Looking for those who DO NOT do water changes.

[reef_only]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13250551#post13250551 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CyanoMagnet
I dont think anyone here is counting topoffs as water changes.

What I meant was for 1,2,3,4 posted by saveafish. to conpensate for 1,2,3,4 below I counted as top off not water change.
--------------------

Originally posted by saveafish
Ok I hope I do NOT make enyone mad at me here. But even if one dont do water changes. They do but it is so suttle you dont notice it.

1.When you add new livestock you have to replace some saltwater back from the accumation process.

2. A skimmer over time will pull out some salt that has to be replaced.

3. when you change media. Some salt comes out. EX. socks. carbon, micro alga.

4. Water pulled out for testing.

It may only be a gallon here and there but you are still doing a water change.

 

[CyanoMagnet]

Oh I see. In that case I would consider it a water change. Why not?

In many cases when you wet skim, you are pulling out alot of water in the course of a month.

Anytime you pull out salt water and replace it with salt water, that is a waterchange imo. No matter how small.

 

[reef_only]

Beside checking salinity once in awhile (~every 2 weeks) and making adjustment (saltwater topoff) if needed; however, I usually have 1G of whatever salinity that I guess it would make the whole tank back to the target salinity(my saltwater top off may not be at ~1.025 is what I meant and this is a reason why I don't count this as water change because 1G isn't that much). I currently do water change (~55G) in every ~2 months. I'm looking forward to increasing the water change duration like once in 6months or longer.

 

[Young Frankenstein]

I have not done a water change for 11 months now.

 

[ADA33]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13359254#post13359254 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Young Frankenstein
I have not done a water change for 11 months now.

FTS please

 

[LoneRanger]

DITTO- I AM HOPING TO DO ONE WATER CHANGE IN 4 WEEKS UNLESS OTHERWISE NEEDED. 12 PER YEAR AND DOSE ACCORDINGLY AS THE TANK MATURES.

 

[mash2k]

I have had a hard time keeping up with water changes. I have about 90 gallons of water volume and to do a weekly 10%, i have to change roughly 10 gallons. I have decided that maybe I can change 5 gallons a week to make it an easier task.

Is that a good idea? I also thought about a couple gallons a day since that would be real simple and less time consuming. Any thoughts on that?

 

[mcbaes72]

Over six yrs w/ no sw changes (and no skimmer). FOWLR tank w/ chaeto in sump, 50 gal w/ three fish + clean up crew (low bio load).

Pros - No costs to buy sea salt, no time lost preparing sw 24hrs in advance, etc.

Cons - Discolored water (should've used carbon media), looked like giant refugium instead of a main display tank, add trace elements separately (if needed), etc.

Just letting RC know that I've done w/o sw changes for years and although I'm not sure if I can recommend it to others, I'm sticking w/ it.

Edit: On my current tank, I use a combo of skimmer + chaeto and only have done one really small sw change (maybe 2 gal.) in the last couple of months because my 2-liter bottle overflowed w/ sw and foam waste (when the air valve was fully open) and I cleaned out the sump. All my fish and inverts are doing well.

 

[DrBegalke]

This article, IMO, makes a strong case for water changes.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/rhf/index.php

There are a lot of chemicals and organics in a reef systems that we don't even have tests for, let alone non-water change methods of removal.

There are also many compounds in NSW that we don't have affordable tests for...


To answer mash's question:

"Water changes of 15-30% per month (whether carried out once a month, daily or continuously) have been shown in the graphs above to be useful in moderating the drift of these different seawater components from starting levels."

 

[mash2k]

Thanks, Jason. I will give it a try!

 

[sundancer]

Nice little debate.

I do water changes only irregularly because it's a PITA no matter how easy it's set up. I really do try to do it every two weeks at 60 gallons each. I would love to do without them though. The longest I have gone without one is about 4 months. I did not notice any difference in my tank at that time.

Doing water changes is like openning a window. Not doing water changes is like living in an enclosed house. Some people can do it no problem but a regular influx of fresh air and sunshine will definitely be a benefit to one's overall health and longevity.

just my two cents.

 

[Jah2707]

You know my dad is 57 and never wears a seat belt. he is still healthy and alive but why not? It only takes a little effort. I compare this to water changes.

Just my thoughts.

 

[OceanDweller]

This I believe was not intended to be a debate, the threads title stated looking for those who DOOOOO NOTTT do water changes. This setup on a small scale could possibly help indicate different water parameters and really give us a lot of useful information about the hobby, like how long would it be viable to go without a water change if utmost necessary say your going to be out of the country for 6 months a year. I am interested as well as I knew a guy that used to run about 1k gallons in his basement and he rarely if ever did water changes with great results 'also ran a pleneum'.

 

[mhurley]

bump

 

[JCTewks]

Dangit...my subscription to this thread got dropped AGAIN

Thanks for unsticking mike

 

[barks]

hi,
im new here and im sensing alot of hostility?
are you guys all in the same hobby?

water changes are relitive to how balanced the eco system that is alive in the said volume of water.
ie the sea dosent have any water changes and a nano just running a skimmer will have small but frequent changes.
there is no definative answer to the question.
a large aquarium thats been running for some years will be well balanced and maybe only need 2 per year.

regards
barks

 

[Aqua Keepers]

Wouldn't evaporation+rain=water change?

 

[barks]

i was waiting for that.

i wouldnt say change as it comes from the same source, but would say its filtered and its chemistry altered on its way back.

regards
barks

 

[laud]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13486775#post13486775 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pito
Wouldn't evaporation+rain=water change?

It is not new water, only filtering the same water through natural biological methods.

Great topic. I have been debating this (with myself) for a few years. I had to do a water change because I medicated my system and had a bad time keeping new livestock live.

Otherwise, I went a year without a change.

 

[Aqua Keepers]

What does filtered and the chemistry altered mean? Is there nutrient export involved? How about trace element replenishment?

In order to know if *no water change* is possible, I think we need to look at what water changes do for us.

1) exports nutrients
2) replenishes trace elemants
3) mechanically removes particles in water coulomb
4) I thought of 1-3, it's your turn

I think that 1&2 are a must for reef tanks. While 3 is more of an option. With that being said, I think that as long as you provide 1&2 in some fashion, that it is very possible to not do water changes. Very heavy skimming & trace elements via dosser?