No water change, fish only am I missing something?

[Brady4000]

Hey all,

Wondering if I am missing something.

Tank:
60g
10g sump with Refug
No light.

Stock:
No coral (will never have coral)
Peacock Mantis
4 damsels
Hermit crab galore (30+ ISH, hard to tell)

I’ll be dosing with brighwell Cheato-gro. Do I need to do a water change? And why? Nitrate stay around 5, and that’s with dead stuff always floating around due to the mantis, I leave it for the hermits and snails.

Been doing 10% water changes a week, but I kinda don’t know why. Maybe someone could help me out.

 

[SaltyCrabs]

Your bioload seems very light. I would keep a eye on nitrates. I would think you could definitely get away with water changes less frequently. Also how old is the tank?

 

[ineption]

Tbf if I had fish only system I would never do water changes. I personally would try carbon dosing to keep no3 and po4 down appart from that few cool anemones. Oversized skimmer & that's job done in my best knowledge

 

[Brady4000]

Your bioload seems very light. I would keep a eye on nitrates. I would think you could definitely get away with water changes less frequently. Also how old is the tank?

Tank is about 4 months old. The cheato I have keeps up with the bio load as well as frequent filter sock changes.

 

[Brady4000]

Tbf if I had fish only system I would never do water changes. I personally would try carbon dosing to keep no3 and po4 down appart from that few cool anemones. Oversized skimmer & that's job done in my best knowledge

No room for a skimmer, filtration is just a Macro Algae and a Filter sock.

 

[pledosophy]

If your nitrates are below 100 and your pH is above 8 then I don't think you have anything to concern yourself with via water change.

Trim your macro as needed and enjoy.

 

[Brady4000]

So if I nitrates are in check, can I just skip the water change? Like just test once a week?

 

[Brady4000]

If your nitrates are below 100 and your pH is above 8 then I don't think you have anything to concern yourself with via water change.

Trim your macro as needed and enjoy.

Lol you answered my question seconds before I posted it.

 

[JumboShrimp]

In the future you could always add a UV Sterilizer for even greater algae control, and then down the road if need be, a sulphur denitrator. Anything beats water changes for a FOWLER, right!? Lol.

 

[Brady4000]

In the future you could always add a UV Sterilizer for even greater algae control, and then down the road if need be, a sulphur denitrator. Anything beats water changes for a FOWLER, right!? Lol.

I have a large UV, but I don’t run it. The tank never had its lights on due to the mantis.

I’ll have to look up what a “sulphur denitrator” is. Never heard of it.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Marine Depot sold 3 sizes of the Aquamaxx brand, but after months and months and months of being ‘out of stock’ (?) they may have finally pulled them altogether. At the moment can’t even find the brand BRS was selling. But search R2R for some details— some people have even gone DIY. It gets nitrates and phosphates down to zero.

 

[LIreefguy]

I wouldn’t let my nitrates gets to 100 That might be too high for a mantis shrimp

I would say go to once every other week If after 3 months your nitrates are still under 20 I would go to once a month.

I seen takes go from low nitrates to high in short time

would go cold turkey on water changes