Water Changes Yes or No?

FaviaFreak · Jun 12, 2012

Water Changes Yes or No?

please explain your answer to make it clearer to people following this post why you chose yes or no

Reef Breeders · Jun 12, 2012

Yes, the skimmer removes 30% of the waste, but a water change gets most of what's left. Personally, I rinse my chaeto twice in the tank to leave the pods, then twice in a bucket of tap water to get the scum, and then stir up all of the detritus in my sump, wipe all of the algae on the glass, and remove 10% of the water, then replace it. I do this every 3 weeks with phenomenal results. I could go for months without a water change, but the system looks dirtier, and corals do not do quite as well.

FaviaFreak · Jun 12, 2012

anemonekeeper said:
Yes, the skimmer removes 30% of the waste, but a water change gets most of what's left. Personally, I rinse my chaeto twice in the tank to leave the pods, then twice in a bucket of tap water to get the scum, and then stir up all of the detritus in my sump, wipe all of the algae on the glass, and remove 10% of the water, then replace it. I do this every 3 weeks with phenomenal results. I could go for months without a water change, but the system looks dirtier, and corals do not do quite as well.

Thank You anemonekeeper..great explanation

MBG75 · Jun 12, 2012

Water change every 2 weeks just to get the trace elements and numbers back in line

jcharrsn · Jun 12, 2012

I do 10% every week or I get bad hair algae outbreaks. And my water tests come back pretty consistently with good numbers.

williamjacobs641 · Jun 12, 2012

15 gallons every month to add trace elements back to the tank.

Reef Breeders · Jun 12, 2012

On the other hand, I have seen some fantastic systems that no water changes are done on. The most important part of a water change is the removal of debris, waste, detritus, etc. from the water, and replenishing trace elements. If you have an oversized skimmer, a dosing regimen, and you siphon your detritus, you can do quite well without a water change.

Scoly · Jun 12, 2012

I do 30g every two weeks on my 185. I have a oversized skimmer, but I also have about 35 fish, that I feed twice a day. Change filter socks atleast once a week. Tank always looks better afterwards. Been doing it like that for years now, and has always worked, so I stick with it.

creefer · Jun 12, 2012

I do 10% changes weekly. Every other week I clean the sump and rinse the chaeto as anemonekeeper does. I clean the skimmer once a month as well.

kuyatwo · Jun 12, 2012

I do 10% water change on 10th 20th and 30th of the month to replenish trace minerals, vacuum sump out of all the detritus and dilute anything building up in my tank ie phosphates or nitrates

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M@! · Jun 12, 2012

For me water changes not only replace trace elements but are essential to remove excess detritus. I vacuum my sand and sump once in a week in my 20L. I end up changing 5 gallons. The waste water is completely brown when I'm down.

FaviaFreak · Jun 12, 2012

I also use regular bi weekly water changes to siphon detritus off the bottom of my tank and suck up valonia off the rocks

secretreefer · Jun 12, 2012

35 gallons once a month here lately. been seeing better and better polyp extension and coloration. might up my WC game to twice a 35G/month.

stylaster · Jun 12, 2012

I do a 40% water change every 3 weeks. As other stated to remove waste, replenish elements. Also seems like after a large water change like that the corals look a lot happier, more extension, tentacles out more. Sometimes Ill also get the snails to spawn with the water changes too

thewackyreefer · Jun 12, 2012

Yes, same reason I've provided in every other thread like this...

BarbH · Jun 12, 2012

Currently I have been doing about a 15-20% wc biweekly to help remove waste from the water and to replenish nutrients. Although thinking about starting weekly water changes to help in lowering my nitrates. Tank is still new and right now only have fish so nitrates are not to huge of an issue, but do want to have the tank prepared for doing corals in a couple of months along with reducing the possibility of having issues with nusicance algae. Once I have gotten my nitrates to a more desirable level will see if it can be maintained with doing biweekly changes.

AliciaP · Jun 12, 2012

Biweekly, almost half of my tank volume. Weekly if I see any problems popping up. I do half because I don't dose anything and I assume that the corals and snails and algae like the calcium and other things in the salt mix.