Monthly water changes...help!

[Nicole Sarnowski]

Okay my water par is as follows:
Ammonia-0
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-15
Phosphate-trace
PH-8.2
Alk-8
Calcium-480
Mag-1500
Tested today

Should I do a water change since it has been a month since my last 25% water change?

I have 2 diamond gobies
1 clownfish
1 firefish
1 royal Gramma
1 anemone
10 different coral frags

Everything is looking good so I’m not sure if a water change is needed or I should do it anyway regardless.

Also I have various snails, crabs, and 2 peppermint shrimp.

Appreciate any advice y’all can give

Thanks in advance

 

[ccombs]

Which parameter are you unhappy with?

 

[eskymick]

I find it much easier to do a 10-15% water change weekly. I do it whether I think it needs it or not. Consider it an "insurance" policy.

 

[Nicole Sarnowski]

Which parameter are you unhappy with?

I’m happy with all my parameters but I had either read or was told that I needed to do a 25% water change at least once a month so that’s why I am asking y’all for help

 

[ccombs]

I’m happy with all my parameters but I had either read or was told that I needed to do a 25% water change at least once a month so that’s why I am asking y’all for help

In your case I would do water changes as normal maintenance. You would be better doing 10% a week, but in your case you could probably do 10% every 2 weeks and still be fine.

 

[FishyDP]

My vote is don't fix it if it is not broken. Parameters look in range, everything looks good, leave it alone?!

 

[Nicole Sarnowski]

This is my awesome aquarium that I was finally able to get up to par

 

[FishyDP]

Nice looking tank. You don't have a ton of corals (yet)..so there is not much to consume your trace elements. As you add livestock you will likely see a dip in your levels. It will then be time to adjust via water changes or dosing. There are so many ways to keep a healthy reef.

 

[Nicole Sarnowski]

I am planning on adding more corals I just have to do it a little at a time...my husband thinks that I have enough corals. He says that I don’t want to over crowd them

 

[WVNed]

I never test. I just do the water changes every week.

 

[Nicole Sarnowski]

I never test. I just do the water changes every week.

I had to make myself quit testing daily and just weekly because I had almost given up on my tank. I couldn’t seem to get the nitrates down no matter what I did (fish only at the time). Then my husband bought me an ro/di system and a bio pellet reactor and my nitrates started dropping. That’s when I got my groove back

 

[WVNed]

There are some people on here that change some water every day with automatic systems, some like me that do it weekly, twice a month, 4 times a year and never.

Finding what works for you and what is in your tank is one of the skills you develop when you keep this up.

 

[FishyDP]

A

I had to make myself quit testing daily and just weekly because I had almost given up on my tank. I couldn’t seem to get the nitrates down no matter what I did (fish only at the time). Then my husband bought me an ro/di system and a bio pellet reactor and my nitrates started dropping. That’s when I got my groove back

I went through the same thing when I first started keeping a reef last year. I was stubborn when I started out and used tap water. I learned quickly that this was a BAD idea..then I got an rodi system. I thought this was good enough along with bi-weekly 10-15% water changes and a skimmer. Nope!..I had a HUGE hair algae bloom, and was ready to throw in the towel. I then started carbon dosing, and voila, nitrates went down quickly. I still carbon dose and have added a refugium with chaeto. Now I am worried about my nitrates/phosphates being too low, and am slowly reducing carbon dosing. I agree with Ned that finding what works for you is a skill that develops with experience.