no water changes anyone?
- Thread starter Johnb123
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stingeragent
New member
I'm fairly certain PaulB on here doesn't do w/c's, but his tank has also been up for 30+ years. It might be 40 now I can't remember.
lllesley
New member
I used to only water change every 16 weeks. Didn't run scrubber but did have 0 nitrates & ran Rowa phos. Only every changed water because I felt guilty. Used to use seachem reef Trace & plus and dose alk , mag & cal - Randy's. Tank was stable & I must say corals & fish thrived. This was the tank at 20 months of age. We actually sold it & upgraded to a much larger system.
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Ron Reefman
Active member
I have a 180g sps& lps tank which shares a 180g sump/refugium/DSB with a 75g hex tank. I use to do water changes every month, then it became every 2 months, then once a quarter. Now I do one when I feel like it... and that's maybe every 6 to 9 months. HOWEVER, realize that I have a 45g refugium with growing Chaeto, a 45g DSB with 8-10" of fine sand, and 95g for the return pump and skimmer. I also have about 300 pounds of LR between the tanks and the sump (none in the refugium or DSB) and my tanks have great flow and over the top randomize water flow.
Reef Frog
New member
I just think WCs are the way to go, although I'm by no means consistent myself. My tank simply perks up in many ways after one is done after neglecting it for a while.
But I think the real benefit is long term. As in a 5+ years. I've gotten some good things to think about after reading some great comments on Old Tank Syndrome in the Advanced Forum in RC where I posed some questions. A reef tank is a closed system organic debris & compounds are going to inevitably build up and over many years and cause changes (many negative) unless purposeful and intentional steps are taken.
And water changes are one of the best ways to remove large amounts of solid detritus at one time, in addition to more finely disolved organic compounds. And of course they add new minor & trace elements.
But I think the real benefit is long term. As in a 5+ years. I've gotten some good things to think about after reading some great comments on Old Tank Syndrome in the Advanced Forum in RC where I posed some questions. A reef tank is a closed system organic debris & compounds are going to inevitably build up and over many years and cause changes (many negative) unless purposeful and intentional steps are taken.
And water changes are one of the best ways to remove large amounts of solid detritus at one time, in addition to more finely disolved organic compounds. And of course they add new minor & trace elements.
mhucasey
Acros & wieners, oh my!
I went just over a year without a water change before doubling the size of my system. I added new water to the old, then had an anemone shred shortly after the upgrade. I changed some water because of that but now its been about 5 months without changing. I will continue on no changes unless I see an issue
Green Chromis
New member
:fish1: Why would you not want to do a water change, the water is fun to collect and the side benefits are also very enjoyable, besides the tank looks amazing after a water change. :fish1:
mhucasey
Acros & wieners, oh my!
This was what the original tank looked like after one year without water changes:
You like hauling buckets that much?
Green Chromis
New member
:fish1: Hi Casey, who said I haul buckets of water? It's so much easier to pump the water into 2 containers in the boat and pump the water out of the boat directly into the sump. Plus the last few times I've been out to collect the water we have caught a few nice fish for dinner and the smoker. This is one of the benefits of collecting your own water and doing water changes, and their are many more. :fish1:
mhucasey
Acros & wieners, oh my!
You put forth a convincing argument for the reefers here who live near the ocean and own a boat:lol:
outy
New member
Mine is over 20 years old.
I do yearly at best 100G change on a 250G system.
Very successful LPS tank.
No scrubber or nitrate or phosphate reduction.
Juts a light bioload
The aquabella enzyme treatment has been going for about 7 months in my system. Levels are stable except phosphate at one point a few months ago, but since has lowered to .04 (I over feed)
My zoas and palys are multiplying. Everything else is growing (Goni,Florida ric, Fungi plate coral and its offspring, toadstool, Yuma ric, gorgonian)
Some issues with candy cane coral (withering away) and at first my anemone (Eating and gaining more color now)
My zoas and palys are multiplying. Everything else is growing (Goni,Florida ric, Fungi plate coral and its offspring, toadstool, Yuma ric, gorgonian)
Some issues with candy cane coral (withering away) and at first my anemone (Eating and gaining more color now)
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