The No H2O change thread (not what you think)

[Skibum]

Hi, I'm curious about SPS keepers who don't do water changes. This is NOT intended to be a debate thread! I don't care if you believe in water changes, I don't want to read it as that topic has been beaten to death. This thread is intended for people to showcase their no water change SPS systems. I'm interested in methods, such as Triton, DSR, etc. Show pics of your system, how long it's been running without a water change, and how you maintain it.

Thanks!

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

@Rakie are you still doing water changes? I know your system might be an example of this.

 

[Macdaddynick1]

Not sure if Triton method can be honestly called “no waterchange method”. You’re technically putting together new saltwater inside of your tank, by using 3 5 gallon jugs of liquid(or however many jugs it uses) this is exactly why you have to remove some saltwater from the system. It’s more like an auto waterchange method. I might be wrong though.
Here is my tank at 6+ months no waterchanges, I just did my first ATI ICP, as a result I have elevated tin, lithium, zinc and silicate( silicates are high because of my RO). Ati gave me 50% on my water quality. The Corals look ok, growth could be better. My iron and salinity are low, rest of the elements look fine. Runs on a geo calcium reactor. Some of the Corals could look better, if I was using Triton. As it keeps everything on point.

 

[Skibum]

Not sure if Triton method can be honestly called “no waterchange method”. You’re technically putting together new saltwater inside of your tank, by using 3 5 gallon jugs of liquid(or however many jugs it uses) this is exactly why you have to remove some saltwater from the system. It’s more like an auto waterchange method. I might be wrong though.
Here is my tank at 6+ months no waterchanges, I just did my first ATI ICP, as a result I have elevated tin, lithium, zinc and silicate( silicates are high because of my RO). Ati gave me 50% on my water quality. The Corals look ok, growth could be better. My iron and salinity are low, rest of the elements look fine. Runs on a geo calcium reactor. Some of the Corals could look better, if I was using Triton. As it keeps everything on point.

Fantastic Aquarium. I was going on Triton's own description of "no water changes" I believe that's what they're claiming on their website. As far as elevated litihium, zinc, etc how would you go about reducing those w/o water changes, or is that even possible? I'm assuming activated carbon won't help here.

 

[Rakie]

@Rakie are you still doing water changes? I know your system might be an example of this.

I'm weaning my tank off of them. Here's my plan, and I'm at the bolded part.

1x Weekly --> 2x Month --> Monthly --> 2 Months --> 6 Months --> Yearly(?)

I'll probably stay at Monthly for a little while just to ensure things are going well. But it shouldn't be necessary. I also will probably at least do a water change 2x yearly. I don't think I could keep from doing water changes completely.

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

Not sure if Triton method can be honestly called “no waterchange method”. You’re technically putting together new saltwater inside of your tank, by using 3 5 gallon jugs of liquid(or however many jugs it uses) this is exactly why you have to remove some saltwater from the system. It’s more like an auto waterchange method. I might be wrong though.

I don't know if this is a fair definition of "no water changes." Using your logic, there's absolutely no difference between doing 25% water changes twice a month and adding a few hundred ml of supplements. The first is replacing potentially dozens of gallons of tank water with fresh artificial or natural seawater. The second is merely adding half a liter or so (depending on tank size) of concentrated supplements per month. There's a huge difference.

Not to mention, most supplements are simply minerals dissolved in deionized water. When you dose a magnesium supplement, for instance, you're adding magnesium to the tank, but you're reducing the overall salinity ever so slightly by adding lots of freshwater with the dissolved magnesium. At the most, dosing liquid supplements reduces the demand on your ATO by adding freshwater back to your tank. You're not actually removing tank water and replacing it with something else.

 

[Macdaddynick1]

Fantastic Aquarium. I was going on Triton's own description of "no water changes" I believe that's what they're claiming on their website. As far as elevated litihium, zinc, etc how would you go about reducing those w/o water changes, or is that even possible? I'm assuming activated carbon won't help here.

From what ATI suggested, the easiest way is to do water changes. My lithium is high because I have some artificial rock in my tank, and because I used the Reef cement to hold some of my rocks together. I recently watched a video where Jason Fox mentioned that the main reason to do water changes is to get rid of the build-up of heavy metals. As a matter of fact I think Triton has a salt made just for that. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/triton-salts.195712/

 

[Skibum]

I'm this close to pulling the trigger on full DSR. I've been trying to source his method ingredients locally as much as possible. The other alternative is Triton, I've been following the BRStv investigates series with interest. Generally speaking, I have my No3 under control with vinegar dosing, and Po4 I'm using Iron citrate. The next piece of me is iodide, potassium, boron, strontium dosing. Hopefully after that I can start dosing No3 and Po4 assuming enough coral growth.

