No water changes - Tank survey

[andrepeixoto]

I saw that some of you guys are running your tanks without water changes for a few months. So I'm curious to know what setup you have, and what are you doing to keep the bad things out and replace the good stuff.

So instead of having all of you send everything here, I create a little survey so we can safe the data.

If you have multiply tanks, do one entry for each tank.

Here is the survey:
https://goo.gl/forms/aebEPbNqCj3Bm8qG3

 

[swk]

I think you missed, in my opinion, the most important factor as to whether or not I would have even attempted this...

Calrx or 2 part dosing

 

[thysrof]

I would recommend you go on youtube and watch the videos on Balling Method, Balling Lite Method, and Triton method. They are all methods of dosing that cut down significantly on water changes thru different dosing methods. I'm currently doing balling lite with BRS 2 part and Fana Marin balling lite elements. There is actually one video that explains some of different dosing/ balling methods.

Here it is

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43k8qYK7L4U&t=130s

 

[Steve Ruddy]

I did your survey. My 180 got 10 gallon w/c about 3 to 4 times a year. My new 70 gallon I'm doing 4 gallons a week and won't drop that for awhile. I will use Triton testing to help determine the need for water changes. Most of my maintenance tanks haven't had a W/C for 15 years or more but they are all soft coral tanks.

 

[Ach1llesTang]

I haven't done a water change in 7 years plus and just recently purchased a skimmer. I have 1 hippo, 2 clowns and a 1 month old Achilles Tang in a 7 foot tank.

Things are going great, only water parameters I measure once in a blue moon is salinity and ph.

Salinity 1.023
PH swings from 8.1-8.4

Keep temp around 78-81

 

[Dragonvale]

I haven't done a water change in 7 years plus and just recently purchased a skimmer. I have 1 hippo, 2 clowns and a 1 month old Achilles Tang in a 7 foot tank.

Things are going great, only water parameters I measure once in a blue moon is salinity and ph.

Salinity 1.023
PH swings from 8.1-8.4

Keep temp around 78-81

Were you keeping any corals especially SPS? Can't see any tank having SPS being successful with no water changes and without a skimmer. A FOWLR yes but I'd still want a skimmer.

 

[Ssteve]

I am at about 6 months with less than 5 gallons of new salt water. Did about 3 gal when I added a fish and stuff. CALrx and just a skimmer. No socks, no carbon, no gfo etc. Basically all sps and everything is growing like weeds. Recently I started blind dosing in some of the red sea color program. Just about 1ml of each two to three times a week. Haven't really noticed any changes though.