Water Changes every 1 week?? Every 2 weeks??

[rickh]

I have 2 tanks that are doing great, but I am considering changing my maintenance schedule. Kids, wife, dog and work--I need a little rest!!
One tank has coral and 3 clown size fish in about 50 gallons, a sump, refugium, and skimmer. The other also has 3 small fish and tons of coral in a 20 gallon nano with only a filter sock. For years I have always changed 10-15% of the water weekly. This summer I was out of town 3 times for about 2 weeks at a time. I had a tank sitter feeding, changing the filter socks and topping off. No water changes. I was expecting problems when I returned. The coral looked great. My water chemistry was great.
Has anyone else noticed that their tank looks great with less care?? RR

 

[cybershark]

I was good at changing water reguarly at one time also. I have noticed that my corals seamed to almost prefer less water changes. Showed great color and size. But really I think it had to do with water stability.

 

[tuckrule]

I think this is a tricky question. What is you're main reason for the water change? Is it to reduce nitrates? Or is it to refresh calcium, and alk levels? I know these question seem wierd, but if you said keep nitrates in check, then examine you're bio load, and see if you can get away with it. Try testing for a couple weeks and see what happens with trates and ammonia and all that. Same with Calc. Most people use IO or RC and dose. I use seachem which seems to last longer.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If the water changes are too tedious, maybe set up an automatic system. I change 1% daily with o effort at all (well, it takes a few minutes once in a while to make a big batch of new salt water for the 88 gallon reservoir I use).

I discuss water changes here:

Water Changes in Reef Aquaria
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/rhf/index.php

 

[HumanIMDB]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13461019#post13461019 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randy Holmes-Farley
If the water changes are too tedious, maybe set up an automatic system. I change 1% daily with o effort at all (well, it takes a few minutes once in a while to make a big batch of new salt water for the 88 gallon reservoir I use).

Oh to have the space...I hope to set up an automatic water change system when we get a dedicated fish room...

Since you are the master, I will ask now...1% daily is a good number to work with?

 

[rickh]

""Oh to have the space...I hope to set up an automatic water change system when we get a dedicated fish room...""

Isn't that the truth!!
I have always done weekly water changes to keep the NOs and PO4 to an undetectable level by a commercial kit. I have been using Reef Crystals for several years and have had good results without dosing. The bio-load from the fish is small, so that helps.

My take on this hobby is different than most. I want the fish and coral to be "happy" in a high water quality low stress environment and grow slowly . Many people spend their time building the ultimate system with the biggest lights, skimmer, etc, etc. The remainder of their time is spent fraging and trying to sell, trade, or give away all the frags they produce. Many of the local reefers have prodigy from my tanks that I have given away.

Enjoying spending every moment of free time working on your tanks is probably a good definition of a hobby. After years of this I discovered that the way I enjoy my aquarium the most is looking through the glass, not the open top with my arm in the water.

I currently spend an evening a week changing water. Changing the filter socks when necessary and water changes every 2 weeks would improve conditions on the home front. I may try it for a month or two, hopefully the tanks won't become a hair algae farm.

 

[Gondore]

I would be very interested to see what kinds of results you get from doing fewer water changes. Please provide an update a couple months down the road.

 

[HumanIMDB]

Currently we do 30% once a month per Randy's article...

 

[BigJay]

I'm on the weekly 15% water change schedule, it's a good way to stay on top of routine maintenance, salt creep, and chemical filtration.

The fish love the fresh seawater every week, I figure it's a nice break from swimming in their own waste. The fishie appetites are especially ravenous after a water change.

I agree with the poster above, corals don't care as much for the frequent changes.

 

[Gdevine]

The best thing from a maintenance perspective you can do for your tank is frequent and regular water changes. Almost all tank problems can be tied back to water issues and with regular changes you can eliminate these issues significantly.

I do 12g changes on a 65g (35g fuge) on a weekly basis. That equates to almost a 75% change out on a monthly basis.

My tank thrives and algae has never been an issue.

 

[dclaghorn]

It's weird, i had A LOT less algae when I changed weekly. Now I do about 10%/month, and my corals are lovin' it! Well, my shrooms al died off, but who cares? My acros, montis, frogspawn, polyps, zoas... all. On the other hand... I have had an algal blom of near biblical proportions, I have a lawnmower blennie that is lazier than my 15 year-old son about "mowing the lawn", a fox face that doesn't eat it, some hermits... I just snagged a sea hare, and he seems to be making some progress. I haven't even been checking my parameters because the fish and coral seem to be doing well. But, again, this darned hair algae.. You decide.

 

[DT's_Reef]

I think doing weekly water changes are safest as it tends to keep water quality more stable.

You can be very successful while only doing changes monthly or possibly even longer, but in my opinion, things become more tricky. Keeping all the elements balanced and making certain nutrients are available for the animals can be more difficult.

So, because I don't feel comfortable that I know enough to keep up the balancing act, I change more frequently.

I have definitely noticed my SPS fare more poorly if I slack on the water changes. I don't notice any difference in algae as it's not an issue for my tank.

 

[downhillbiker]

I do 5 gallons a week with my 72 gallon bowfront. I recently have been out of town and haven't done it for almost a month. Everything looked fine, but I checked my nitrates and they were around 20ppm. I just did a 15 gallon yesterday, and will get back to the 5 gallons a week to keep the tank regular.

 

[rickh]

Years ago even with weekly water changes, reduced feeding and no detectable level of phosphates I had problems with algae. I added a refugium and PO4 reactor, say good by algae. R

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

1% daily is a good number to work with?

I think so, and if you can arrange for some or all of that to be wet skimmate, all the better!

 

[HumanIMDB]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13464026#post13464026 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randy Holmes-Farley
I think so, and if you can arrange for some or all of that to be wet skimmate, all the better!

Thanks! I will keep that in mind for the next tank build.

 

[mflamb]

I change 60 gallons every 10 days via water change, and 1 gallon per day via wet skimming.

 

[rickh]

mflamb--
I checked your tank build. Incredible!!!
You must be retired, a widower, with deceased parents, no children, and independently wealthy.

 

[Paul B]

I have noticed that my corals seamed to almost prefer less water changes.

I think that if you are using ASW, weekly changes are too much.
Just my opinion but I do not think fish or corals "like" to be in new water all the time, especially ASW which is not really seawater but a close aproximation. Look at a tank that was just set up with ASW.
Do the corals look real healthy? I think they look better after a while.
Randy's schedule of 1% daily seems good. That would be 30 gallons a month in my 100 gallon.
I don't change that much but it is a good schedule especially if you have SPS.
And I hate it when Randy does something that I think is good.

 

[Rae C.]

I change about 20% of my 65gal once a month or so. I have kids, job, hubby, other pets, etc. After I got the gist of caring for the tank, I started sluffing off. I have enjoyed it more with less frequent water changes, none of the corals or fish seem to have suffered, in fact they seem to be thriving. Personally, I'm beginning to think SW hobby is not as difficult or time consuming as a lot of hobbiests make it. I think it just depends on how much you like doing the water changes and tinkering with the equipment and such.