 

[Donovan Joannes]

I have been running a mixed tank with a 95% wild collected sticks frags for a year now (1 year old to several months age) with no water changes (same water since I start end of 2013 with softies). No specific method just guestimate based on experiences I gathered along the way. I am more into natural way of reefing, emphasizing bacteria nutrient control method, recently added algae through for diversity. I do have some elements dosing regime, kalk for ca/kh along with coral supplements but nothing fancy. I am trying live oyster in the sump, hoping it will thrive and spawning eggs for coral consumption (keeping an eye on these bivalve as they are relatively new.

Pictures using lumia phone, not that nice.

 

[Liti]

Not to mention, most supplements are simply minerals dissolved in deionized water. When you dose a magnesium supplement, for instance, you're adding magnesium to the tank, but you're reducing the overall salinity ever so slightly by adding lots of freshwater with the dissolved magnesium. At the most, dosing liquid supplements reduces the demand on your ATO by adding freshwater back to your tank. You're not actually removing tank water and replacing it with something else.

Its recommend to remove some tank water (i think its the same volume that you're dosing). Magnesium Chloride, Calcium Chloride and Sodium bicarbonate are usually whats dosed. So there's a lot of chloride and sodium being dosed at the same time with these supplements which doesnt get used up like magnesium, calcium and alkalinity. At the same time you have evaporation from your tank. The dosing volumes will mask the true volume of water evaporation and therefore your ATO will put less fresh water into the system. This was my understanding anyway, if i'm wrong then I hope someone can explain as I just started dosing recently.

Sorry to detract from the purpose of this thread, I just want to be sure what Im doing is correct? At the moment I dont remove any water as my skimate and test water seems to be enough to keep salinity stable.

I dont have much to share in terms of pics as I only just started my second tank with Aquaforest supplementation and no water changes. Im slowly transitioning into keeping more SPS corals so very interested in this thread and how others are getting a long with no water changes.

 

[Skibum]

I have been running a mixed tank with a 95% wild collected sticks frags for a year now (1 year old to several months age) with no water changes (same water since I start end of 2013 with softies). No specific method just guestimate based on experiences I gathered along the way. I am more into natural way of reefing, emphasizing bacteria nutrient control method, recently added algae through for diversity. I do have some elements dosing regime, kalk for ca/kh along with coral supplements but nothing fancy. I am trying live oyster in the sump, hoping it will thrive and spawning eggs for coral consumption (keeping an eye on these bivalve as they are relatively new.

Pictures using lumia phone, not that nice.

Man, great looking aquarium. When you say wild collected, are you talking about local Singapore waters, that you yourself collected? Also, what is that purple stick here:

I want it ;-)

-Tom

 

[Donovan Joannes]

Man, great looking aquarium. When you say wild collected, are you talking about local Singapore waters, that you yourself collected? Also, what is that purple stick here:

I want it ;-)

-Tom

I am in Sabah, the island of Borneo. Sticks and other corals are abundant. 100 meter from local public beach is full with acros, stags, monti etc. I collect most of my frags from here, under 2 feet of water during lowest tide . That purple (actually it's pink) is NPS soft coral, not sure what genus.

 

[Skibum]

I am in Sabah, the island of Borneo. Sticks and other corals are abundant. 100 meter from local public beach is full with acros, stags, monti etc. I collect most of my frags from here, under 2 feet of water during lowest tide . That purple (actually it's pink) is NPS soft coral, not sure what genus.

My wife grew up in Sabah, Wallace Bay ;-). I need to see it myself.

-Tom

 

[Jerzyray]

Not sure if Triton method can be honestly called “no waterchange method”. You’re technically putting together new saltwater inside of your tank, by using 3 5 gallon jugs of liquid(or however many jugs it uses) this is exactly why you have to remove some saltwater from the system. It’s more like an auto waterchange method. I might be wrong though.
Here is my tank at 6+ months no waterchanges, I just did my first ATI ICP, as a result I have elevated tin, lithium, zinc and silicate( silicates are high because of my RO). Ati gave me 50% on my water quality. The Corals look ok, growth could be better. My iron and salinity are low, rest of the elements look fine. Runs on a geo calcium reactor. Some of the Corals could look better, if I was using Triton. As it keeps everything on point.

DAM that's only 6 months of growth? How long has the tank bin up and running?

 

[Donovan Joannes]

My wife grew up in Sabah, Wallace Bay ;-). I need to see it myself.

-Tom

That is close to several reef paradise (sipadan, mabul, kapalai and few others).