Percentage Water Change Question

[Alex T.]

Even with pristine water conditions and excellent parameters for SPS corals, how many of you still do weekly water changes?

And if so, what percentage water change would you say is average, and is there a percentage that would be too much?

 

[buy_baff]

My water parameters are spot on and I still do a 10% a week change.

 

[TheDean]

My water parameters are spot on and I still do a 10% a week change.

I agree and follow your method, but with about a 15% change. Seachem Reef Salt seems to be pretty consistent for me.

 

[allsps40]

10% every week or so.

 

[Alex T.]

Seems to be most of you hover in the 10% area. I have a heavy fish load in my SPS tank and with live rock in both sump and 150 display and 35 gallon sump/refugium, I'm calculating I have approximately 160 gallons of water volume. I change out 25 gallons per week, which calculates to roughly 16%. My parameters are:

NO3: 2
PO4: undetectable
Calcium: 430
Alkalinity: 9 dKH
Mag: 1320
4 Vortech MP40's in Alternating reefcrest mode
Iwaki 30 return
Temp: 80 - 82

All kept stable with a calcium reactor

Lately, my sps are showing average polyp extension but growth appears to have halted. My lights have not changed and they are actually about halfway through their life cycle.

Am I disturbing too much when I do a larger than average water change? That's really how I should have phrased the question.

 

[ice2fire11]

I would do a water change once a month or two but im going to get back into the habit of small amounts weekly. Im still trying to find that routine that keeps everything stable.

 

[mike_cmu04]

I still do weekly water changes im sure that what keeps my water quality good. I used to not do water changes in my old tank and had all kinds of problems.

 

[M007]

Seems to be most of you hover in the 10% area. I have a heavy fish load in my SPS tank and with live rock in both sump and 150 display and 35 gallon sump/refugium, I'm calculating I have approximately 160 gallons of water volume. I change out 25 gallons per week, which calculates to roughly 16%. My parameters are:

NO3: 2
PO4: undetectable
Calcium: 430
Alkalinity: 9 dKH
Mag: 1320
4 Vortech MP40's in Alternating reefcrest mode
Iwaki 30 return
Temp: 80 - 82

All kept stable with a calcium reactor

Lately, my sps are showing average polyp extension but growth appears to have halted. My lights have not changed and they are actually about halfway through their life cycle.

Am I disturbing too much when I do a larger than average water change? That's really how I should have phrased the question.

Back off to 10% and see what happens. If your PE has suffered lately try and figure out what you changed in the last 30 days. Increased flow, new additive, new coral or fish. Something changed from when you had good PE and growth. Be carefull how you react to this change, as i've seen over reaction only make things worse.

 

[Alex T.]

Thanks folks. I'll try and back off. I just really enjoy clean and pristine.