What drives your water change?

[Newsalth2o]

With the investment I just made in supplements, I am questioning my water change method. Blind change 30 to 40 gal every other week. Haven't seen nitrates of phosphates in chemistry in a long time. That schedule drives my salt choice since we all are on a budget. So I'm thinking a higher quality salt with less water changes. Base water change on nitrates and phosphates not just every two weeks. Supplement chemistry of the alk, ca, mg. to keep good quality. I run GFO and carbon in a reactor. Total system capacity +/-130G.

Does anybody else not change water weekly/biweekly and only when Nitrates or Phosphates call for it or when quality has dropped to much to supplement?

 

[Boa1277]

BiWeekly no matter what, and now that Catalina water is in town I use it every 4th change.

 

[aquaph8]

I've never really used nitrates or phosphates as a reason for water changes. The water changes IMO are for all the stuff I don't test for, good and bad. All those small elements that get used up and all the stuff that builds up over time and needs to be removed.

I've used more expensive salts but I always end back up with Reef Crystals. Can't beat the price or performance and the price point from Foster and Smith with shipping out ways the fact that Im constantly wiping that darn orange film off the bottom of my mixing container.

 

[Kaosinnyc1]

red sea Pro coral salt

 

[danfeig]

I have always been a big proponent of water changes as my bio-load is so high. Before I purchased my Genesis Reef System, I was performing about 7%-10% weekly water changes. I now have things automated whereby every hour and a half, one gallon is automatically changed, or 16 gallons per day.

I am also a big proponent of the ocean water. I am finding that it is keeping my parameters more stable and not only do my corals seem to be extending their polyps more, but my Seahorses and Mandarins seem to love it. When I perform a water change, everything opens up! The cost is very close to what I was paying for Reef Crystals when I consider all of the DI Resin that I was going through together will all of the water I wasting and the time it took to make the water and constantly checking the parameters.

 

[Jamey1010]

I am also a big proponent of the ocean water

Petco ocean water?

Seems pricey for 16 gallon a day changes @ 24.99 per 10 gallons on sale and 31.99 normally

 

[danfeig]

Petco ocean water?

Sounds funny but yes! The Catalina Ocean Water is the same water that Petco sells boxed up.

 

[Jamey1010]

lol it does sound funny but I couldn't imagine your drove from AZ to the ocean

Is it cheaper out your way? Be a great idea to stop messing with ro water and salt mixes

 

[aquaph8]

It's delivered in a big tanker truck.

 

[Raptor72]

Bioload, definitely. I've made the inevitable mistake of falling for the " just one more fish " attitude and it has cost me dearly a couple of times. It has caused a year's worth of GHA aggravation. Now I try to keep the bio load at a maneageable level and do water changes every two weeks and weekly on the nano.

 

[MurphysLaw]

I like 10%-15% weekly water changes for trace elements, not so much for Cal/Alk/Mag however they stay pretty stable with the water changes (unless someone thinks pouring beer in the tank would be cool, whole other story...)

I never had pods in my system either until I started using Catalina Water and my pod population is enough now for sustaining a picky green mandarin. Plus it is really nice to not have to mix. FB does water accounts were you can pay for 500gal up front at a bargain price and draw from the account whenever you need water. I haven't actually started this myself but plan on doing so.

 

[phenom5]

I've had the best success with 10-15% weekly. One thing I haven't noticed is much difference between Reef Crystals vs the pricier stuff like Tropic Marin Pro.