water changes

[kostadin77]

I am very new at this so i have a saltwater tank for about 2 months. I have 5 corals and tree fish. my question is for the last two months my water test readings are perfect should i do a water change or water when my readings are starting to go a little bad ?
and second what basick test on my water i should do to make sure my corals are in good shape?
thank you

 

[rfgonzo]

Water change is up to you, some people do them and some don't. Take care of them before you go a little bad..

Test? NO3, PO4, cal, alk, mag, and SG

 

[kostadin77]

thank you

 

[JUNBUG361]

I do water change every 2 weeks. You can test your water parameters as many times, you like. That’s up to you

 

[Ron Reefman]

There are a lot of other 'trace element' that get used out of your water that you don't test for or replenish by dosing. That is why a lot of people do water changes. Just how important these trace elements are, and whether they may get replaced through feeding or decay or whatever is also not well documented.

Some people, like me, have enough corals that water changes don't add enough Ca or alk to the tank, so I dose those. I also have macro algae to remove nitrate and phosphate. I may do a 25 gallon water change on my 200g system every 3 to 6 months. Is that a good or bad thing? Opinions vary. But on a newer tank, without macro algae or a refugium, or reactors, your nitrate and phosphate will build up and water changes are the easy solution.

 

[mcgyvr]

You should do what equates to about 20% every 2 weeks.. (10% every week)... 40% every month.. whatever to start with (for at least the first 6 months)

I guarantee you aren't checking for many..many things that can be used up or elevated..

What are you testing for anyways?

 

[Uncle99]

Yup, above, right on point and balanced