Ok...another newbie question. If all water parameters are consistently correct, are water changes necessary? Given the rate of evaporation (and the water added because of it) seems to me that (by adding water every few days) a "water change" is being done already. Am I way off base here?
Water changes
- Thread starter ROBSTOY
- Start date
You need to do at least a 10% water change every other week. Water changes are nessary to remove nitrates and phosphates from water column. In my tank I was never able to detect these with my test kits. Nitrates and phosphates were just being consumed by the mass amounts of alage in my tank. I have now spent the last six months of 10% water changes weekly and finally no more alage. Weekly water changes are recomended
I have a 90gallon with a 20gallon sump. i do 5gallon water changes every week then 15gallons every 2 weeks. when i do my 15gallon water change I also clean the skimmer's collection cup completely.
on my 57gallon tank with 15gallon sump. i do 10 gallon water changes every two weeks and also completely clean the skimmer collection cup.
the water changes help control the algae, keeps my water parameters from having spikes, and allows me to clean the sand bed. the protein skimmer can't catch everything, that's where the water changes can help remove other stuff.
both tanks i use a media reactor that has phosbegone and carbon media to help to keep the water clean and the sump has live rock with some other stuff. water changes is just part of the necessary maintenance.
on my 57gallon tank with 15gallon sump. i do 10 gallon water changes every two weeks and also completely clean the skimmer collection cup.
the water changes help control the algae, keeps my water parameters from having spikes, and allows me to clean the sand bed. the protein skimmer can't catch everything, that's where the water changes can help remove other stuff.
both tanks i use a media reactor that has phosbegone and carbon media to help to keep the water clean and the sump has live rock with some other stuff. water changes is just part of the necessary maintenance.
bobbychullo
Super Abound
+65,000 along with everything else said in this thread
some people believe they don't need them. i do not agree with that. everything in my tank looks happier after a water change.
i look forward to my weekly exchange!
I hope you are convinced by now. if you are not here you go. When you have a closed system at home and you keep corals, fishes and invertebrates, they use many minerals to grow. few ex sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, strontium ... We dont check all the mineral levels. Say if some life die off and you let them disintegrate in water, then most of the minerals come back to the ecosystem. Agreed we do add food - flakes,pellets,frozen food. Still we will not be able to keep the levels steady or atleast in a reasonable range. Thats where the water changes with a new salt mix come to place. You could pick water changes at your convinience. If the parameters for ammonia, no2, no3 are good, 10 % change per week or 20 % every 2 weeks or 50 % every month should be fine. I would say 10- 20 % water change every 1-2 weeks is the best to do because the micronutrient level will not fluctuate much. We dont know too much of corals and invertebrates what will happen if one of the micronutrients are low to give a vitamin or mineral deficiency disorder as in humans except for a generalised decrease in colour or a decrease in growth rate.
Hope this helps. Happy water changes.
I discuss water changes here:
Water Changes in Reef Aquaria
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/rhf/index.php
from it:
Conclusion
Water changes are a good way to help control certain processes that serve to drive reef aquarium water away from its starting purity. Some things build up in certain situations (organics, certain metals, sodium, chloride, nitrate, phosphate, sulfate, etc.), and some things become depleted (calcium, magnesium, alkalinity, strontium, silica, etc.). Water changes can serve to help correct these imbalances, and in some cases may be the best way to deal with them. Water changes of 15-30% per month (whether carried out once a month, daily or continuously) have been shown in the graphs above to be useful in moderating the drift of these different seawater components from starting levels. For most reef aquaria, I recommend such changes as good aquarium husbandry. In general, the more the better, if carried out appropriately, and if the new salt water is of appropriate quality.
Calcium and alkalinity, being rapidly depleted in most reef aquaria, are not well controlled, or even significantly impacted by such small water changes. In order to maintain them with no other supplements, changes on the order of 30-50% PER DAY would be required. Nevertheless, that option may still be a good choice for very small aquaria, especially if the changes are slow and automatic.
