NICERICAN4YOU25
In Memoriam
I LIKE TO KNOW WHAT ARE UR TDS READING IN REEFERS TANKS
AND HOW OFTEN WATER CHANGES ARE DONE.
TY ALL
CARLOS
AND HOW OFTEN WATER CHANGES ARE DONE.
TY ALL
CARLOS
Tds & Water Changes
- Thread starter NICERICAN4YOU25
- Start date
NICERICAN4YOU25
In Memoriam
OK, COOL TY WARNBERG I'M TRYING TO SEE HOW LONG WE CAN ACTUALLY GO W/O A WATER CHANGER W/O GOING TOO BAD IN THE TDS READINGS ESPECIALLY IN BIG TANKS THANKS AGAIN ALL
CARLOS
CARLOS
WarDaddy
New member
Carlos, TDS has nothing to do with the need to change water...
We change water in our tanks to export Nitrate and any other pollutants, and to replenish trace elements that have been consumed by the inhabitants of our tanks.
TDS tells us how much devolved particles are remaining in our fresh water before adding reef salts, to help us gauge how effective our fresh water filters are.
It is believed that TDS reading that are to high can lead to unwanted algae growth, along with other problems.
We change water in our tanks to export Nitrate and any other pollutants, and to replenish trace elements that have been consumed by the inhabitants of our tanks.
TDS tells us how much devolved particles are remaining in our fresh water before adding reef salts, to help us gauge how effective our fresh water filters are.
It is believed that TDS reading that are to high can lead to unwanted algae growth, along with other problems.
NICERICAN4YOU25
In Memoriam
I USED TO HAVE A 210 I USED TO DO 60G WATER CHANGE,
ONCE A MONT WITH NO ALGAE PROB, IN MY NEW 550G TANK
SINCE MOST OF MOST REPLENISH ALOT OF THE NUTRIENTS IN THE
MATER BY DOSING DIFF STUFF, I BEEN TRYNG THIS I'M DOING A WATER CAHNGER THIS WEEKEND ION MY 550 TANK HOPEFULLY 200GALS I GOT MY TDS TO 10 READING THATS HIGH BUT THATS 2 MONTHS NO WATER CHANGES I ALSO HAVE A REFUGIUM 6x18x12 I KNOW THIS HELPS WITH ALOT STUFF I BEEN USING THEM FOR OVER 4 YRS IN ALL MY TANKS. I HAVEN SEEN ANY DIIF IN MY CORAL GROWTH EITHER.
TY
CARLOS
ONCE A MONT WITH NO ALGAE PROB, IN MY NEW 550G TANK
SINCE MOST OF MOST REPLENISH ALOT OF THE NUTRIENTS IN THE
MATER BY DOSING DIFF STUFF, I BEEN TRYNG THIS I'M DOING A WATER CAHNGER THIS WEEKEND ION MY 550 TANK HOPEFULLY 200GALS I GOT MY TDS TO 10 READING THATS HIGH BUT THATS 2 MONTHS NO WATER CHANGES I ALSO HAVE A REFUGIUM 6x18x12 I KNOW THIS HELPS WITH ALOT STUFF I BEEN USING THEM FOR OVER 4 YRS IN ALL MY TANKS. I HAVEN SEEN ANY DIIF IN MY CORAL GROWTH EITHER.
TY
CARLOS
superedge88
New member
There is no way that your satwater in your tank is giving you a reading of 10 ppm, if so then your TDS meter is WAY off. Saltwater should give you a VERY high TDS reading. Just as WarDaddy already mentioned, the TDS of the water already in your reef tank has NOTHING to do with your water quality. Only test the TDS of the water coming out of your RO/DI.
WarDaddy
New member
Warnberg,
I guess the next question is what are you trying to achieve with the water changes? I would venture to guess that if your Nitrate is low, you have something in your system that is completing the cycle and do not need to change water to expel that nitrate.
16% a month, I am not sure that would be enough to keep up with nutrient loss, unless your tank is not heavily stocked.
I know people who never change their water, and are very sucessful, I also know people who do 20 - 50% per week.
I am just curious.
I guess the next question is what are you trying to achieve with the water changes? I would venture to guess that if your Nitrate is low, you have something in your system that is completing the cycle and do not need to change water to expel that nitrate.
16% a month, I am not sure that would be enough to keep up with nutrient loss, unless your tank is not heavily stocked.
I know people who never change their water, and are very sucessful, I also know people who do 20 - 50% per week.
I am just curious.
WarDaddy
New member
To get that pH up, get an large air pump in the water, airstone would help, but not necessary.
If the pH does not come all the way up after a day of air, and sea salt added, you may need a small buffer addition, but that is rare. Water coming out of RO/DI is usually real low in pH can be in the high 6's
superedge88
New member
I believe that o2zen is testing the Ph of his RO/DI water, which would be just fine at 7.2
But if you are testing your Ph after you have already added, mixed and aerated your saltwater and you are getting 7.2, then there is a problem.
But if you are testing your Ph after you have already added, mixed and aerated your saltwater and you are getting 7.2, then there is a problem.
