What happens if you never do a water change?

[Makubex]

What happens if you never do a water change but do replace a lot of that evaporated salt water wit fw, Considering nitrites ammonia and nitrates are good, no bioload except for cuc, because sometimes the soft corals of my friend do open up big then at times they "look smaller" and close up a bit... what could be happening?

 

[T-J]

Lots of us don't do water changes (I'm one of them).
I do dose alk and All For Reef, run a skimmer, UV and carbon. I have a mixed reef and everything looks and grows just fine.

 

[Makubex]

His new triggerfish was hiding until it died... why would his corals close up a bit then? He has a skimmer and water pump, live rock, live sand, lights are good also, his ricordea has shrunk, his other mushroom stopped growing

 

[majesticbigmac]

I have had this tank for a year now. After the first 2 months, I have never done a water change. The tank is in good health and thriving. 0/1 nitrates, 0 nitrite and 0 ammonia. I have 2 clowns, 3 crabs and a rasta zoa. Sometimes it is open, sometimes not so much. A different tank I have done weekly water changes, and it is honestly in a worse state, at around 20/30ppm nitrates (2 bigger clowns, 1 crab)

 

[Jekyl]

As long as you're replenishing lost nutrients and managing excess, water changes are not needed. Think people with 1200g tanks are changing 120g a week?

 

[Makubex]

Hes just scared of adding any new fish quarantined or not, his is a 90 gallon,

 

[bpbonds]

The Goal is to never have to change water, I have had good success in 3 different tanks with O water changes.

 

[Epic Aquaculture]

If you never do a water change then the terrorists win!

 

[40g Nano]

Personally, I’ve had more success with just doing 10% wc every week

 

[MnFish1]

What happens if you never do a water change but do replace a lot of that evaporated salt water wit fw, Considering nitrites ammonia and nitrates are good, no bioload except for cuc, because sometimes the soft corals of my friend do open up big then at times they "look smaller" and close up a bit... what could be happening?

IMHO it depends on your bioload - if it's small - probably nothing - the problem is - there is a lot of 'stuff' we don't measure in our tanks. Of course companies have come out with tests to pay to see that nothing is there - with regards to minerals, metals, toxins, organincs. But - which is less expensive - easier - doing a water change every couple 2-3 weeks - or waiting for tests once there is a problem - to me its simple - just do water changes - you will spend less on testing - and have a great tank. Again JMHO

 

[MnFish1]

As long as you're replenishing lost nutrients and managing excess, water changes are not needed. Think people with 1200g tanks are changing 120g a week?

ps - I agree with this - I do not think there is a 'rule' it has to be 10 percent per week, etc. I also dislike testing - with a passion - if I can change some water every couple of weeks - and everything looks good - thats my way.

 

[Makubex]

IMHO it depends on your bioload - if it's small - probably nothing - the problem is - there is a lot of 'stuff' we don't measure in our tanks. Of course companies have come out with tests to pay to see that nothing is there - with regards to minerals, metals, toxins, organincs. But - which is less expensive - easier - doing a water change every couple 2-3 weeks - or waiting for tests once there is a problem - to me its simple - just do water changes - you will spend less on testing - and have a great tank. Again JMHO

What couldve killed the triggerfish then? Also why do the corals close up a bit?

 

[ying yang]

Aslong as can export nutrients another way or the tank sorts it out itself and test water and replenish elements especially ca,mg alk as in saltwater mix it replaces these elements with water changes ,and then dose whatever is needed but need test and find how your tank is behaving and what your corals are using etc

 

[BanjoBandito]

The no water change method (as it has been explained many, many times to me - and still seems like witchcraft) is that eventually nutrients get depleted. This basically means you'll be constantly dosing and adjusting. Not just Ca and Mg and the like, but really nitty gritty stuff that's hard to test for. The whole KZ line of products is based around this concept. I've kept, but am not currently, PICO jars and know some guys that run MICRO tanks with ACROS in them (again, witchcraft) and cannot waterchange so they slowly tinker until they know what and how to dose. For me, it seems more labor intensive than just dumpin' some fresh n' cleans in.

 

[Makubex]

He has no hard corals nor does dosing

 

[MichaelReefer]

I haven't done a water change in two years. I dose Alk, Calcium, Reef Plus, Trace Elements, magnesium.

 

[MnFish1]

What couldve killed the triggerfish then? Also why do the corals close up a bit?

no clue - are all of the other fish dying as well? Could it be disease? I do not think its related to water changes - unless the parameters in the tank are way off - which I assume they are not.

 

[MnFish1]

I haven't done a water change in two years. I dose Alk, Calcium, Reef Plus, Trace Elements, magnesium.

and your bioload is extremely small - and the stuff that has survived in your tank has adapted to the conditions. BTW - its a nice looking tank. There is no way to know - however - whether it would be better with water changes. I am curious - again not being critical - what are your numbers - nitrate, phosphate Ca Mg pH. and what kind of other export systems do you have?

 

[Makubex]

no clue - are all of the other fish dying as well? Could it be disease? I do not think its related to water changes - unless the parameters in the tank are way off - which I assume they are not.

It looked healthy, it was bought online, he recently added a 7.5" sailfin tang bought from craigslist and it was healthy also, it died too a few weeks ago, he acclimated both

 

[MnFish1]

It looked healthy, it was bought online, he recently added a 7.5" sailfin tang bought from craigslist and it was healthy also, it died too a few weeks ago, he acclimated both

That sounds like 'disease'. to me