Should I be doing automatic water changes?

Jakepen · Apr 2, 2018

I have the ghl 2.1, set up the tubing to do automatic water changes on my 180, but that’s not really in anymore. I’m not sure how accurate it is this way (not a lot of research from users doing this). Thinking it might just be a waste of two heads, would maybe rather dose magnesium, or acro power. What do you guys think?

hybridazn · Apr 2, 2018

Nothing wrong with questioning this, what should answer this easily for you is this. Is finding time to do weekly water changes easy or more of a hassle? If you don't mind doing the chore then by all means utilize the pumps for other things. But If it is am issue I would recommend doing it.

I'm in the process of setting up a AWC system as well.

Waters · Apr 2, 2018

As hybridazn stated, it doesn't really matter either way. Would you rather do water changes or manually dose?

Jakepen · Apr 2, 2018

hybridazn said:
Nothing wrong with questioning this, what should answer this easily for you is this. Is finding time to do weekly water changes easy or more of a hassle? If you don't mind doing the chore then by all means utilize the pumps for other things. But If it is am issue I would recommend doing it.

I'm in the process of setting up a AWC system as well.

Waters said:
As hybridazn stated, it doesn't really matter either way. Would you rather do water changes or manually dose?

Yeah that’s the question I suppose. It’s not really a chore I feel like doing weekly. Maybe once a month though, with proper nutrient export. I have skimz sm251 and will have a fuge. Where do you guys stand on the whole no water change movement?

reefwiser · Apr 2, 2018

So as someone who has done auto water changes for a while now. I still have to make time to get the water made. You still need to do inside the tank maintenance. Just today I spent and hour using a vacuum to clean he bottom of the tank. Then removed and cleaned powerheads. So while water is changed you still have to do maintenance to the aquarium.
Need one of those pool vacuums for my aquarium. Thou I would still have to clean the vacuum.
No water change works great but you still need to do the cleaning and testing and dosing required to keep the tank going. There is no magic bullet in keeping an aquarium one has to find a balance needed for your particular aquarium and the amount of time YOU have available to keep it going.

GoldeneyeRet · Apr 2, 2018

Im planning an upgrade and will definitely do AWC. I'm not into the no WC movement at all. I am planning on doing some testing and will dose trace if and when it is needed.

Ardeus · Apr 2, 2018

And take great care in the kind of salt you are using when storing the pre-mixed saltwater for any number of days, some of them deteriorate quickly.

hybridazn · Apr 2, 2018

Jakepen said:
Yeah that’s the question I suppose. It’s not really a chore I feel like doing weekly. Maybe once a month though, with proper nutrient export. I have skimz sm251 and will have a fuge. Where do you guys stand on the whole no water change movement?

It's not for me, I feel like it's walking a razors edge with little room for error. Water changes allow for a bit of wiggle room if you don't feel like doing something maintenance wise, with no water changes if something goes wrong like equipment failure and it all goes downhill from there

WWIII · Apr 2, 2018

I'm setting up AWC with the new GHL maxi doser! I'm all for simplicity, stability, and having that type of control. I also like being able to use it to adjust salinity if need be. I add more saltwater back in using my AWC doser, since I pull it out to test with the KH director.

I'm a fan, and think it's a great way to make sure they get done consistently! Little changes over the entire day/week vs one big change imo is good as well! Unless for some reason we need a big water change, then that can still be done as well.

Jakepen · Apr 2, 2018

Love all the activity in this thread, you all bring up some good points. Reefwiser I won’t view this as a free pass from All maintenance, I have a two year old daughter, so I actually enjoy taking some time to my self to test water and clean the tank haha. I know you are a huge fan of the ghl dosers, are you using the ghl to do your AWC? If so, is it simple to set up?

Waters · Apr 3, 2018

Jakepen said:
Yeah that’s the question I suppose. It’s not really a chore I feel like doing weekly. Maybe once a month though, with proper nutrient export. I have skimz sm251 and will have a fuge. Where do you guys stand on the whole no water change movement?

I am a HUGE fan of regular, weekly water changes. For me, it is like a small reset of water chemistry. I also use my water changes to remove detritus and clean up the sand bed. I couldn't imagine not doing water changes.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 3, 2018

As long as I continued to do water changes, I would do them slowly and automatically (which I did for many years). The only viable alternative that I'd consider is not doing changes at all.

Jakepen · Apr 3, 2018

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
As long as I continued to do water changes, I would do them slowly and automatically (which I did for many years). The only viable alternative that I'd consider is not doing changes at all.

What do you currently do?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 3, 2018

Jakepen said:
What do you currently do?

My tank us down after being up 20 years, but I was doing 1% daily up to the end.

Jakepen · Apr 3, 2018

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
My tank us down after being up 20 years, but I was doing 1% daily up to the end.

Possibly a thread going into detail why the breakdown?

Jakepen · Apr 3, 2018

Well just actually looked into it, and learned I need sensors and a splitter? Float valve or optical sensor, and where to get all this. Any ideas?

reefwiser · Apr 3, 2018

Jake I actually do water changes with a Stenner dual head pump. Ghl didn’t have the pump available.
I just set a timer on my Profilux turn on the pump for x amount of minutes.
I base this on testing to adjust levels
The MAXI doser would just be setting up how much you want to remove and add each hour or what ever time you want to change it.

Ardeus · Apr 3, 2018

I have been tempted by automatic water changes but I am always put back because of the change in the parameters when you store the water for too long. Some salts are only usable for 24 hours after mixing!

How do you guys cope with that?

Jakepen · Apr 3, 2018

reefwiser said:
Jake I actually do water changes with a Stenner dual head pump. Ghl didn’t have the pump available.
I just set a timer on my Profilux turn on the pump for x amount of minutes.
I base this on testing to adjust levels
The MAXI doser would just be setting up how much you want to remove and add each hour or what ever time you want to change it.

Yeah I just started looking at the maxi, would that be a better option? Maybe purchase a maxi slave to hook up to my 2.1 SA?

Blz14me1 · Apr 3, 2018

I’m not trying to sell anything but I bought one of those auto aqua ato/awc and I don’t think I will ever not have a auto water change again. 75 gal display with a 30 gal dump and I have it doing 1 gallon change every 12 hours. I absolutely love it.