bi-weekly since the change in parameters is not as critical as with sps dominant.
HTH
It is a small price IMHO to do weekly water changes and keeps my cost down on dosing. If I was running a mixed reef I would probably go bi-weekly since the change in parameters is not as critical as with sps dominant.
HTH
fletcher2007
Active Member
I knew a lady that never did a water change on any of her tanks and would top them off with tap water right from the sink i would never do this lol i do a 2 gallon water change every couple days and im running a 70gallon system
Zombie
Active Member
It is a 120 gallon tank, I try to do five to ten gallons once a month, but I skip a lot. I say on average every month and a half or so, maybe longer at times. I am lazy.
I can't say for sure.
I can't say for sure.
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Reef Pets
Bioprospector
A friend of mine does the same thing. He has a 125 and an overall water volume of about 200 and has had his reef for about 3 years and never done a water change. He has an RO system, not DI and will sometimes use the water from it. For the most part just tap water and puts Prime in the tap water to eliminate chlorine. The TDS of his tap water is over 300.
I saw one outbreak of algae but the tank was only about 6 months old at the time. After that no algae problems at all. Its an SPS dominated reef and is beautiful with great growth.
I would not recommend it but it works great for him..
bige
Valuable Member
I too have heard of the no water change systems. Seems that the systems it works on, it works. But I couldn't do it. I have a 29g biocube with a 20g sump and I change 5g a week. Works for me.
orlando809
Active Member
I have a 210g total and i do a 60g water change every 3-4 months
I dont have a big load though i know people that have gone years without water changes
I dont have a big load though i know people that have gone years without water changes
Me z
Active Member
I dont do many water changes. I used to but decided to experiment. I havnt noticed a difference in six months. I use a calcium reactor and keep neomag with the regular media to keep magnesium levels up. My tank is sps dominated and I havnt noticed a difference in color or growth. I also use bio pellets and run gfo to keep nutrients really low. Top off is ro/di. DT is a six foot 125g and I have around 200g total volume. The best use I have seen for water changes is keeping alk, calcium, and magnesium up but you need to spend a bit of money to get a decent mix. You cant just buy regualr IO and expect it to maintain your tank. Nothing in this hobby is etched in stone, most of it is guess work and experimentation. In short do water changes if you have the time/patience/pocket book it wont hurt.
