Hello, I am wondering what is the bare minimum I would have to do water changes in a 125 gallon and what equipment I need to get to make that work. This would be with a few clown fish, anemone, and maybe 2 or 3 other smaller easy to keep fish such as tang. I know some people say you should do a water change every month, I also know that won't happen all the time with my busy schedule. I plan to set up a drip system to keep the water level constant but don't have a drain so can't over flow it. I have no filtration yet but want the best I can get for the money to keep from having to constantly have to do water changes. I will not be able to spend thousands on equipment. The goal is limited maintenance on a budget. It would be great if I could get all I needed for $500 or less. (I already have the tank and have built a sump before but don't currently have one).
How can I limit water changes?
- Thread starter usmcr0811
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rustyjames
EMT-B
When you say "a few clown fish" I hope you mean two. Some people go with almost no water changes. There is a big thread on that, just do a search. Not sure what you mean by "drip system" but a reliable ato is cheap and easy. Finally, and don't take this the wrong way, if you don't have the time to do a monthly water change, let alone weekly, maybe you should hold off till you have the time.
whosurcaddie
New member
Look up carbon dosing. If you follow a carbon dosing regimen you can change as little as 5 gallons every two weeks.
A good skimmer and the use of carbon will help, but as posted above if a monthly water change is too time consuming for you I would consider another hobby of perhaps a fresh water system. Both carbon and a skimmer require maitenance, so they alone will not solve your problem. Anemones require high quality water quality that is not compatable with low maintenance. Perhaps hire a local vendor to keep up with the mainenance.
Kearnel
New member
Water changes are more than that, they are a chance for inspection as well. I myself couldn't sleep if I didn't do a thorough inspection of everything on my system. I do a quick check everyday twice a day and change 5 gallons twice a week, Sunday and Wednesday being the chosen days and also the once over inspections to ensure its not about to destroy my house. This is a hobby that requires your time, sometimes difficult to provide, believe me I know, having 6 children I'm a busy guy but even us busy folks manage to have our cake and eat it to.
rustyjames
EMT-B
6 kids AND a reef tank! When do you sleep?
Almost 3 years without a water change, not saying this is the way to go, but nothing really looks wrong with my fish, corals or measurable levels of anything...
Nitrate undetectable with elos and salifert
Fosfate 0.05 by hanna
Using algae scrubber and gac to export nutrients and tropic marine pro coral minerals to replenish trace elements.
Nitrate undetectable with elos and salifert
Fosfate 0.05 by hanna
Using algae scrubber and gac to export nutrients and tropic marine pro coral minerals to replenish trace elements.
Kearnel
New member
Haaa ha ha, why standing up of course.
shesacharmer
New member
Water changes don't have to be time consuming. I have two barrels of ASW in the same room as my tank. I turn off my pumps. I use a small pump to remove the same amount of water each time, to a mark I made on the tank, and I pump it to a drain outside the window which goes under ground to a drain since I can't put the water in my septic. Draining the water takes less than five minutes. Then I use a pump to move the ASW to the tank from the barrel. This takes another 5 minutes. Sometimes I clean the glass prior to removing water so that might add ten minutes because I'm moving things around or being extra careful not to knock things over. Two minutes to switch out the filter socks and the pumps go back on...I'm back in business. Automating the system makes the whole process a breeze. No buckets!
mbauma
New member
I do the same thing for my 140. It takes about 30 minutes and the longest part is draining the water using the water change system from Aqueon.
Umm, u run carbon dosing?
Why do people get lazy and don't want to do water change? I mean I try aleast once a month.
How can I limit water changes?
No, not carbon dosing, just granular activated carbon and algae.
I agree that sometimes it is lazyness, but there are many other reasons why someone would want not to do WC, mine is very specific as part of a product development experiment, but there are many other valid reasons... Money, time, waste water, stability, space for water storage, etc
It is not the same doing 5 gallon water changes than 100 gallon water changes, most of the people trying to avoid WC have big tanks...
No, not carbon dosing, just granular activated carbon and algae.
I agree that sometimes it is lazyness, but there are many other reasons why someone would want not to do WC, mine is very specific as part of a product development experiment, but there are many other valid reasons... Money, time, waste water, stability, space for water storage, etc
It is not the same doing 5 gallon water changes than 100 gallon water changes, most of the people trying to avoid WC have big tanks...
whosurcaddie
New member
I carbon dose as well as many many other reefers and I still do water changes every week. Its just turbocharged nutrient export.
