WC for the sake of... WC?

[DiscoHobbit]

Hi There!

So I've recently started up my Red Sea reefer 170 and the cycle went pretty well. I started with 2 chromis and added 2 clownfish this weekend anftermy Ammonia hit 0 for a week. I added a lil ball of cheato and a small mangrove plant to soak up some nitrates and its working pretty well!

Now i have attached my params over time (note I only started testing 2 weeks into the cycle and had precycled the rock) and apart from a lowering KH (which ive started dosing for yesterday), everything stays in check. So far i have only done one 25L WC right after my Ammonia hit 0 for the first time, but most of my nitrates started going down in the days AFTER that WC, and not because of it.

So my main question is, if i dose KH (and Mag and Calc when it starts dropping), do I actually need to do a WC every x amt of time. I am aware trace elements need to be replaced as well, but a monthly WC would be OK for this? or should i just dose those?

 

[Reefing102]

So I’m old school when it comes to water changes and I usually do 10-20% per month. That said, there are tanks out there that don’t do any water changes and just dose what they feel they need. I know that’s kind of a non-answer but water changes nowadays seem to be up to one’s choice

 

[jjmg]

There are many tanks out there that run very well with no water changes. I, however; do 10% water changes weekly since I enjoy getting my hands wet and getting down close and looking at the tank one day a week giving everything a cleaning: inside of the glass, vacuum the sand, and cleaning the mechanical filters. To my eyes the corals seem to open extra wide after a water change and the water clarity is improved. There are very few things in this hobby that have a definitive one answer fits all.

Right now your numbers would concern me with the KH, Nitrate, and phosphate numbers being low.

 

[DiscoHobbit]

I work from home so, im already getting close and looking at the tank wayyy to much ahaha. I live in an appartment with not too much space, so doing a WC is a whole undertaking getting everything out of the basement. But hey, thats what you sign up for with a reeftank. I think ill just go with biweekly 10% and see how that goes. looking at ur answers.

There are many tanks out there that run very well with no water changes. I, however; do 10% water changes weekly since I enjoy getting my hands wet and getting down close and looking at the tank one day a week giving everything a cleaning: inside of the glass, vacuum the sand, and cleaning the mechanical filters. To my eyes the corals seem to open extra wide after a water change and the water clarity is improved. There are very few things in this hobby that have a definitive one answer fits all.

Right now your numbers would concern me with the KH, Nitrate, and phosphate numbers being low.

Im already dosing KH and keeping a close eye on my Phos and Nitrate. Im guessing my rock and sand has absorbed some phospate, and a 0 on my test would most likely not be an absolute zero. As for nitrates, as soon as my tests hit 0 i will take out the mangrove or cheato or just feed more.

I have seen very mixed advices on where my nitrates should be, but im guessing anywhere between just above 0 and 20 is OK as long as its constant?

 

[Reefing102]

For me I try to hit 10-20 nitrate and around .03-.1 phosphate. One of the biggest things is stability

 

[mtnbike101]

if i dose KH (and Mag and Calc when it starts dropping)

You will not need to dose anything for the first year and only then after you have added enough corals to actually consume any of the big three. This includes trace elements as well. You will only cause unwanted algae growth with trace elements at this point.