roger saltwaters
Active Member
Tank is a little over 2 weeks old now. Couple fish and live rock. 45 gallon jbj. Any idea when I should change some water?
When should I do my first water change?
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fry_school101
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If it wasn't seeded with something live then you should check your ammonia pretty quick, otherwise you *can* wait until your tests indicate you need it. Might not be a bad idea to get into a regular schedule of water changes, so if two weeks works for you then you can go with that.
jsker
Reefing is all about the adventure
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What a water change is for is to refresh your trace elements and take out the bad stuff. I would do %10 percent a week and test for Ca, Mg, Alk, Po4 and No3 once you get these parameter steady your tank will be completely cycled. Even people that there tanks have been setup and running for years still do water changes and test to see were the elements, and parameter are at. They may not do the testing and water change as often after the tank has been setup for a while but they still do.
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roger saltwaters
Active Member
Ok thanks guys.
beaslbob
2500 Club Member
depends on the tank.
If you find out let me know. I ran a 55g mixed reef for nine years with no water changes and my current 55g FW is now going on 3 years.
Lowstorm
Well-Known Member
When I first set mine up, I let the water stew and process and be gross for a month before I changed it. Maybe a month and a half. I tested weekly until my ammonia was steadily at 0, nitrites at .05 or so, and my nitrates were over 100 on my test kits. The first change brought trites to 0, and trates to 75. Since then, its been weekly. Trates hover at 10
