Recycling water change water

[.AcroKiller.]

So I wonder could we make a separate storage container completely dark that we can store old salt water from water changes with a filtration system that would remover all the nasty stuff and leaving it long enought in the dark to completely kill all the bacteria making it reusable again?

 

[Jdeleon]

I dont think its so much about cleaning the water but also adding back useful nutrients. I may be completely wrong thou

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

Think it'd work for a fowlr, but, you would be lacking any trace elements introduced by new salt mix. Not sure, but that would be my main concern.

 

[.AcroKiller.]

Think it'd work for a fowlr, but, you would be lacking any trace elements introduced by new salt mix. Not sure, but that would be my main concern.

What if the person is running a calcium reactor where trace elements are added while the media dissolves ?

 

[clownfish chris]

I dont think its so much about cleaning the water but also adding back useful nutrients. I may be completely wrong thou

That is exactly correct. You can use a uv sterilizer to sanitize and with proper filtration and nutrient export you will have "clean" water. It's the trace elements we are after. There are people who do not do water changes.

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

You could do a triton test of recycled water and of new salt mix to see what is missing if possible. That's honestly give you the best answer. But that would be a per recycled barrel I believe. There is more to the new blend than just alk, calc, and mag. I'm unsure of the importance of each element but I could see the water being stripped too clean of those elements over time. Again, not 100% sure, just makes sense in my head and my .02

 

[aaron23]

so fish waste in the water etc will be dissolved how?

 

[CoralCollectors805]

seems like 1000000X more work and money than a water change

 

[.AcroKiller.]

Just a thought since water in the ocean does not get change and it's a self sustain recycle system.

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

Waaaaaay larger body of water with more contributing factors. Rainfall, tides, currents, not a sealed/closed loop system, and too many more to list. apples to oranges.
I see the curiosity in this idea though. Million dollar idea if create a system tho.

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

I'm sure there's a way, but, is it efficient and cost effective? That would be the question

 

[Waterjockey]

I think a big part of the wate change is replacement of trace elements that may be consumed by the system.
I'm thinking more of a re-use in multiple steps approach. I have bought all the stuff I need for an automatic water change system, doing small amounts daily. The intent/experiment will be to run the tank water into a frag tank, then quarantine tank setup, and then from there to a baby bring shrimp hatchery, and finally to drain..ensuring each system is constantly replenished.
I have no idea if this will work, if I will have salinity issues, for example, but going to tinker and see what happens

 

[beaslbob]

I would not keep in in the dark but instead keep it circulating with macro algaes and well lit.

You may even be able to harvest the macros to feed tangs and other macro eaters.

And if you should ever have a tank crash it would be an excellent back up system for your critters while the display is recovering.

my .02

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I would not recommend this. If the goal is reducing nitrate and phosphate, I don't think water changes are the best way, and for most everything else, the water is "ruined" and difficult to correct (organics accumulated, trace elements accumulated, major ion imbalances, such as chloride/sulfate, etc.).