When to start performing water changes?

[lsamuel1976]

210 gallon display tank with about 50 gallon sump has been running for about a month now. Got some nuisance green hair algae on rocks and sandbed. Tank has been cycling well, got some happy fish, inverts, and a couple of coral frags (GSP, frogspawn, chalice). I haven't done any water changes yet, per the advice of LFS. I measured the following parameters this morning:

Nitrate: 1.12ppm
Phosphate: .90ppm
Alkalinity: 7.7dKH
Salinity: 1.023

Should I start doing 10-20% water changes now? Or is the tank still too early into the cycling phase? Thanks in advance

 

[Rmckoy]

As long as you have nitrates which swam very low considering the age of the tank ..

the main purpose for water changes is to export nutrients .
And secondly replenishing essential elements . You wouldn’t have to worry about consumption yet so IMO I would wait for water changes until you see elevated nitrates

what test kits are you using ?

 

[lsamuel1976]

As long as you have nitrates which swam very low considering the age of the tank ..

the main purpose for water changes is to export nutrients .
And secondly replenishing essential elements . You wouldn’t have to worry about consumption yet so IMO I would wait for water changes until you see elevated nitrates

what test kits are you using ?

Ok, I was mainly concerned about the elevated phosphate level, but I guess that’s normal with a new tank. Ive got a school of 20 chromis, pair of small clowns, a couple of blennys, pair of firefish, a gramma, a couple of 3 inch wrasses, and recently a 3 inch fox face. I might be feeding too heavily, but I feel that’s better than the alternative right now.
I’m using the Hanna testers.

 

[lsamuel1976]

As long as you have nitrates which swam very low considering the age of the tank ..

the main purpose for water changes is to export nutrients .
And secondly replenishing essential elements . You wouldn’t have to worry about consumption yet so IMO I would wait for water changes until you see elevated nitrates

what test kits are you using ?

 

[Jekyl]

That's a ton of fish in a new tank. I'd just keep watch on parameters and let them tell you what's needed.

 

[Rmckoy]

Ok, I was mainly concerned about the elevated phosphate level, but I guess that’s normal with a new tank. Ive got a school of 20 chromis, pair of small clowns, a couple of blennys, pair of firefish, a gramma, a couple of 3 inch wrasses, and recently a 3 inch fox face. I might be feeding too heavily, but I feel that’s better than the alternative right now.
I’m using the Hanna testers.

You will read here in many places.
water changes have little effect on reducing phosphates .

 

[elorablue]

Holy samolians! 30 fish in a 1 month tank! Party time!
as far as water changes go I would start getting into your routine now. If you plan on weekly changes or biweekly or whatever, start now so you and your tank get into a consistent rhythm.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

So your “cycle” is over when your Ammonia and Nitrites are zero. Your opening post made it sound like the tank was still cycling?

 

[Rmckoy]

So your “cycle” is over when your Ammonia and Nitrites are zero. Your opening post made it sound like the tank was still cycling?

I was thinking the same with very little nitrate in such a new system

 

[Rmckoy]

I was thinking the same with very little nitrate in such a new system

But …. With that many fish . There should be a detectable level of ammonia
Either ammonia hasn’t been tested or faulty test kit

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Your 3 Hanna Checkers are great testers. Do you have some of the lesser/cheaper testers API or Salifert to test your tank while it cycling? If not, I’d head down to your lfs and grab one. Let us know.

 

[Rubberfrog]

Do a water change

 

[Supa]

I would say start with small WC just to add some healthy water back to the tank. That’s a good bit of fish for a new tank but seems how it’s large tank size you shouldn’t have too many issues with the bio load just my guess. I did my first 10 percent water change at the 1 month mark….. no one told me too… no one told me not too. It didn’t hurt anything and didn’t re-cloud my water. I’m guessing cause it was small WC. My plan is to do 10% every month, my friend has 2-200 gallon tanks matured and he doesn’t do water change ever unless something crazy happens

 

[Supa]

I would say start with small WC just to add some healthy water back to the tank. That’s a good bit of fish for a new tank but seems how it’s large tank size you shouldn’t have too many issues with the bio load just my guess. I did my first 10 percent water change at the 1 month mark….. no one told me too… no one told me not too. It didn’t hurt anything and didn’t re-cloud my water. I’m guessing cause it was small WC. My plan is to do 10% every month, my friend has 2-200 gallon tanks matured and he doesn’t do water change ever unless something crazy happens PS green hair algae is normal just try to manage it some- coralline will follow suit eventually I assume.

 

[frizzayyyyreef]

In the first year of my tank I’d do water changes every 2 weeks then I noticed my corals never were happy after a wc ...I then switched to once a month now I haven’t done a water change in over a year everything’s fine I don’t even do water changes anymore I add alittle bit of the nutri bullet pre mixed water into the sump here and there and it’s been working for me

 

[lsamuel1976]

That's a ton of fish in a new tank. I'd just keep watch on parameters and let them tell you what's needed.

The fish and small corals are doing really well. I did have a couple of cleaner shrimp that didn't make it, but one did as well as a few peppermint shrimp. I'm mostly concerned about the green hair algae and that the phosphates are too high.

 

[lsamuel1976]

You will read here in many places.
water changes have little effect on reducing phosphates .

There's alot of conflicting information then, because I've seen many articles online about water changes and skimming effectively reducing phosphates.

 

[ninjamyst]

what are you running to reduce phosphate? GFO? Phosguard? Is your skimmer dialed in? With that much bioload and heavy feeding, you need heavy export.

Large water change will reduce phosphate. 10% will do nothing.

 

[Rubberfrog]

There's alot of conflicting information then, because I've seen many articles online about water changes and skimming effectively reducing phosphates.

People get hung up on phosphates binding to the rocks and then leaving back out. Yes, they do that, but if you never remove them via water change (or some other method) they will continue to rise.

 

[lsamuel1976]

Holy samolians! 30 fish in a 1 month tank! Party time!
as far as water changes go I would start getting into your routine now. If you plan on weekly changes or biweekly or whatever, start now so you and your tank get into a consistent rhythm.

Party on! I'll see what the main consensus is from this thread and ask the LFS again, and use that info.