100% Water Change Ideal

[SavingOurSeas]

There is a thread on RC that shows a 1 gallon vase undergoing a 100% water change minus 5%-10%, there is a deep sand bed. The one caring for it claims 6 plus years of this regiment and by the looks of the system it is in fact flourishing.
His argument (position) is when one changes 100% there is no (much less) room for error as far as improper parameters lurking within ones system.

What others say about 5,10,15,25,35,50 or numerous other percentages of change outs I would agree with. Less change, less shock. However, I would like to take a much closer look at this and really dial in our minds to what is truly going on within the system under care.
Both claims work, where's the proof we ask, the places we search.
So, concluding that both ways do in fact work successfully how do we as proper reef keepers decide which is BEST.
I have seen with my own eyes both processes; how do I, for myself decide which route of husbandry to take?
The only real way is to replicate two exactly identical systems and experiment using the same form of care. So in the meanwhile of having come to this conclusion I ask myself, "How long must this experiment last?" and "Could such a thing really be substantial on those of us who care for much larger systems?" Obviously I will not be doing 100% water changes on an 800 gallon system, this would be ludicrous, I think that is one thing we can all definitely assume on without doing any experimentation!
Perhaps small water changes are to renew the water source a safe and balanced amount at a time and large water changes are to purge the system of any discrepancies that lurk in the unknown abyss of our own personal laboratories called reefs.
Furthermore, I do not recall noticing God doing a 100% water change every week, but there is a intricate system of details happening every second of the twenty-four hour day. Where are we lacking in knowledge, what seems to push one reef keeper into "NO WATER CHANGES" and yet another down the path of
"100% WATER CHANGES?"
Lastly, would this question would only be important for those who care for nano or pico systems? So then yet another question arises; would adding/having an automated top off addition to ones system technically be clarified as a constant water change? The water is not being "renewed" or "changed out," but it is in fact being rejuvenated to some extent. What extent I am not sure, but something is definitely happening on MANY levels.
There are so many questions and perceptions that arise when talking about the subject of water changes, but what is truth? Is truth to one reef keeper what works for her/him or is truth what works for another collection of reef keepers?
Where in the reef am I left when there are not answers for every question?

 

[Josh40996]

There are other reefers who also do 100% water changes on much larger systems with thriving tanks. I have read alot on it but I am still alittle too nervous I try it myself as I believe it could have completely opposite effects from reef to reef.

 

[brandon429]

Some of the risks are stirring up sandbeds and then refilling the tank into silted waste water

Or traumatizing large fish that may die and set off chain reactions etc

But some of the key details in the full water change setups are that if you look closely, every animal in there is used to it (they were introduced into a tank like that, not just surprised by a full water change after two years for example) and are known tolerants of the conditions imparted by full water changes: brief emersion, silt rejection etc

Some tanks run continuous water change which is similar, or there are back to back 90% changes where fish can be pooled at the bottom level water which is nearly a full tank turnover, again the example you are using above is a one gallon tank its rather easy there
Some of the benefits of a full water change is thats the only time the tank is fed.

Vs sparse feeding, you blast feed ten times the usual amount of rods coral feed so that every animal has more food than it can eat (full water change cheat removes it all, resets the clean tank condition) this totally changes your coral health due to excellent feeding, yet your tank is exported and it never builds up. Its CPR for the tank, literally.

When you rarely do full water changes, you get a reef full of detritus. Tanks that are always changed in full have little, so the act of pouring water back in kicks up sand, but not suspended silt. The full water change technique is a lifestyle man not a one off reaction

It is highly oxygen flushing and it removes mucus from coral keeping the machinery going and removing bacteria laden surface layers, corals need consistent refreshment and this physical activity of draining and refilling accomplishes that

It also trains your new addition corals to toughen up rather than always live on the verge of decline, it is a more natural condition compared to real reefs vs our slow breathing overcrowded common tanks always seeking more flow, turnover and filtration.

