What's your water change schedule?

[Rakie]

I do a 5g water change once per week -- My system volume is probably 40-50g with sump, so around a 10-15% water change weekly. I can sometimes go every two weeks but prefer to go weekly.

Even without water changes I have to dose nutrients regularly, as my biofilter is extremely powerful.

I find it easier with a smaller tank to just consistently do a small water change weekly to keep everything in balance.

 

[kennedpa]

Sounds good! Thanks for the ideas. I saw someone said I should have a HOB rated 75g but my tank does come with a fully functional sump and micron socks. Any ideas on what to do in my sump? I am a beginner but I was thinking a refugium or reactors in there until I can get enough money for a skimmer.

FWIW, stay as simple as possible until you get to know your system. I have a 160 gallon growout only system right now, and all I have is rock, a bag of carbon in sump baffles, a skimmer, calcium reactor, and dosing pumps that I rarely use.

All the fancy equipment is nice, cool, sounds really useful, ... but for every piece of equipment you add (for the sake of recommendation or because you have a perceived need) you add in many additional layers of human commitment and error to the system. IME, you should ONLY add equipment/reactors/etc when you have had a consistent (couple weeks+) issue that simple solutions had not resolved, and, you have put sufficient thought into the process of correcting it.

With that being said, you should be able to have an awesome reef with less, for cheaper, not more. I know a reefer who runs very similar setup to myself ... gorgeous corals!

@favites - I know you're on vacation, but you should show your success with your simple methods. Vivids polyps are growing quickly and color is working into the colony Hope your vacation is awesome Mark.

 

[kennedpa]

I do a 5g water change once per week -- My system volume is probably 40-50g with sump, so around a 10-15% water change weekly. I can sometimes go every two weeks but prefer to go weekly.

Even without water changes I have to dose nutrients regularly, as my biofilter is extremely powerful.

I find it easier with a smaller tank to just consistently do a small water change weekly to keep everything in balance.

What's your biofilter?

 

[Rakie]

What's your biofilter?

Live rock.

I used siporax which has been removed, it was stripping my water of EVERYTHING and was making corals pale (i was dosing no3/po4 daily just to keep it above zero). Once I removed that everything colored back up in a few days.

I will say Aquaforest Pro Bio S is the most powerful bacteria I have ever used -- By MILES. Once I put some in my tank I struggle to keep no3/po4 values. I've got a pretty heavily stocked tank, and even with the skimmer OFF, my nutrients plummet to zero quickly.

 

[kennedpa]

Live rock.

I used siporax which has been removed, it was stripping my water of EVERYTHING and was making corals pale (i was dosing no3/po4 daily just to keep it above zero). Once I removed that everything colored back up in a few days.

I will say Aquaforest Pro Bio S is the most powerful bacteria I have ever used -- By MILES. Once I put some in my tank I struggle to keep no3/po4 values. I've got a pretty heavily stocked tank, and even with the skimmer OFF, my nutrients plummet to zero quickly.

Gotcha, yeah - I'm glad you put this it just shows how quickly ONE method can ruin your day, let alone going all in with multiple types of reactors/etc from the start.

I've heard great things about AF products. If I ever run into issues I would probably give them a go.

You could always use this as an excuse to buy tons of fish as long as your NH3 to NO3 is good

 

[Rakie]

I'm rocking 9 fish in a 50g cube with 3-4 heavy feedings a day already!
- Blue Flasher, Angulatus Flasher, CF. Lunate Fairy
- Neon Goby, Tangaroa Goby, Firefish
- Yellow Assessor
- Midnight Clown
- Bangaii Cardinal

AF Pro Bio S is the only bacteria I know will destroy upwards of 25+ no3 in a day or two.. I have no idea how it's so powerful, but it's no joke whatsoever. Having used it in my tank a couple times I can safely say my beneficial bacteria is overpowered -- Which isn't necessarily a bad thing -- But i'm getting pretty close to putting kno3 on my dosing pump in place of Magnesium... That's how quickly my no3 can go, and I haven't dosed pro bio s in months.

 

[kennedpa]

I'm rocking 9 fish in a 50g cube with 3-4 heavy feedings a day already!
- Blue Flasher, Angulatus Flasher, CF. Lunate Fairy
- Neon Goby, Tangaroa Goby, Firefish
- Yellow Assessor
- Midnight Clown
- Bangaii Cardinal

AF Pro Bio S is the only bacteria I know will destroy upwards of 25+ no3 in a day or two.. I have no idea how it's so powerful, but it's no joke whatsoever. Having used it in my tank a couple times I can safely say my beneficial bacteria is overpowered -- Which isn't necessarily a bad thing -- But i'm getting pretty close to putting kno3 on my dosing pump in place of Magnesium... That's how quickly my no3 can go, and I haven't dosed pro bio s in months.

Crazy. I don't know how concentrated the NO3 is (mg per day) you're adding but if you're adding that much you should see how many ppm K you're adding too. Probably ok, but sounds like you're using a lot.

