How often do you change your water

[dieseldaisy]

Currently I have a 54 corner with 20 gal sump that I change 10 gallons a week on. Is that too much too often?

 

[Lazhar]

Currently I have a 54 corner with 20 gal sump that I change 10 gallons a week on. Is that too much too often?

What do you have on your tank? Do you have a protein skimmer? How about activated carbon?

When I had my 55 soft coral and lps reef I would change 15 gallons about once a month. That was good enough. Yes I think you are over doing it.

 

[dieseldaisy]

Skimmer yes asmg1x. Carbon no. Mixed reef stocked pretty good

 

[Capt_Cully]

Depending on the particulars, you may not need that much. Personally I do 15% every 7-10 days in an SPS dominated system.

Can you clarify if "stocked pretty good" refers to fish (which ones/size), corals (which ones), or both?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

What do you have on your tank? Do you have a protein skimmer? How about activated carbon?

When I had my 55 soft coral and lps reef I would change 15 gallons about once a month. That was good enough. Yes I think you are over doing it.

good questions that definitely affect a water changeout schedule.
Personally, I don't believe you're overdoing it.

As long as you're performing the water changes properly it certainly isn't HURTING your aquarium.

FWIW I usually do a 50 gallon change on my 260 gallon system every week.

 

[cardiffgiant]

I do a weekly 10-30G water change on my 175G mixed reef.

 

[dieseldaisy]

Seems like I'm not crazy for doing a weekly water change after all

 

[EllieSuz]

I try to do a weekly water changes, although occasionally circumstances prolong that. I replace 12 - 15 gallons on my 60 gallon tank. That's more than the often recommended 10% weekly, but as I said in another of your threads, I'm fighting Cyano, so I opt for larger changes. I can't see any downside to changing more than 10%; those extra trace elements are great for your corals.

 

[AmherstReef]

15% water change every two weeks for me.

 

[Conesus_Kid]

25% every two weeks on a 200 gallon system.

 

[MarkKlier]

When I had my 180 would go many months without changing water. In my 220 I will go months, but then will change a very large volume about 150 gal out of system that has about 400gal.
Not saying you should do it that way...just what I honestly do. Also I don't check levels unless I'm seeing something going on so maybe once every 5-6months

 

[tmz]

1% per day for me with another 10% or so per month related to maintenance for a total of about 35% to 40% per month in very heavily stocked system. . You are doing aboutt 54% per month if my math is right.

No, I oviously don't think you are crazy at all doing changes once per week .

That keeps them relaltively small, enhancing consistency in major , minor and trace elements and lessening the chances of shocking the system .

 

[downbeach]

I typically do a 25 gal. WC every two weeks on a net 200 gal. system. Occasionally I miss one, as I just did when I was on vacation. I've noticed that when I do miss one, my Duncan doesn't open as much, and will begin to open once I perform the WC. So, sometimes your livestock will let you know when you need to do something on your tank. I have a Purple Nana, that is the first coral to show signs of darkening when my PO4 begins to increase, and I know it's time to replace my GFO.

 

[SkiFletch]

I'm always the crazy one in the group for this, but I change close to 90% quarterly on the solstices, or as close as I can get. Never had any troubles with "shocking the system" as I take care to try and match sg/calc/alk/mg before doing it. It comes down to the fact that I know I'm too lazy to do it weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, etc and the fact that such a schedule probably removes more things you don't want than repetitive small changes do via partial dilutions.

Edit, in order to do it, I have quite the elaborate setup to pump water around and get it done quickly.

 

[joe3196]

On my 76 gallon system that has very few fish "only 5 all under 2 in mostly gobies and bassalets" I do 2 a week one is an 8 gallon change the other is a 4 gallon. IV found that this schedule keeps the nutrients lower was allows me to seed small partial food much more often with no ill effects.

 

[leftygerbino]

I have a 65 with a 40 long basement sump, g2 skimmer. Not sure of total water volume but I have about 50-60 lbs of live rock. I change 20 gallons 1/month.

 

[ReeferSteve78]

I do 25% water change every 2 weeks

 

[erndog1001]

I do weekly 10G change on my 125G reef Running an Remora Aqua C protein skimmer and DSB

 

[emm0909]

I've got a 75 & 15 gallons in my sump. I do 32 gallons every 14 days. I don't dose, the tank stays stable.

 

[PufferNut]

20l, Skimmer, no carbon or sump, change 1.5 gal once or twice a week. Once every couple months I do a 5g bucket. I figured my actual water volume is 15g or so.