Water too clean?

[Saltwatertaylor]

I have been thinking about this a lot the last few days. My theory is that if you keep your water parameters too close to perfect, then your fish will be more susceptible to any minor changes. I have read many articles on here where the water parameters are perfect, yet there fish die when something little goes wrong. On the other hand, I have read articles where the parameters are not perfect and they let the system fix itself, and the fish survive. By saying this, I don't believe by any means that you should dirty up your water so your fish become more hardy, but don't stress so much when one of the water parameters is a little too high or a little too low. I think letting the system fix itself is the best way to go for many situations, while there are certain situations when you do need to take action.

Personal stories or input is greatly appreciated

 

[SeymourDuncan]

here is a good analogy for why this is a good theory Frog In A Pot - YouTube

 

[coffee1stlife2nd]

OMG how crule.. learned something but still crule...

 

[Saltwatertaylor]

That it cruel* but a very good analogy!

 

[Trex]

I sort of agree with you --- to an extent.

I allow the temps of my tanks to swing from 76 to 84 over the course of day/year -- the biggest swings happen during the Spring and Fall, when the windows are open.

Several years ago, I was working on one of my tanks, without me knowing it, I removed the temp probe, during the Fall with the windows open. The air temp was in the mid 60's, so the heater turned on. By the time I figured it out, the tank's temp was around 89*. I figure the probe had been out of the sump for at least 7 hours. At the time I had numerous SPS, clams and S. haddoni anemone -- along with fish. Not a single thing happened from this event, no bleaching, all the fish were fine, etc.

I also know a person that does studies on this, and backs up the claim that temp swings (( within the normal range of what you are keeping )) are perfectly fine, and can actually be helpful.

 

[Saltwatertaylor]

I sort of agree with you --- to an extent.

I allow the temps of my tanks to swing from 76 to 84 over the course of day/year -- the biggest swings happen during the Spring and Fall, when the windows are open.

Several years ago, I was working on one of my tanks, without me knowing it, I removed the temp probe, during the Fall with the windows open. The air temp was in the mid 60's, so the heater turned on. By the time I figured it out, the tank's temp was around 89*. I figure the probe had been out of the sump for at least 7 hours. At the time I had numerous SPS, clams and S. haddoni anemone -- along with fish. Not a single thing happened from this event, no bleaching, all the fish were fine, etc.

I also know a person that does studies on this, and backs up the claim that temp swings (( within the normal range of what you are keeping )) are perfectly fine, and can actually be helpful.

I agree with what you are saying aswell. There will always be a point where too much variance in the water parameters will cause harm to your livestock. Staying within the line that seperates okay fluctuation and a dangerous fluctuation is what each person will have to figure out themselves... Sometimes its the hard way.