Water changes on 1500g tanks??

[anthonys51]

I'm approaching 600 system gallons as well, and my every other week 40 gallon water change begins to seem somewhat paltry. No data to support my opinion, but I do think the use of a calcium reactor is an elegant way to replenish elements in about the same ratios that they are being taken up by growing corals. Part of what has driven my total volume up is the addition of a large refugium (a 120XH) so I'm hopeful for greater stability overall.

yes i wanted to see that info on this subject too. i did add my old tank to my new system. kind of neglected the tank a little while building the bigger system. just so much work, more than i though. well when i added the 57 to the 550 gallon system with all the fish and corals, tested for nitrates 2 days later it was 60ppm. added the dsb next day and macro algae, even bought more fish 3 weeks later it is down to 20. haven't tested in 3 days might be lower. didnt do a water change that whole time. i do know that 9 inches of sand over 3 feet is a lot of surface area, so maybe was hopeing someone else has a system like this and can give advice. i am too new into this to draw any conclusion

 

[dave.m]

your a little rude dave

Not intended to be rude, but to point out the need for constant testing and evaluation. I am trying to convey the need to stay on top of your system so that you don't pour thousands of dollars into it and then have it slowly turn to mush. That would be like buying a Lamborghini and then not taking it in for servicing until it starts to make unhealthy noises.

Dave.M

 

[anthonys51]

Well maybe I read it wrong. No I test alk once a week nitrates and phosphates biweekly calcium monthly. Test are cheap corals not do cheap


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[worm5406]

The OP stated:

Although I do water changes on my 180 reef every 4 weeks --25 gal--I also do a 300 g water change on each of my 1500 gal FOWLR tanks every 4 weeks. Exhausting! and expensive! On fish only tanks, what do you folks out there think is necessary or required on these larger tanks? What volume, what frequency do you recommend?

So he is looking to reduce the headache and expense on the FOWLR tanks. He is doing 20%(300g) a month for them.

I would agree depending on certain parameters to reduce them since he is not worried about them as much as, I assume, his reef tank.

But to what level? 100g a month instead?

 

[barrysalt]

1500 gal tanks--water changes?

1500 gal tanks--water changes?

Got a lot of feedback, most of which seemed to get off track. Again, straightforward info, and a question:
I take care of two- 1500 gal tanks.
FOWLR--no corals!
I do a 300 gal water change on each, once every 4 weeks.
I'd like to consider the same amount of water change, but extend out to every 6 weeks.
My phosphates are high, but have been for over a year with no algae problems.
Fish are all healthy, eating well, very little loss except for natural causes.

So here is the question: Given the above, does anyone out there have fact-based reasoning to dissuade me from water changes every 6 weeks vs. 4 weeks? That's it! thanks...

 

[anthonys51]

Yes you can phosphates don't matter to fish. As long as your nitrates stay in line your good


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[worm5406]

I agree. You are familiar enough to testing the water, so you would know how the tank looks overall. It would be fine. I am curious on how far out you could go. Maybe 8 weeks?

 

[anthonys51]

Yes unfortunately every tank is different. There is no way anyone can tell you this answer as a fact. It will just be a guess. It's trial and error. But luckily will fish only tank there is more room for error than a reef. Good luck


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[anthonys51]

Yes unfortunately every tank is different. There is no way anyone can tell you this answer as a fact. It will just be a guess. It's trial and error. But luckily will fish only tank there is more room for error than a reef. Good luck


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[cleanmyaquarium]

Got a lot of feedback, most of which seemed to get off track. Again, straightforward info, and a question:
I take care of two- 1500 gal tanks.
FOWLR--no corals!
I do a 300 gal water change on each, once every 4 weeks.
I'd like to consider the same amount of water change, but extend out to every 6 weeks.
My phosphates are high, but have been for over a year with no algae problems.
Fish are all healthy, eating well, very little loss except for natural causes.

So here is the question: Given the above, does anyone out there have fact-based reasoning to dissuade me from water changes every 6 weeks vs. 4 weeks? That's it! thanks...

Build a sulfur denitrator and add a gfo reactor and you can reduce h2o changes to 8 weeks....probably even 12 weeks. In 1 year your savings on salt will pay for the new equipment. Pm me if you want to talk about how to do it.

Thanks for all the input. Bioload is modest--35 fish in each tank, mostly med to large, a few smaller anthias, a couple xlarge sailfin tangs. Again, no corals! FWLR ONLY. Two tanks, each feeding into a single very large sump. My phosphate readings have been very high (8-10 on hi-read meter)--have tried many additives, mostly from Brightwell, to no avail. I'm shrugging this off, since fish have been healthy, eating well for over a year now. BUT...
still trying to get a handle on 1. How often do you recommend a water change, and 2.is a 20% water change sufficient? I currently do this every 4 weeks.

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[barrysalt]

A sulfur denitrator sounds interesting. I have used (over 4 months) GFO, and several of Brightwell's phosphate-removing chems, including a reactor chock full of their "balls" to remove PO4--all to no avail. But I'll listen to any reasonable way to keep tanks healthy and reduce frequency of h2o changes. Thanks...Barry

 

[m0nkie]

I used the premium GFO from BRS when I had high phosphate.. had to switch them out every single week. Felt like a huge waste but it got the job done. not cheap buying all those GFO

 

[McPuff]

I would do much of what has been suggested by the other posters.

Use the Marine Pure blocks to reduce nitrates. I've said it many times, these things work VERY well in my experience. And I see NO negative effects as some fear (i.e., aluminum).

Use a large GFO reactor to remove phosphate... high capacity is your best bet.

Add chaetomorpha and/or dragon's breath to the refugium (add a refugium?). This will provide a natural sink and means to export nutrients.

Finally, it seems that an auto water change system such as Genesis, would be ideal. You'll stabilize the water chemistry and reduce the headaches associated with such huge water changes.