success with very large % water changes?

[Zboralski62]

Morning everyone,

Woke up this morning to a dead Maxima in my 30 gal mixed reef. I’m assuming it’s byssal threads got ripped too bad and it died that way. I attached a pic of its foot at the bottom. Removed the clam, and tested the following parameters using the API kits, Nitrate (well over 100ppm), Phosphate (somewhere between 1 and 2ppm, the color gradient isn’t the best), and Ammonia (somewhere between 1 and 2ppm, again not super great color gradient). I have not tested ALK and Ca yet. I doubt that was the problem because the clam had been showing a bunch of new shell growth and I was dosing 2-part every day. Most of my LPS are currently really retracted into theI’d skeletons.

I have a relatively well-stocked tank with 2 clowns, watchman goby, and a smaller coris wrasse. However, I have a what I thought was adequate filtration: a 300GPH backpack filter, a skimmer that’s rated for up to a 100 gallon tank, and plan on building a DIY refugium soon. I was going to do it this week but I think those funds will have to go into this possible soft-rebuild. I have been doing a 5-gallon water change every 2 weeks trying to vacuum the sand as best I could when changing the water.

How big of a water change do you all recommend to bring this system back into control? Also my gravel bed is the same one that been in the tank since day 1 in 2015. I’m thinking if I do a large scale water change, shouldnt I also look to replacing it? Or should I just a thoroughly vacuum the sand with all the rock removed?

Thanks everyone.

 

[Webslinger]

10% a week

 

[Cstar_BC]

Your gravel bed is housing a portion of your bacteria population so replacing it could force another cycle.

I think just doing small sections at a time weekly is adequate to clean the substrate .

As for the tank you could do 50% every day for three days . And then resume your normal schedule .

 

[Zboralski62]

10% a week

@ Webslinger As an immediate fix or in the long-term?

 

[Billdogg]

10% per week is the suggested routine maintenance amount.

That being said, I have done 90%+ water changes with no issues other than the fish looking around going WOW - it sure is clean in here!!!

For your situation I'd go with 50%+ every other day for about 3 water changes. Use a gravel vac (python siphon) to clean about 1/3 of the sand bed each time. Take the opportunity to move the rocks and clean well around them, but be careful to avoid stirring up the sand when you do - carefully move a few, vacuum the area, move the rocks back. Repeat in the next 1/3 of the tank x 2 and you should be good to go.

 

[JoshO]

If ammonia is that high I'd get a 50% change done straight away and do another one in a few days, re-test and decide from there

 

[brandon429]

here are exact work threads matching the job you are considering, literal roadmaps to what you are wanting to see before applying:

1. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/algae-identification.707457/page-3#post-7320565

2. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/120-gallon-rip-clean.679588/

3. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/planning-a-rip-clean.708626/page-2#post-7329082


middle one is a 120 gallons, at least 5K$ system, 100% water change and tap water sandbed rinse twice in one month, and nothing is wrong with the system he demonstrates preemptive sandbed cleaning for us all there. he then secures ICP water testing, after the rip cleans. Its the most thorough sand access thread on the internet.

*full water change over dirty sand-risky.


full water change over rinsed, or new sand, with slow ramp up lighting for a week after= them after pics