Dave and Bryan,
I change roughly the same amount as Dave does. I do a 5 gallon water change once a week. So this is ~4% weekly. Or Roughly 21.6 gallons a month for my 120 system. So I do about the same percent as Dave does. It seems to be working OK. I do have some micro algae growing that I do not like. )-: I would love to go larger on the water changes, but I am tryinig to keep maintenance and cost on the lower/easier end.
Cheers,
Chris
I change roughly the same amount as Dave does. I do a 5 gallon water change once a week. So this is ~4% weekly. Or Roughly 21.6 gallons a month for my 120 system. So I do about the same percent as Dave does. It seems to be working OK. I do have some micro algae growing that I do not like. )-: I would love to go larger on the water changes, but I am tryinig to keep maintenance and cost on the lower/easier end.
Cheers,
Chris
markandkristen
Active member
well 10 isnt great but its better than nothing.even if you could just change the resin out would be helpful. ive heard some fish stores are at that with the water they give to customers.
i would try and fix that if you can but i would go for it. if it was me.
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NICERICAN4YOU25
In Memoriam
MY RO SYSTEM TEST O FOR TDS I CHANGE MY FILTER FEW TIMES A YR CUZ I HAVE TO MAKE SO MUCH WATER CONSTANTLY., I LOSE BOUT 2-3 GAL OF WATER A DAY PLUS MY WATER TO DO WAHTER CHANGES JUST. JUST WANT TO SEE HOW LONG CAN WE ACTUALLY WAIT B4 WE SHOULD WATER CHANGES W./O HARMING ANYTHING
MY TANK ISNT HEAVY STOCK RIGNT NOW, IT WILL BE IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS I KNOW FEW PPL IN THE LARGE REEFS FORUMS DONT DO ANY WATER CHANGES FOR 2- 6 MONTHS THE HAVE NICELY STOCK REEF TANKS, I NEED TO FIND OUT WHERE MY 10PPM TDS CAME FROM IDNT FROM MY RO I TEST IT. ANY IDEAS?
TY
CARLOS
MY TANK ISNT HEAVY STOCK RIGNT NOW, IT WILL BE IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS I KNOW FEW PPL IN THE LARGE REEFS FORUMS DONT DO ANY WATER CHANGES FOR 2- 6 MONTHS THE HAVE NICELY STOCK REEF TANKS, I NEED TO FIND OUT WHERE MY 10PPM TDS CAME FROM IDNT FROM MY RO I TEST IT. ANY IDEAS?
TY
CARLOS
Warnberg
New member
I don't mean to hi-jack, but my system is working fine. I have zero nitrites, nitrates and ammonia. I am running a DSB and my tank is moderately stocked. I feed 2 to 3 times a day and have had no issues other then the time my GFI tripped and my tank hit 92 degrees. Since then I have battled a red turf algae outbreak which is slowly going away. I aggressively clean the skimmer (wet skim) and filters socks daily. I also top-off with kalk which has helped as well. I have awesome coral growth, my clowns are spawning, my chromis are spawning and by the looks of things my neon gobies will be spawning shortly. I have maintained a sebae anemone for about 18 months so I would say all is well.
NICERICAN4YOU25
In Memoriam
SOMETHING MAKES NO SENSE HERE THEN I'M GONNA GET MY BUDDYS TDS METER AND TEST IT AGAIN SEE WHAT HAPPENDS.
I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF ANY1 WITH A REEF DONE IN OUR FORUM
HOW OFTEN OR HOW LONG THE WAIT TO DO THE WATER CHANGES AND WHAT PARAMETERS THE ENCOUNTER WHEN WHEN WAIT A 1,2, 3 OR HOW EVER LONG THEY WAIT TO DO THE W/C.
TY
CARLOS
I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF ANY1 WITH A REEF DONE IN OUR FORUM
HOW OFTEN OR HOW LONG THE WAIT TO DO THE WATER CHANGES AND WHAT PARAMETERS THE ENCOUNTER WHEN WHEN WAIT A 1,2, 3 OR HOW EVER LONG THEY WAIT TO DO THE W/C.
TY
CARLOS
alizarin
New member
How much you feed, how much live rock, how much extra filtration (skimming, refugium, deep sand bed), and what extra polutants (certain critters, supplements) all effect how often you need to change how many gallons of water. I need to change 10% weekly in my main tank because I feed fairly heavily (algae starts in). When I used to just feed dry to the fish and phytoplankton I could go a month or two with no water changes. I had a 2.5g nano that I never fed and I did a water change 3 times a year. When I used liquid calcium (not kalk... CaCL) the byproducts built up and I needed to to water changes before my yellow polyps were happy again.
That's my experience.
That's my experience.
Don’t know if I saved it or not, but FAMA had an article in the last few years which measured the amount of toxins removed by water changes. Less than 10% was too little and more than 60% was too much of a chemical change.
The conclusion was something like 30-40% is the most effective amount of water to change for a safe impact on chemical levels…
The conclusion was something like 30-40% is the most effective amount of water to change for a safe impact on chemical levels…
