No water changes

[Perthegallon]

Hello so I’m on my 5 weeks of my last water change I maintain my primates without dosing I barley run my skimmer and my phosphates are only 0.03 and nitrate at 2 ppm these levels rarely change I’m kinda confused on what is happening should I just keep it up and not do water changes or is there something wrong here

 

[Perthegallon]

I also feed my fish heavily and the corals as well

 

[New&no clue]

How big is the tank, how much rock do you have, any other filtration, what livestock do you have (fish and corals), and how old is it.

If you have a good amount of rock that might be all the filtration your tank needs. I've heard of plenty of tanks who rarely do water changes and they are thriving. I think its all about the balance of what you have in your tank.

 

[nereefpat]

Some folks don't change water at all. But most of them do extensive testing to dose trace elements.

Water changes aren't just for reducing nitrate, they are for replacing things too.

I would suggest trying 5% a week or so, if you aren't testing with Triton or ATI or something.

Edit: Forgot to ask, is it a reef? If fish only, then you don't need much for water changes .

 

[Perthegallon]

How big is the tank, how much rock do you have, any other filtration, what livestock do you have (fish and corals), and how old is it.

If you have a good amount of rock that might be all the filtration your tank needs. I've heard of plenty of tanks who rarely do water changes and they are thriving. I think its all about the balance of what you have in your tank.

60 gallons a lot of rock around 60 ponds and a huge bio block and the corals seem very happy

 

[Perthegallon]

Some folks don't change water at all. But most of them do extensive testing to dose trace elements.

Water changes aren't just for reducing nitrate, they are for replacing things too.

I would suggest trying 5% a week or so, if you aren't testing with Triton or ATI or something.

Edit: Forgot to ask, is it a reef? If fish only, then you don't need much for water changes .

Reef tank and yes will consider if I bought a Red Sea trace element test kit and replace those is that good?

 

[New&no clue]

60 gallons a lot of rock around 60 ponds and a huge bio block and the corals seem very happy

It sounds like you have some good filtration already going. If everything is running smoothly then don't fix what's not broken.

 

[nereefpat]

Reef tank and yes will consider if I bought a Red Sea trace element test kit and replace those is that good?

I'm not familiar with that one. If it's a kit, probably not. ICP testing is what I was talking about.

Eventually, if you never do water changes, some elements can potentially get completely depleted or become too high to be safe. If you don't do complete testing, you won't know.

 

[Perthegallon]

I'm not familiar with that one. If it's a kit, probably not. ICP testing is what I was talking about.

Eventually, if you never do water changes, some elements can potentially get completely depleted or become too high to be safe. If you don't do complete testing, you won't know.

Okay I might just stick with a 5 gallon water change every two weeks instead since that is cheaper

 

[nereefpat]

That sounds like a good plan to me. There are folks who don't do water changes, but it takes some testing.

5 gallons of saltwater only should cost a buck or two, so I am with you on it being cheaper.

 

[js_marra]

Hello so I’m on my 5 weeks of my last water change I maintain my primates without dosing I barley run my skimmer and my phosphates are only 0.03 and nitrate at 2 ppm these levels rarely change I’m kinda confused on what is happening should I just keep it up and not do water changes or is there something wrong here

Sounds like you have good bilogical filtrations and having your levels being at least detectable is a good sign. If both were 0, you could run into some bad algae problems and a lot of questions. Not doing water changes could work just fine and a lot of ppl do it, although you may have to consider dosing alk or calcium if you have corals that are using it and not doing a water change to replace those elements

 

[Perthegallon]

Sounds like you have good bilogical filtrations and having your levels being at least detectable is a good sign. If both were 0, you could run into some bad algae problems and a lot of questions. Not doing water changes could work just fine and a lot of ppl do it, although you may have to consider dosing alk or calcium if you have corals that are using it and not doing a water change to replace those elements

Yes I have my Neptune trident up and replacing calc and alk