Skip Water Change?

[RobertTheNurse]

My Nitrates are getting a little low for my liking. Tonight they reading between 2 and 5 using salifert.

My phosphates are either 0 or 0.03 as well.

So, I usually perform 20% WC every 2 weeks. Should I decrease it to 10% WCs?

I thought I spotted a little pinkish area on my substrate...siphoned it out cuz it made me paranoid it was cyano (more powdery not hairy or slimy).

What yall think? Skip an entire WC to bring my nitrates up? Decrease it to 10%? Or, continue with what im doing.

Recent photos.

.

 

[Scorpius]

The algae I see on your rocks would indicate you have higher p and n than what your test kits indicate.

 

[Uncle99]

I always vote for stability.
Those numbers are fine IMO.

 

[Tiki Reef Joshua]

I think you thinking about this a bit too hard. No matter what you do between a 10-20 percent change nothing dramatic is going to happen. My tank gets crappy when I have low nitrates, but I know reefers who have the opposite observation. Just do what you want. It takes time to find what works for your reef.

 

[redeyejedi]

If you are that worried i would feed the tank a little bit more and still do the water change.

 

[RobertTheNurse]

The algae I see on your rocks would indicate you have higher p and n than what your test kits indicate.

Ya. Agreed.

 

[sam2110]

Keep the water change, algea uses nitrates and phosphate as it grows. Your nitrates being produced will be higher than you test results.

IMO nothing bad comes from a water change done correctly.

 

[RobertTheNurse]

I always vote for stability.
Those numbers are fine IMO.

 

[RobertTheNurse]

I think you thinking about this a bit too hard. No matter what you do between a 10-20 percent change nothing dramatic is going to happen. My tank gets crappy when I have low nitrates, but I know reefers who have the opposite observation. Just do what you want. It takes time to find what works for your reef.

A year in and I still feel like a Noob.
Gotta be honest. Used vibrant for a few doses (way below recommended dose) to help with the GHA. Stoppee 2 weeks ago cuz from the beginning had 10 Nitrates and today is 2...last dose was 3 weeks ago.

 

[brandon429]

this is the right amount of algae for the tank to produce, manage it physically. Test the needed items like calcium alk but it’s time to stop testing for nitrate and phosphate until the summer time at minimum

the nitrate you are reading will be a different reading on another kit

focus on waste export

water changes and strong feeding

current track will bring on dinos, it’s hinting to you.



mainly small interventions are what guide the reef into perfection over the next several months. if waste is allowed to compound by skipping export = probs

 

[Paul B]

I think that in this hobby we change way to much water and it is not only wasteful, but harmful. A tank needs stability and water actually gets better with age, up to a certain point. If new water was so good why do brand new tanks all look lousy and are always on the disease forum?

I change about 20% of my water in my 125 gallon tank 4 or 5 times a year. The tank will be 50 years old in 4 weeks. My opinion is if you feel you must do water changes, do 5% instead of 20

 

[RobertTheNurse]

I think that in this hobby we change way to much water and it is not only wasteful, but harmful. A tank needs stability and water actually gets better with age, up to a certain point. If new water was so good why do brand new tanks all look lousy and are always on the disease forum?

I change about 20% of my water in my 125 gallon tank 4 or 5 times a year. The tank will be 50 years old in 4 weeks. My opinion is if you feel you must do water changes, do 5% instead of 20

Sounds like you have a really nice established tank. Mine is still maturing. I have also opted to use dry rock. WC also help to replace used up minerals. Im not a pro...still learning. What I have learned is everyone's reef and methods are different.

Thanks for your input! Which is what I was looking for!

 

[RobertTheNurse]

this is the right amount of algae for the tank to produce, manage it physically. Test the needed items like calcium alk but it’s time to stop testing for nitrate and phosphate until the summer time at minimum

the nitrate you are reading will be a different reading on another kit

focus on waste export

water changes and strong feeding

current track will bring on dinos, it’s hinting to you.



mainly small interventions are what guide the reef into perfection over the next several months. if waste is allowed to compound by skipping export = probs

We have a new fish coming out of quarentine this week. I guess I was worried about bottoming nutrients, which gets me worried about Problems lol.

Makes sense about import and exports.

 

[brandon429]

Your reef looks so sharp for sure its hit prime with the coralline spotting and coral health

 

[RobertTheNurse]

Thanks Just cant wait for the corraline to take over lol

 

[LegendaryCG]

I’d stay with your routine it looks like it’s healthy and developing. Nitrate and phosphate tests are very misleading if you have a refugium or algae present but good coralline growth is a good sign.

 

[X-37B]

Get some more astrea snails. I see one. I run 1 per 2 gallons of tank size. Over 60 in my 120.

If your not having issues dont change a thing.

If your plan was 20% every two weeks then stick with it.
Reducing it to 10% wont hurt.

A plan from day one with stable parameters is best.

 

[RobertTheNurse]

Get some more astrea snails. I see one. I run 1 per 2 gallons of tank size. Over 60 in my 120.

If your not having issues dont change a thing.

If your plan was 20% every two weeks then stick with it.
Reducing it to 10% wont hurt.

A plan from day one with stable parameters is best.

Im increasing my snaik population (trochus, turbos, astrea) more so now. I even bought a conch to stir up the sand bed. Need to get like 15 more snails in time to give me 30ish.

 

[X-37B]

Im increasing my snaik population (trochus, turbos, astrea) more so now. I even bought a conch to stir up the sand bed. Need to get like 15 more snails in time to give me 30ish.

Great! I have found over the years that astrea snail are better than turbos. Many of the turbos are colder water species and do not last long in reef temperatures, imo.

 

[DaneGer21]

My Nitrates are getting a little low for my liking. Tonight they reading between 2 and 5 using salifert.

My phosphates are either 0 or 0.03 as well.

So, I usually perform 20% WC every 2 weeks. Should I decrease it to 10% WCs?

I thought I spotted a little pinkish area on my substrate...siphoned it out cuz it made me paranoid it was cyano (more powdery not hairy or slimy).

What yall think? Skip an entire WC to bring my nitrates up? Decrease it to 10%? Or, continue with what im doing.

Recent photos.

.

Some people get to worried with algae. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t let it get out of control, but I prefer some algae. Let’s me keep a few extra critters, let’s my tangs graze throughout the day, etc.

I think your tank looks great as is. I know there has been lots of advice given. Here’s mine... If you like your current routine and it fits your life/schedule then keep it, BUT, instead of 20% start doing 10%, and see what happens over the next few months.