Water changes?

[LordJoshaeus]

10% twice weekly sounds reasonable to me (and something along those lines is coming up repeatedly on this thread). Thanks

 

[dvlpr]

It is obviously possible to have a nice tank without water changes.

The true question, IMO, is:

1. Whether that same tank might benefit if a water change was done.
2. Whether the things needed to be done to maintain a great tank long term might be done more easily or more cheaply to attain the same results with water changes than without.

I will know in a few years Going without water changes means more stability in the water (meaning there's no big param change once a week) and no need to mix in salt every week. Dosing would still need to occur whether one does WCs or not. I was doing weekly WCs in my freshwater tank, so trying something different now.

 

[Uncle99]

So if you don’t do water changes, how do you get the trace elements replenished?
Don’t we people who keep corals need the trace as well for a healthy environment?
I would have thought there’s less stability in the water chemistry as “things” get used up, and not replenished.
Excluding the major elements, do you dose each minor element and if so, how do you know it’s the right amount. Curious on how you make that work, I would love not to do water changes, but thought it was mandatory.

 

[dvlpr]

So if you don’t do water changes, how do you get the trace elements replenished?
Don’t we people who keep corals need the trace as well for a healthy environment?
I would have thought there’s less stability in the water chemistry as “things” get used up, and not replenished.
Excluding the major elements, do you dose each minor element and if so, how do you know it’s the right amount. Curious on how you make that work, I would love not to do water changes, but thought it was mandatory.

So far I haven't been dosing anything except NoPoX and KH (well, also Phytoplancton and ReefRoids), but once I get a few more corals in and the tank settles down a bit I will start dosing a bit of Red Sea Reef Energy. I'm also not using RODI water - I'm using dechlorinated tap water, so it also contains some elements (although not sure how many of those are useful to corals).

 

[code4]

I have tried many things. Regular water changes, included vacuuming the sand bed and blowing out the rocks. Cleaning all filtration measures once a month or more often. That was working great for a couple of years. Then got lazy. Not much of anything. Then spent the next couple of years fighting algae, and lots of other uglies. Then carbon dosed. Other issues at that point. Now back to basics. Water chanes, vacuuming, Turkey Baxter to blow out the rocks. 10 to 15 percent every week. Tank is looking great again. Thank goodness I did all this trial and error on my 65 gallon and not my 140.

Don't get lazy. Things did when we get lazy. Just my story. My two hits worth.

Shelley

 

[FortyFour44]

Whatever you can do consistently, and realistically. If it is 10%, that would put you in a good position.

 

[ss30]

So...small water changes while the tank is cycling, and larger water changes (perhaps the 30% I mentioned above?) once the tank is cycled and stocked? Any saltwater tank I set up will likely be macroalgae dominated with a few soft or LPS corals (maybe even a sun coral, which I am very fond of and have done well for me in the past). In a macroalgae tank, I would likely be dosing small quantities of nutrients (nitrate, phosphate, etc) and baking soda (which will be torn apart to take the carbon for photosynthesis) daily as well.

EDIT: I like species tanks, so I would really like to have a pair of a fish species and try to spawn them (and raise the resulting fry).

While cycling unless your instructed to do a water change I wouldn't but it also depends on how you are doing your cycle and what product you are using!

 

[Mark Bradley]

A religious 15% every week for me. Tank size and stocking levels also plays a part. 15% keeps my water quality (measurements) consistently where I want it. If I did smaller, or bigger, changes then it would impact my measurements. Subject to salt used differing the levels of water changes must have an impact on the water chemistry - therefore, I’ve never taken it that one size fits all.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I will know in a few years Going without water changes means more stability in the water (meaning there's no big param change once a week) and no need to mix in salt every week. Dosing would still need to occur whether one does WCs or not. I was doing weekly WCs in my freshwater tank, so trying something different now.

You can only "know" to answer my question if you actually change water and see what happens. If you never do, you will never know.

As to stability, water changes do not necessarily mean once a week. I changed water two dozen times a day. It is very stable.

 

[dvlpr]

You can only "know" to answer my question if you actually change water and see what happens. If you never do, you will never know.

As to stability, water changes do not necessarily mean once a week. I changed water two dozen times a day. It is very stable.