I had a 75 gallon before and most months did WC once a month or month and a half but I have 3 kids, 2 jobs and try to have a life too so sometimes it would be 2 or 3 months between WC. I am just trying to be realistic. I don't like doing water changes because I have to stretch a hose all the way across the length of my house to fill it. I don't have a basement under the tank and it is just a pain in the butt to do them due to the layout of our house.
m0nkie
Well-known member
spend $50 a month. Hire a poor reef cleaner
but to help your topic.. I run a 100gal with sump and a rated 200gal skimmer, carbon reactor, and dosing system. I went through over a month without water change. when I realized it, I did a check and test before water change. everything perfect and spot on. so missing a month didn't hurt.
eshopp200 skimmer is really cheap and silent. feels a little cheap, but fairly durable. get used reactors.. they are no different new.
but to help your topic.. I run a 100gal with sump and a rated 200gal skimmer, carbon reactor, and dosing system. I went through over a month without water change. when I realized it, I did a check and test before water change. everything perfect and spot on. so missing a month didn't hurt.
eshopp200 skimmer is really cheap and silent. feels a little cheap, but fairly durable. get used reactors.. they are no different new.
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There's an evil mentality concerning water changes.
I think a lot of it has to do with the separation of Europe and the United States for online forums.
Look up the balling method, the triton method, there's a few others out there...
The trend I've seen in my time on the net, is the Europe forums actually talk about and use 10x the number of setups Americans do.
Americans seem to believe weekly water changes and siphoning are the 'cure all'. (this isn't not true in many cases because people stock/feed too heavily)
There's a fine line, but if you spend time on some of the European pages, you'll come to question anything and everything on the American forums.
Take iodine and bromide dosing, that's actually a thing over in Europe. And people talk about it versus saying snidely, "if you can't test for it, don't dose it".
It's like light and day.
So to the OP, how can you do less water changes?
Start reading some of the European stuff, because they're years ahead of the Americans.
I think a lot of it has to do with the separation of Europe and the United States for online forums.
Look up the balling method, the triton method, there's a few others out there...
The trend I've seen in my time on the net, is the Europe forums actually talk about and use 10x the number of setups Americans do.
Americans seem to believe weekly water changes and siphoning are the 'cure all'. (this isn't not true in many cases because people stock/feed too heavily)
There's a fine line, but if you spend time on some of the European pages, you'll come to question anything and everything on the American forums.
Take iodine and bromide dosing, that's actually a thing over in Europe. And people talk about it versus saying snidely, "if you can't test for it, don't dose it".
It's like light and day.
So to the OP, how can you do less water changes?
Start reading some of the European stuff, because they're years ahead of the Americans.
I think a fairly lightly stocked tank would be fine with less water changes. Pay close attention to the types of fish, etc you want to add. Don't get anything too delicate. Add macroalgae and xenia to help with water quality. There is something to be said for stability too in this hobby.
Try it and see what happens. You can always add equipment or change your maintenance routine later. I think it is great that you are considering this early and planning for it. Look up low maintenance tank threads and pick their brains. Ask them what didn't work.
Try it and see what happens. You can always add equipment or change your maintenance routine later. I think it is great that you are considering this early and planning for it. Look up low maintenance tank threads and pick their brains. Ask them what didn't work.
DSMpunk
Active member
Lots of waterchanges are a good way to export waste and keep your trace elements in check. There are many ways to skin a cat though. Personally, I never do "big" waterchanges, I skim extremely wet and replace salt on a constant basis.
I go through about 200 gallon box every 6 months using this method on my 125.
If you haven't been there yet, come check out our local club. You can pick up used equipment for pennies on the dollar. We also have a frag swap coming up in November
www.greateriowareefsociety.org
I go through about 200 gallon box every 6 months using this method on my 125.
If you haven't been there yet, come check out our local club. You can pick up used equipment for pennies on the dollar. We also have a frag swap coming up in November
www.greateriowareefsociety.org
Agree 100%
Look also for the Dutch Synthetic Reefing system... Very alike to triton but without the ICP testing