Its not that large changes are the best way, like you mentioned with the 800 gal tanks. It isn't the only way, its just a guaranteed way where if you want to do it right, certain benefits are earned.

 

[YoungREEFA]

This was done to a 1 gallon system?

 

[brandon429]

its done on this system

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkNZstT8MnE

 

[Klnsheree]

I did a 100% water change ONE TIME. longest night of my life. 24 gallon tank. We had a mishap and had to completely change the water. Filter media and all. It took HOURS to get the water to the correct temperature before I could put anything back in. I also didn't have any sort of backup tank so I was stressing over the fish in the bowls and the mushrooms in the buckets. Luckily everything survived but I will never do that again and pray that I never have to

 

[brandon429]

i would put 5 blue 5 gallon water jugs of your finest ro/di into a bathtub and fill with hot water



Raise your temps 20 degrees in 20 mins, i have done this ten winters now approaching 11 heh. Never use an aquarium heater to heat change water, takes too long.

Mix up reef crystals at about 70 deg and finish heating.

Swirl by hand for ten mins, conduct water change. It takes about 5 mins total to do this on the reefbowl above, its just upscaling. Were the critical time delays centered around heating water or getting salt I'm curious to know why hours

 

[kevensquint]

The DSB is the only reason that 100% wc is fairly safe. In a BB or clean style tank (low organics/ bacteria) money on everything dying or looking real bad afterwards. The sandbeds organics and bacteria will use tge new elements in a 100% change and flourish. In a BB tank for example 100% wc removes everything that was keeping the tank alive.

 

[billsreef]

The DSB is the only reason that 100% wc is fairly safe. In a BB or clean style tank (low organics/ bacteria) money on everything dying or looking real bad afterwards. The sandbeds organics and bacteria will use tge new elements in a 100% change and flourish. In a BB tank for example 100% wc removes everything that was keeping the tank alive.

This is completely incorrect. A properly done (read well mixed SW mix or NSW) 100% water change is not going to be a problem for any style of tank set up, be it DSB or BB or anything in between.

 

[kevensquint]

Just saying what Eric Borneman had told me some years back. I told him I did a 50% water change in a BB tank and my tank crashed. His rexponse was " the large wc removed too much bacteria and microfauna important to the tanks health and stability". But if its using NSW, according to this theory there is no problem. So to each thier own, but I'm believing what Eric said.

 

[YoungREEFA]

I mean, the guy is running a reef in a vase, uhhhhh

 

[billsreef]

Feel free to believe Eric, but he was wrong. If he was right about that, I would have crashed hundreds of tanks over the years

 

[kevensquint]

I'm not saying your wrong, there are many ways to be successful. But I feel this careful approach to WC's has merit and a certain logic that makes sense. I'm not participating to show everyone I'm right, only to give my point of view. My Ego is not invited to forums.

 

[Timfish]

I think it's important to remember we have only a handful of tests we can run on our systems. If I take one of my cats to the vet and have a blood test done they're checking several dozen parameters, factors or markers. AND this is just for a single species. In a minimally stocked aquarium we have at least dozens of species interacting, producing and consuming different things and really have no way to quantify these processes. What's amazing about our reef aquariums is how much we've accomplished with very limited testing capabilities.

 

[Cu455]

I wouldn't do 100% water change but I would do an 80% water change if it wasn't such a pain to mix salt and then pump it is my tank. Most of the bacteria and organisms are going to be on the rocks and filter media. What ever was lost in the water column will bounce back qucik.

 

[sw_df27]

I have done a 100% water change once and only because I had a massive nitrate problem when I first started up my 30 gallon had 2 fish that weren't getting along so I turned off the lights and completely rearranged all the rocks well I can only assume that spike my nitrates woke up the next morning everything was dead except 2 clown fish I did a complete water change that day with pre heated water my clowns did fine I wouldn't do it again unless I had to but have been told by a few people it wouldn't really hurt anything as long as your temps stay approx the same I am fixing to be moving a 90 gallon reef set up approx 20 miles in one day we are going to use all new sand and all new water fingers crossed everything goes okay and survives.