By "knowing" I meant if the reef is running successfully in a few years, it works

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

By "knowing" I meant if the reef is running successfully in a few years, it works

OK. But you won't know whether water changes are useful for you.

 

[dvlpr]

OK. But you won't know whether water changes are useful for you.

Correct. But if I can avoid them and the reef is doing well, then my reasoning is that they are not useful (in my particular circumstances, with my particular water source, chemicals, etc...) and I'm saving a bit of time and effort hauling and mixing water every week.

I'm also right next to a source of the most natural sea water - the actual ocean, so I could simply grab a bucket of that water each week and use in the tank, but that would introduce a lot of undesired pests and I'm avoiding this, although I have considered it initially.

Basically there are multiple way of running a tank and I'm trying/learning a new one

 

[homer1475]

Your using TAP water and your worried about the micro organism that might be in the NSW.

Now that is laughable.

 

[Reef.]

Correct. But if I can avoid them and the reef is doing well, then my reasoning is that they are not useful (in my particular circumstances, with my particular water source, chemicals, etc...) and I'm saving a bit of time and effort hauling and mixing water every week.

I'm also right next to a source of the most natural sea water - the actual ocean, so I could simply grab a bucket of that water each week and use in the tank, but that would introduce a lot of undesired pests and I'm avoiding this, although I have considered it initially.

Basically there are multiple way of running a tank and I'm trying/learning a new one

You are missing the point, the point being made was, if you do not do water changes you can not say whether it was easier, cheaper, more successful for your tank than doing water changes, the point wasn’t you can not have a successful tank without water changes, but may have a MORE successful tank if you do them, so therefore you can never know the answer if you never do the changes.

 

[mariano]

i test my water every week, then depending on the results i know the amount of water i need to make , everything in my tank is looking very very happy.

 

[mike550]

Here’s a link to a similar conversation

What's the "magic" of 10% weekly water changes?

Hello! As I continue to learn about ways to keep my tank healthy, water changes are certainly an interesting topic. Trying to keep some focus on this, but I know a lot of folks suggest 10% weekly water changes. My question is why 10%? Why wouldn't you do a 15% or 20% weekly water change? Is...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[dvlpr]

Your using TAP water and your worried about the micro organism that might be in the NSW.

Now that is laughable.

You're seriously comparing fresh (dechlorinated at my end, but treated to kill pretty much everything living before it gets into my house), tap water to a bucket taken directly from the sea? Really?

You are missing the point, the point being made was, if you do not do water changes you can not say whether it was easier, cheaper, more successful for your tank than doing water changes, the point wasn’t you can not have a successful tank without water changes, but may have a MORE successful tank if you do them, so therefore you can never know the answer if you never do the changes.

No, I'm not missing any point. I think most of the negative replies here do though... I'm saying that there's more than one way to run a reef tank and water changes are not necessary to achieve a successful tank. What is a "more" successful tank in your opinion, if I may ask?

 

[Reef.]

No, I'm not missing any point. I think most of the negative replies here do though... I'm saying that there's more than one way to run a reef tank and water changes are not necessary to achieve a successful tank. What is a "more" successful tank in your opinion, if I may ask?

Clearly you have, the question posed was would the tank run easier, cheaper with water changes, not would it be successful.


I

t is obviously possible to have a nice tank without water changes.

The true question, IMO, is:

1. Whether that same tank might benefit if a water change was done.
2. Whether the things needed to be done to maintain a great tank long term might be done more easily or more cheaply to attain the same results with water changes than without.

You then said you will know in a few years but are not doing water changes.
it was then pointed out you can’t know if you are not doing water changes if the tank would run easier or cheaper if you are not doing water changes, you then go on to change the questlion posed to ‘I’ll know if the tank is successful’ when the original question accepted the tanks could be just as successful but would water changes make it easier/cheaper to run.

One question was asked, you answered your own question, so yes you missed the point.

 

[motopsycho42]

120 gallon display, 40 gallon sump with refugium, run skimmer. co2 scrubber, and 2 part doser. dose essential elements etc. established tank for 6 years. Haven't done a water change in almost a year. water parameters are all good and stay steady. its about the destination folks. Takes time to establish a tank, coral growth is great and fish are thriving, dont fix whats not broken and chase numbers