0.N03 0.P04 Still do water changes?

[sirrealism]

So I have not done a WC in 3 weeks on my SPS tank. Tested today because I was ready to do WCs. 0.N03 salifert .00 P04 Hanna. Cal is good. Alk is a little low so I upped my dose. Mag is a little low so I upped my dose again.
My question is when you get everything dialed in and have no N03 or P04 do you still do WCs?
I have to admit this is the first time in 20 years that I have complete 0s across the board. Normally have just a small amount of N03 or P04.
Now I am looking at feeding heavier to get a little P04 going.

Worked hard to get to this point and now??? what do I do? Just look at it? No worries I have 4 others that do have N03 and P04 issues

 

[BryanS4]

With out a doubt water changes for sure. For some reason I can't get no3 above zero without dosing, but no3 and po4 small piece of the pie. Tons of other trace elements in the WC's. Unless you're dosing all of those I wouldn't quit changing water.

 

[Specfishin]

Fwiw. My system was near 0 nitrates and almost 0 phosphates and read that way for months. Chaeto grew crazy. Didnt change water but 2 times in 4-6 months. Red slime/ cyano started to appear. A month goes by, now it looks like its not going anywhere. Skimmed more and more. Still reading zero or near it. Pulled chaeto and left small hand size of it in. Was covered in red crud. Week later retest and n03 is at 20 and po4 is high on redsea test kit. Never read below or above.08 before. Did a blackout 3 days, reduced feeding and did 2 back to back weekly wcs at 30-40%. All is well now. 2 weeks later. Had a few bad bulbs think started my problem. But what i perceived to be a 'zero' tank was creeping up due to my algae consumption. I also didnt have the trace elements getting replenished and I think being lazy made it harder for me. A few new bulbs and I personally used to always do 2x a month wcs. Corals always seemed more colorful then. But anyhow just a little food for thought from my situation. I just think wcs made a difference looking back to when i was religously doing them.

 

[sirrealism]

Thanks for the input guys. I do supplament trace elements. I was thinking of every other week as long as my numbers stay down like they are. I have always been a once a week guy and it will be nice to go to every other week and not be so worried all the time. I fallow Roger in the idea of changing 1 bulb per month - 6 weeks. This way there is never on old bulb problem or that its all new ones.

Yes I do use cheato but its not growing fast.

 

[ReefKeeper64]

Checkout glennf DSR. He has a gorgeous tank and hasn't done a water change in 10+ years. He says water changes are too much work and dosing is way easier. I'm inclined to agree. Read up on Triton, Aquaforest and DSR.

 

[sirrealism]

Checkout glennf DSR. He has a gorgeous tank and hasn't done a water change in 10+ years. He says water changes are too much work and dosing is way easier. I'm inclined to agree. Read up on Triton, Aquaforest and DSR.

I have read that thread in the past. very cool. Wish we had the products he has here in the states. You can buy from his source but its very complicated.

 

[ReefKeeper64]

I have read that thread in the past. very cool. Wish we had the products he has here in the states. You can buy from his source but its very complicated.

If you know how to use excel, it's EZ. And if you know how to dose 3 part, you already have the know how.

Hudson, FL? We probably pass each other on the road all the time!

 

[sirrealism]

I did set up and start using his map/chart a couple years ago. He gets pure raw materials that we can not get here without buying from him. The system is fantastic and his ideas are great. really wish I had the time to do his system. Plus I have squirrel---- What was I talking about? Water changes have become mind numbingly easy. Add my calk and alk everyday and let it go. I worked 96 hours last week so 15 min WC works. If I ever get to retire or just work a normal amount of hours I would really like to try this.

I work in Dunedin. I now live in Port Richey and should prob change my address but its close enough.

 

[sirrealism]

If you know how to use excel, it's EZ. And if you know how to dose 3 part, you already have the know how.

Hudson, FL? We probably pass each other on the road all the time!

Are you doing his system? If someone else local was doing it where I had someone else to bounce ideas off I would love to try it. I have not looked at his info in a couple years but some of it was tough as the language was not English and only some of the info was offered. HMMM I did set all this up on another computer. Soon as I get a bit of time I will look into it again. If I remember correctly you need to test for trace elements also right?

 

[ReefKeeper64]

I dosed DSR iron citrate at my old home to control PO4 and it worked very well. Im now in a new house and have a new tank (30 days old). Just breaking this new tank in but already dosing a carbon source. The rest will follow soon. I helped GlennF to convert his spreadsheet to English and will be happy to exchange ideas back and forth with you.