Water change best practices?

[TheReefDiary]

Should I be basing my water changes off my current parameters or stick with a consistent schedule and water amount. Currently I have been doing 25% water changes weekly in my fluval evo 13.5

Im not sure if that's too much, too little, too often.

Right now ph is 8.0
My alkalinity is around 10
My nitrate on salifert was somewhere between 20-25.

 

[fishski13]

So there isnt really anything wrong with doing water changes just to do them as long as they are done correctly, but the big question is it worth it. If you are doing them just to do them, you are wasting money on water and salt as well as your time.

I usually do my water changes based on nitrate and alkalinity. Your alkalinity level looks good, I like mine between 8-9 but your nitrate is a bit high. I would aim for under 20.