Water change question

[sogdog]

After experiencing a crash a bit ago, I have finally started restocking corals. I normally do water changes every two weeks, however I noticed via my trident that the alk ca and mg are holding pretty close to the mix values. I know with every water change there is risk, but having tested nitrate nitrite phosphate ammonia, everything is 0. So is there a downside to waiting maybe one more week, such as calcium precipitation? There’s also no reason I can’t do it every two weeks. I just keep reading so much negative news about the environment I’m trying not to be wasteful.

 

[blaxsun]

Not really (IMHO).

 

[homer1475]

I know with every water change there is risk, but having tested nitrate nitrite phosphate ammonia, everything is 0.

What downside is there to a water change?

If "everything" is 0, thats not good either. Only things that should be 0 is ammonia, and nitrites. You should have some phosphates(ideally somewhere between .01, and .1), and some nitrates( again between 1 and 10ppm).

 

[waterwatereverywhere]

After experiencing a crash a bit ago, I have finally started restocking corals. I normally do water changes every two weeks, however I noticed via my trident that the alk ca and mg are holding pretty close to the mix values. I know with every water change there is risk, but having tested nitrate nitrite phosphate ammonia, everything is 0. So is there a downside to waiting maybe one more week, such as calcium precipitation? There’s also no reason I can’t do it every two weeks. I just keep reading so much negative news about the environment I’m trying not to be wasteful.

Waste water from an RO unit is supposed to be really good for watering plants

 

[sogdog]

Waste water from an RO unit is supposed to be really good for watering plants

I do have a waste line I run into the planter bed. Glad I got that 100ft one. But it is not efficient, most of the plants will end up over watered.

What downside is there to a water change?

If "everything" is 0, thats not good either. Only things that should be 0 is ammonia, and nitrites. You should have some phosphates(ideally somewhere between .01, and .1), and some nitrates( again between 1 and 10ppm).

I should have been a little clear. I wrote everyone is 0 for simplicity. Everything is within great parameters. There’s nothing concerning is what I meant.

 

[homer1475]

I should have been a little clear. I wrote everyone is 0 for simplicity. Everything is within great parameters. There’s nothing concerning is what I meant.

Being a new reefer, "everything is great", are not parameters. What you perceive as great, might actually be way off to a seasoned vet.

I do weekly WC religiously(I'm old school, and have reefed this way for over 20 years).

Can you go every other week, sure, but let your tank tell you whether you need to do one or not(are parameters fluctuating, are ALK, CAL, and MAG fluctuating week to week, ETC? There is more to the question then a simple yes, or no. .

 

[LeftyReefer]

I know with every water change there is risk, but having tested nitrate nitrite phosphate ammonia, everything is 0. So is there a downside to waiting maybe one more week, such as calcium precipitation?

what risk and why would calcium precipitate from not doing a water change?

If you are just now adding corals to the tank, then it shouldn't be much of a surprise that the CA/MG/ALK levels are holding steady because there isn't much demand yet. no harm in waiting an extra week or two for a water change at this point.