Water change size and frequency

[r1racer]

Im not trying to start a fight or argument, but you're advice is counter intuitive. If you are changing out water every week you are inherently introducing instability, further evidenced by having to test your water after doing a change, ie your levels are shifting.
Not that i recommend it but going a month, even two or dare I say it three can have the effect of creating a more stable reef tank. I did this for over a year and i had success just by being lazy. I've since moved on from this regimen to trying to keep up with a monthly water change schedule. In my experience ive found that ive had the best growth and coloration coming back from a vacation where no one touched the tank except to feed the fish. ymmv.

Well I am fairly new in the SPS game so you maybe right. Then again everyone's tanks are different. My log tells me weekly changes are needed. I do 10% a week and it keeps the parameters stable and replenishes the necessary trace elements. I can understand your logic only if someone was doing a large% every week.

With that said, I don't dose anything (yet) other than a little baking soda. So, in order to keep alk/ca/mag and even salinity stable I have to do weekly changes or they get out of whack fairly quickly. Anything longer than a week and my log shows all of the above drop out of the golden range.

 

[r1racer]

I usually don't like to give this advice, but it works for me. On my 125 I may do a water change every six months or so. It has probably been longer than that now. I check my kh and salinity every week or two (especially if the skimmer has been skimming wet), and check the others when I have the time. If everything is in check, I write it in the black book and move on.

When I started I did 10% a week, that changed to biweekly, then monthly, then whenever I get time. If my tank took to much time or money it would be gone, so I keep it simple.

This is a little ridiculous...I don't care what kind of SW tank you have.

OP, your best bet (if an SPS setup) is to start with weekly changes and test and log often until you get a feel for what your tank needs. You may find that bi-weekly or even monthly. If there are no sps you can probably get away with less frequent changes IMO.

 

[mussel and hate]

Ridicule does not support a premise.

I've kept the same nano reef since the 80's. I've gone years between water changes, my tank seemed to do just fine. Corals grew as did coralline algae. No fish died either.

I'm not advocating anyone avoid water changes but not every reefer employs the same husbandry to achieve success. There is variation in the animals we keep and the systems in which we house them, do not presume than your technique is supreme.

I currently do very small water changes to replace the water I discard with detritus siphoned from the bottom of my reef. I'd guess it's on the order of 2% per week as I let the waste settle and pour back the clear water.

Oh ya, my water quality is impeccable. Nitrate is undetectable and Phosphate .008(lowest measure on my low-range Elos test) Alkalinity 7.5, Calcium 428, Magnesium 1360.

Why would I want to change more water?

 

[dax123]

The reason for my thread is because I tried large changes and a bunch of frequent small ones with no significant diffence in the outcome. I was trying to get the nitrates down (>100ppm) for well over a year with little success. Because of the nitrate problem I shyed away from adding too many corals, but one day I got a great deal from someone leaving the hobby so I decided to go for it. I put everythingin, did 20 gallon changes once a month and for some reason, the nitrate levels started to drop over the next 2 months and are now hovering around the 20ppm mark. For those saying to leave the tank alone, I tend to lean in that direction because even though it is counterintuitive, it seems to have results.

 

[JCareyETexas]

20 gallons every other week on a 120.

:beer:

This

 

[UTCReefer]

Well I am fairly new in the SPS game so you maybe right. Then again everyone's tanks are different. My log tells me weekly changes are needed. I do 10% a week and it keeps the parameters stable and replenishes the necessary trace elements. I can understand your logic only if someone was doing a large% every week.

With that said, I don't dose anything (yet) other than a little baking soda. So, in order to keep alk/ca/mag and even salinity stable I have to do weekly changes or they get out of whack fairly quickly. Anything longer than a week and my log shows all of the above drop out of the golden range.

Everyone's requirements are different. Keep doing what is best for you. Im certainly not implying that you are wrong, your results speak for themselves.

 

[Captain jack666]

Hi guys! I am fairly new to the reefing! I have my small 120L for 8 months now.
I have problems with red algea and gold algea, its all over my sand. Could this be because i do 35% water changes every week. Is this bad for the tank? Please advice i am desperate to get rid of my algea! I dont feed much, i have a skimmer, 6 fish, full with coral and 3 pumps! Thanks in advanced!

 

[Sounds Fishy]

I do small frequent water changes about 5 gallons daily.For me,this is the best method,because of the type (predator)of fish I keep.Adding fresh saltwater daily and exporting some water is best on a daily basis,because I run carbon,gfo and bio pellets ,which strips the water of some important elements as well as undesirable pollution.Adding fresh salt water daily helps replace beneficial elements that are removed .In a month that is half of the total amount of water volume ( a bit more).The parameters of the aquarium are stable and nitrates are in the 10 to 20 range. This however isn't something everyone should do ,but I have a big bio load,but I have consistent ,acceptable parameters,that are good enough to support a reef,if I chose.
There is no preferable method of doing these things.It comes down to many factors,and everyone has has unique reasons for how they decide to accomplish water changes.If I didn't have the time to do,daily changes,I am sure weekly changes ,or monthly would be okay,as long as the volume remains the same.
It all depends on many factors and it doesn't really matter,as long as your parameters are stable.

 

[Sounds Fishy]

Hi guys! I am fairly new to the reefing! I have my small 120L for 8 months now.
I have problems with red algea and gold algea, its all over my sand. Could this be because i do 35% water changes every week. Is this bad for the tank? Please advice i am desperate to get rid of my algea! I dont feed much, i have a skimmer, 6 fish, full with coral and 3 pumps! Thanks in advanced!

Try adding some more circulation in the area where your problem exists.It may be bacteria building up in those areas..Find a good CUC to churn your substrate.Alternatively ,you could vacuum the area ,when the problem happens.I have a sandy substrate,and I get that problem,once in a while but my stingray,usually stirs everything up,for me,so all that nasty stuff,gets filtered out.Check your parameters and the TDS of your make up water.Depending on your filtration system in your aquarium,35 % may likely adequate for your system,but,maybe not.Sandy substrate seems to encourage undesirable growth,because the grains are tightly packed which allows bacteria to grow.

 

[saf1]

I try and do as few as possible today in my 40 breeder. Currently upgrading to a 240 gallon and plan to do the same. I like to keep things simple.

 

[45commando]

For me water changes do 2 things, they remove pollutants & add essential minerals. I only dose kalk via evap top off, so the addition of other minerals used up by tank inhabitants by way of a water change is cheap, simple, easy & very consistent. I've never been a fan of dosing, minerals, that I'm not testing for, when a small water change will add natural seawater levels back to the tank. I do 10% weekly changes, but run a DIY carbon reactor 24-48 hrs before a water change to polish the water.

 

[Psychomantix]

about 60% water change weekly for me.

 

[d0ughb0y]

Water change size and frequency

I started this thread asking if it was better to do smaller frequent changes vs larger infrequent ones. Based on the replies I see people on both sides of the fence, but still no good arguements for either side.



:deadhorse1:

The larger the water change, the more effective it is as far as exporting waste and replenishing trace elements compared to more frequent smaller changes for the same total volume.

Having said that, depending on your tank bio load, if it can go x weeks without nitrates starting to go up, then do every x weeks. Making it more frequent than that would not be efficient.

 

[Wazzel]

I do 15 gallons a week on my 120. It is what works from me based on how I keep my tanks. I would do 20 gallons, but I go not feel like toting any more buckets.

 

[Exceptionrule]

10 gallons weekly on my 75. I have a fairly packed mixed reef tank and I don't dose.