Big LFS and water changes

[tony727]

Do big LFS do water changes?
Some of the places I went to and asked said that they never did..

I do my water changes though, just got done with 20%.

 

[ahmed_iAM]

Dont know what you're defining as "big."

Usually most will have enough water being taken out of the system for the fish and coral they sell that they don't need to do water changes.

 

[Ztrain]

I walked in to my LFS while they were doing a water change once. Was fairly neat to see. They have their systems linked so they were almost all at 75% full and then were slowly getting refilled by the circulation system.

 

[tony727]

Ah sorry, big as in at least 2000 gallons.

 

[asudavew]

My LFS's owner recommends never doing water changes.

I still do them and I don't shop there often.

 

[Titans_Reef]

I usually see my LFS just syphon their sand and just replace the water in the back. Its a small WC but they keep their tanks nice and clean. They just have about .5" of sand in each tank just so people can see how the fish can look in a home aquarium. They just syphon the sand since they do not want the food to rot in the tank.

 

[Dmorty217]

Dont know what you're defining as "big."

Usually most will have enough water being taken out of the system for the fish and coral they sell that they don't need to do water changes.

^ This is why they say they do to water changes, when in reality they are

 

[shaginwagon13]

Do big LFS do water changes?

Some do, others don't but regardless 99% of LFS (big and small) only have their salinity at 1.021ppm when optimum for coral and fish growth and healthy is 1.025-1.026.

The lower salinity saves them money on salt and you would be hard to find a LFS that does a 20% water change every 2 weeks.

 

[Ztrain]

Some do, others don't but regardless 99% of LFS (big and small) only have their salinity at 1.021ppm when optimum for coral and fish growth and healthy is 1.025-1.026.

The lower salinity saves them money on salt and you would be hard to find a LFS that does a 20% water change every 2 weeks.

I guess I'm lucky to have the the 1% close to my house. They have their whole store tubed in to their water mixing system in back. Store manager took me back there and showed me how they do it all. Got to see first hand how it all works. At least at that place all their salt water comes out of the same mixing vats. Even feeds the filling station on the other side of the wall. I've tested the water I get there and it is 1.026 right on the money. They use the Oceanic mix so it's way high on calcium little low on Alk but state that. Their more then happy to sell you salt mix and RODI water if you'd like to do it yourself.

 

[buddhafish]

worked at my LFS while in high school. We frequently did large water changes. Then again, it was probably one of the best shops in the state of Florida. If a store skips out on water changes, its not worth it to even go there.