 

[Rakie]

Crazy. I don't know how concentrated the NO3 is (mg per day) you're adding but if you're adding that much you should see how many ppm K you're adding too. Probably ok, but sounds like you're using a lot.

my K is at 400 -- I'm dosing around 40ml of kno3, mixed at 1ml per 2 gallons for a 0.8 no3 increase, double dosage (where I'm at) I am dosing around 1.6 no3 per day to keep my no3 around 5.

 

[kennedpa]

Good you're tracking! I use powder when I dose, been months. Thankfully lol.

 

[Rakie]

Good you're tracking! I use powder when I dose, been months. Thankfully lol.

Same, i use pure kno3 from NilocG (FW planted ferts), I mix it with RODI and keep a liter of it around. When I had siporax (3L in sump) I was dosing an astounding 120ml per day... For my tank, with my powder:RODI ratio, that was dosing 6 no3 per day, and I would be at like 0.5 or 1 if I was very lucky the next morning!

 

[albyone]

Sounds good! Thanks for the ideas. I saw someone said I should have a HOB rated 75g but my tank does come with a fully functional sump and micron socks. Any ideas on what to do in my sump? I am a beginner but I was thinking a refugium or reactors in there until I can get enough money for a skimmer.

i didn't realize your tank had a sump

 

[Milkmanskid]

Every two to three weeks depending on cleaning needs, levels etc. If I don't keep it up to date my candy canes and GSP are my canaries in the mine so to speak. They let me know if something isn't right.

 

[kennedpa]

Once a week, 40-50 gallons and manual cleaning of detritus and films. 160 gallons total right now.

 

[vlangel]

FWIW, stay as simple as possible until you get to know your system. I have a 160 gallon growout only system right now, and all I have is rock, a bag of carbon in sump baffles, a skimmer, calcium reactor, and dosing pumps that I rarely use.

All the fancy equipment is nice, cool, sounds really useful, ... but for every piece of equipment you add (for the sake of recommendation or because you have a perceived need) you add in many additional layers of human commitment and error to the system. IME, you should ONLY add equipment/reactors/etc when you have had a consistent (couple weeks+) issue that simple solutions had not resolved, and, you have put sufficient thought into the process of correcting it.

With that being said, you should be able to have an awesome reef with less, for cheaper, not more. I know a reefer who runs very similar setup to myself ... gorgeous corals!

@favites -

I totally agree with this quote. Tried and true simplicity can truly work while helping you learn the foundations of reef keeping. My very first reef tank was live rock, a hob filter and carbon. I kept softies and a few LPS very successfully with just 10% weekly water changes.

Even now as a seahorse keeper my system is rather simple with only a skimmer and fuge in the sump. I have no reactors, no controllers, and not even an ATO. It works well and (knock on wood) I have never had a crash in the 17+ years that I have had reef tanks.

 

[kennedpa]

I totally agree with this quote. Tried and true simplicity can truly work while helping you learn the foundations of reef keeping. My very first reef tank was live rock, a hob filter and carbon. I kept softies and a few LPS very successfully with just 10% weekly water changes.

Even now as a seahorse keeper my system is rather simple with only a skimmer and fuge in the sump. I have no reactors, no controllers, and not even an ATO. It works well and (knock on wood) I have never had a crash in the 17+ years that I have had reef tanks.

I have a ATO. IM LAZY

I keep everything with this. Delicate SPS through nems/zoas.

 

[vlangel]

I have a ATO. IM LAZY

I keep everything with this. Delicate SPS through nems/zoas.

Actually I would like an ATO but have had 2 that malfunctioned. Since my sump is in a cool basement I do not have a lot of evaporation. Also with seahorses I am doing water changes 3Xs a week so its just as easy to add a quart of water before the water change.

Yes, with the foundation principals of marine aquaria covered I believe that you can keep almost anything which your tank, your friend's tank and mine are proof!

 

[alex.mccann99]

I've got about 40 gallons total water volume. I change 5 gallons every Saturday. I crank up my vortech, use a turkey baster and blow off all my liverock and get things all churned up. The fish go crazy because I have a lot of amphipods and Copepods, so it's also a feeding frenzy. Let that settle and everything pretty.much collects in filter sock. I throw a little pump connected to some tubing into my sump with everything shut off, pump out 5 gallons into a jug, dump it, then pump in 5 gallons of newly mixed saltwater. Simple and easy.

 

[Laith]

I do a 10% water change weekly on my 250l tank.

I'm upgrading to a 1,800l tank in the next six months and that will have an auto water change system using Spectrapure pumps. I will still aim for 10% change a week but spread out over multiple times per day. Just couldn't deal with 180l water changes with buckets!

 

[wmo168]

I use a Neptune DOS for constant water changes. Change about 10% per week. It depends on the system though to be honest.

With your water change 10% using DOS, how often you need to clean your glass and see algae start to grow?

 

[BoomCorals]

With your water change 10% using DOS, how often you need to clean your glass and see algae start to grow?

Need to clean the glass once every 7-10 days.