Water Changes in Reef Aquaria
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/rhf/index.php
from it:
Conclusion
Water changes are a good way to help control certain processes that serve to drive reef aquarium water away from its starting purity. Some things build up in certain situations (organics, certain metals, sodium, chloride, nitrate, phosphate, sulfate, etc.), and some things become depleted (calcium, magnesium, alkalinity, strontium, silica, etc.). Water changes can serve to help correct these imbalances, and in some cases may be the best way to deal with them. Water changes of 15-30% per month (whether carried out once a month, daily or continuously) have been shown in the graphs above to be useful in moderating the drift of these different seawater components from starting levels. For most reef aquaria, I recommend such changes as good aquarium husbandry. In general, the more the better, if carried out appropriately, and if the new salt water is of appropriate quality.
Calcium and alkalinity, being rapidly depleted in most reef aquaria, are not well controlled, or even significantly impacted by such small water changes. In order to maintain them with no other supplements, changes on the order of 30-50% PER DAY would be required. Nevertheless, that option may still be a good choice for very small aquaria, especially if the changes are slow and automatic.
israel.kendall
Padawan Reefer
First, you do the water changes to KEEP everything going well. You want to keep things from going bad, instead of trying to fix them after they have already gone bad.
Secondly, you say topping off water is like doing a water change...this leads me to ask if you're using salt water for top off or fresh water? Might seem like a dumb question, but it's not too uncommon of a mistake, you should be using fresh water to top off for the most part unless your salinity is off from skimming.
Secondly, you say topping off water is like doing a water change...this leads me to ask if you're using salt water for top off or fresh water? Might seem like a dumb question, but it's not too uncommon of a mistake, you should be using fresh water to top off for the most part unless your salinity is off from skimming.
yes atleast a bi weekly change is required, if u just keep adding RO water to tank to cover evaporation u are just making ur water hard over time. trace elements keep goig down and so will ur oxygen levels. ur nitrates and phos ill creep up with o water changes also. thus u should do changes. now how much change and when is debateable. there is a thread thats was started few days back on same topic of water changes and some dont do wter changes like 25% in every 2-3 months.
DownwardDawg
New member
I love doing water changes!!!! It keeps me more in-tune with my tanks!
jcw
Active member
I've switched to daily 2 gallon changes on my 55gal QT and the 125g DT.
Having a system set up for water changes helps a lot. It may not have to be automatic, but making it clean and as easy as possible always is nice.
The daily changes also means you don't have to break your back carrying 10-20 gallons of water around.
The second part of this is important too. Seems like there are minor to major issues with a lot of salt brands.
Having a system set up for water changes helps a lot. It may not have to be automatic, but making it clean and as easy as possible always is nice.
The daily changes also means you don't have to break your back carrying 10-20 gallons of water around.
The second part of this is important too. Seems like there are minor to major issues with a lot of salt brands.
Toddrtrex
Premium Member
Remember, when water evaporates, pure water is being evaporated -- anything "bad" will remain, and in time become more concentrated. Also, you should only be adding pure fresh water to make up for evaporation (( unless you drip kalk, but that is another story )), so you aren't adding anything back to the tank that has been used up.
Thanks for all of the responses! I am convinced. Now, how do you physically do the changes? I would assume with a siphon at the DT to clean the substrate and then add the same amount siphoned into the sump (mine is in the basement). That way when the pump in the sump is turned back on it will add the new saltwater to the DT.
phenom5
Member
If you have the room to do that in your sump I would say that's the best way to do it. Siphon out any accumulated detritus & water in the DT, add the same amount of water back to your sump, let it mix up/ heat in your sump for a bit, then fire your return back up.
And like Kendall mentioned, you're topping off with freshwater correct?
And like Kendall mentioned, you're topping off with freshwater correct?
luisgo
Member
I do a 25% water change monthly. Although I think that weekly changes are better in my case is a matter of time required for the weekly changes (one procedure instead of four). For large water changes is very important to match salinity and temperature very close to tank parameters. I don't see any adverse effect with changing that much water if done correctly.
Yes, I topoff with fresh water.
Ok. I will start this weekend. I just put fish in last Friday (3 green chromis, 1 oscellaris (sp) clown and 2 turbo snails. The tank is 75 gl and recently cycled. I think I will go with the method I mentioned ablve (I have a 65 gl sump in the basement that has about 20 gl in it). I am thinking 10 gl every two weeks.
phenom5
Member
Just checking. :thumbsup:
I would probably go every week, but you can try 10g every other week and see how it goes.
