Too Much Water Changing?

[rinconmike]

I have a 150 FOWLR. I have been doing 20% water changes weekly.

Is that too much on water changing? I previously had high nitrates but around few months ago started getting rid of the biolballs with the last bit removed mid December. I have around 80 pounds of pukani LR (around 55 in display, 25 in sump) and 4 Liters of Seachem Pond Matrix (in sump).

I have a Octopus XP2000sss skimmer. It never performed great. More crud on the sides of the walls than going into the cup.

I typically run a Jumbo Reactor with GFO (around half full) and a single reactor with ROX carbon (full) and change every two to three weeks, but earlier this week decided to stop since I have a Coral Beauty with HLLE and figure would stop the GFO and Carbon for a while.

Tank has been set up for just over 2 years now. Fish in it currently include:

24" Snowflake Eel had for 2 years
7" Porcupine Puffer had for 1 year 8 months
6" Red Breasted Wrasse in tank for 10.5 months
2" Coral Beauty Angel in tank for 5 months
6" Banana Wrasse in tank for 2.5 months
5" Niger Trigger in tank for 2.5 months

I used to feed a frozen mix every other day but around 2 months ago started feed more NLS daily and the frozen mix 2x a week.

I am asking because I am wondering if 20% weekly water changes is a bad thing (not just dumping salt down the drain) and wondering if that could be why the skimmer never performed great (more in the cup and less on the wall of the neck).

My salinity is around 1.025, Ammonia and Nitrite is zero, Nitrate around 10ppm, Phosphate was near 0 but need to check now that I am stopping GFO. Temp between 78-79.

http://db.tt/IvzCuLqy
http://db.tt/rbVV81j5


thanks,

Mike

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

While it is at the high end of what many folks do, I do not think there is any negative to doing it as long as you do it in a way that doesn't stress the organisms.

 

[rinconmike]

thanks. Do you think it could be a reason for the skimmer not performing great, or that is just another issue.

I might drop to around 15% a week (20 gallons instead of 30) and give that a try.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I doubt it. DO you notice any change to the skimmer beyond an hour or two after the water change?

FWIW, I usually change 1% daily and very slowly with an automatic pump, which is about 30% monthly, a value more typical of what folks do.

 

[rinconmike]

skimmer goes a little crazy and I leave it off for around 30 minutes after a water change. I will now pay attention an hour or two later. I think it goes crazy from extra air in the water. When I start filling new water, it is in my sump with the pipe above the sump water line dumping in above the main intake pump. This blows a lot of air bubbles into the tank. I figured that is why the skimmer goes crazy - extra air.

What type of pump do you use for the water changes. Auto water changes is next on my list of things to do.

thanks again,

Mike

 

[geaux xman]

I have some HLLE issues with my pomacanthus angels also.

You could try dosing your tank and soaking the fish food.

I just started doing what JC MARINE does on post #28.

His fish looks great...
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2129466&page=2

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

skimmer goes a little crazy and I leave it off for around 30 minutes after a water change. I will now pay attention an hour or two later. I think it goes crazy from extra air in the water. When I start filling new water, it is in my sump with the pipe above the sump water line dumping in above the main intake pump. This blows a lot of air bubbles into the tank. I figured that is why the skimmer goes crazy - extra air.

What type of pump do you use for the water changes. Auto water changes is next on my list of things to do.


Mike

What salt mix are you using?

I use a dual head Reef Filler pump on a timer for the water changes. It is noisy, so needs to be in a basement or garage.

 

[jimmy frag]

tap water will affect the skimmer.

 

[rinconmike]

What salt mix are you using?

I use a dual head Reef Filler pump on a timer for the water changes. It is noisy, so needs to be in a basement or garage.

I am using Coral Life Marine Salt.

I have two 55 gallon drums in the basement. one for RO/DI and one for salt. I use a mag 18 to mix and pump upstairs (I have one in each drum) and typically leave a MJ1200 running in each drum to keep the water moving. I have both pumps going to a manifold that I turn a couple valves to determine if RO or salt water goes upstairs. I only have one tube running upstairs (but could run another).

I do use my Apex Controller and floats for auto top off to top off at 7am and 8pm every day. I also have a drain pipe under the tank I use to do my water changes. However, I have to manually start a siphon then hook it up.

I always thought for auto water changes I needed something more precise to remove a certain amount of water and then add it back. Never looked into it, but it is on my list.

 

[rinconmike]

tap water will affect the skimmer.

thanks. I am using RO/DI.

 

[rinconmike]

I have some HLLE issues with my pomacanthus angels also.

You could try dosing your tank and soaking the fish food.

I just started doing what JC MARINE does on post #28.

His fish looks great...
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2129466&page=2

thanks. He does have some great fish. I am starting to use selcon with the NLS. I hope with that and turning off the carbon and GFO it will get better.

Also, only been using the pellets for around 2 months and the HLLE on the CB does look better, but a long way to go. Before the NLS, the CB only got what was left.

 

[Pcrain]

my SR 2000 is kinda funny, finiky as well seems to have taken 6 months to actually work right but I run about 50 sw tanks and the one with SR pull alot more skimmage.

I agree with randy its not too much the only things that i could fathom is....

1/messing with your biological filter. AND I very highly doubt and have never heard of water changes even in 100% water change circumstances the surface area in your tank maintains the proper amount of bacteria.. so unless your in a bare tank no lr no sand etc.

2/ some salt mixes have really high cal just make sure yours is not one of those that is any higher then 500 which isn't really a problem in a fish only system like your

YOUR SAFE THE WAY I SEE IT


there was just an article on advance aquarist about how carbon can trigger Hlle,
But to counter act that I love running carbon and with bio-pellets! seems to keep the tank cleaner a lot longer. I would also point out that i haven't really heard of any negative event that occurred from high phosphate with fish. so Instead of phosban i would just play with what your comfortable with and change it out to carbon maybe Purigen, or Matrix.

 

[Waterobert]

20% water changes a week should be good for your tank, however most people do no more than 10%. It just cost too much, some people change 20% a month and have great results.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I am using Coral Life Marine Salt.

.

So maybe it is the air. Coralife doesn't seem to claim to contain organics (such as vitamins), which might impact skimming.