 

[power boat jim]

I'm not saying your wrong, there are many ways to be successful. But I feel this careful approach to WC's has merit and a certain logic that makes sense. I'm not participating to show everyone I'm right, only to give my point of view. My Ego is not invited to forums.

There is no debate or opinion on this matter. There is only right or wrong. Boreman is wrong, you can choose to believe him if you want but the science behind the matter cares not about an opinion nor logic.

You are correct, there are alot of ways to be successful and using care in your maintenance decisions is always a good idea, but believing that all your good fauna and bacteria get exported during a large water change is untrue.

 

[KafudaFish]

Just saying what Eric Borneman had told me some years back. I told him I did a 50% water change in a BB tank and my tank crashed. His rexponse was " the large wc removed too much bacteria and microfauna important to the tanks health and stability". But if its using NSW, according to this theory there is no problem. So to each thier own, but I'm believing what Eric said.

How long after the WC did the tank crash?

What else was stated as the cause of the trash?

Just trying to understand that statement better because it really doesn't make much sense because people change that amount and more and don't have issues.

Could your salinity or alk been off instead of the action that resulted in the crash?

 

[Timfish]

You are correct, there are alot of ways to be successful and using care in your maintenance decisions is always a good idea, but believing that all your good fauna and bacteria get exported during a large water change is untrue.

My experience has been pretty much in line with Billsreef. I have also had very good success setting up "instant" reef using live rock as mentioned by Delbeek and Sprung in Vol I of "The Reef Aquarium". Clearly the essential bacteria and microorganisms needed to maintain not only remain in the aquarium in the case of a huge water change but can be moved with the rock. This should not be done without due consideration however as it's not always a given and a system can be shocked.

There is no debate or opinion on this matter. There is only right or wrong. Boreman is wrong, you can choose to believe him if you want but the science behind the matter cares not about an opinion nor logic.

Unfortunately there is very little that is actually black and white, right or wrong with reef aquariums. We are dealing with literally thousands and thousands of species While we can identify the fish and to a lesser extent the stoney and soft corals and polyps most of the microorganisms that are essential to our systems we can not quantify. If someone had come up to me and commmented they had a tank crash with just a 50% water change my answer would be similar to Bornemans. While my experiences say a 50% or larger water change should be fine I don't have issue with Bornemans response to Keveinsquint.

 

[power boat jim]

My experience has been pretty much in line with Billsreef. I have also had very good success setting up "instant" reef using live rock as mentioned by Delbeek and Sprung in Vol I of "The Reef Aquarium". Clearly the essential bacteria and microorganisms needed to maintain not only remain in the aquarium in the case of a huge water change but can be moved with the rock. This should not be done without due consideration however as it's not always a given and a system can be shocked.



Unfortunately there is very little that is actually black and white, right or wrong with reef aquariums. We are dealing with literally thousands and thousands of species While we can identify the fish and to a lesser extent the stoney and soft corals and polyps most of the microorganisms that are essential to our systems we can not quantify. If someone had come up to me and commmented they had a tank crash with just a 50% water change my answer would be similar to Bornemans. While my experiences say a 50% or larger water change should be fine I don't have issue with Bornemans response to Keveinsquint.

I will agree that there are very few things that are black and in this hobby. I am not addressing the entire hobby, I was addressing only one issue. It seems to me you are agreeing and disagreeing with your own statement. You are quick cycling tanks with live rock and stating most of the fauna and bacteria live in the rock not the water. Then you say a 50% water change can crash a system due to bacteria being exported.

I have no doubt that a large water change can crash or shock a tank. There are many reasons for it but shortage of bacteria wont be one. I too would have lost at least 3 tanks if that were the case. The three times I have done 70% plus water changes during a tank change the coral reacted favorably.