How often do you do water changes?

Discussion in '3reef Site Polls' started by Matt Rogers, Jul 29, 2005.

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How often do you do water changes?

  1. Once a week.

    26.6%
  2. Every 2 weeks.

    28.1%
  3. Every 3 weeks.

    4.7%
  4. Every 4 weeks.

    15.6%
  5. >4 weeks.

    7.8%
  6. I don't do water changes.

    17.2%
  1. Matt Rogers

    Matt Rogers Kingfish

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2000
    Messages:
    13,466
    Location:
    Berkeley, CA
    I have a <30 gallon setup and try to do a 5 gallon water change every 1-2 weeks.

    How often do you do water changes?
     
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  3. Jason McKenzie

    Jason McKenzie Super Moderator

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2003
    Messages:
    5,538
    Location:
    Vancouver, BC,Canada
    I try and do 10% every other week.
    But I will admit in the past I have slipped up on more than one occation

    :)
    Jason
     
  4. mirosh

    mirosh Feather Duster

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2004
    Messages:
    242
    Location:
    Lawrenceville, GA
    I try to do 10% every 2 weeks, but it ends up being more like 10% every 3 weeks due to the procrastination factor!
     
  5. APC

    APC Gigas Clam

    Joined:
    May 23, 2005
    Messages:
    850
    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    I do 10% weekly...Make the water on Friday, aerate it over night and do the change on Saturday AM. I have a 40 gallon tank, so it goes really quickly.
     
  6. Jay

    Jay Teardrop Maxima Clam

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2004
    Messages:
    826
    I do a 10-20 percent every Sunday, Like APC I make my water on Friday but dont swap the install it till Sunday morning. hehe did I say install it. Ive been working with PCs for way to long. :)

    Jay
     
  7. Area 51 Exotics

    Area 51 Exotics 3reef Sponsor

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2005
    Messages:
    336
    Location:
    Brookfield, IL
    I do a 15% change once a week on Sunday morning. I make the water at the beginning of the week and make sure ph & salinity all match during the week. I have 2 small utility pumps from home depot, to pump 20 gallons out of the sump located in my crawl space and the second to pump the premixed water from my utility room back in. It all takes less that 10 minutes. I vacuum inside the main tank every other week.
     
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  9. mmakay

    mmakay Feather Duster

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2004
    Messages:
    222
    Location:
    Santa Clara, CA
    I do water changes so infrequently that it hardly counts. But my system has nearly as much water in the 'fuge and sump as in the display. My bioload is very low. I also skim aggressively and have lots of live rock. As it stands, my chemistry is enviable even without the changes. (Well, sometimes the calcium droops a bit!)
     
  10. chetrod

    chetrod Peppermint Shrimp

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2005
    Messages:
    402
    Location:
    Tampa, FL,Florida
    I do 30 gallons once every month. All sump/refugium and pump are in the master closet so the sink is right there I Just pump 30 gallons out then pump 30 back in from the container that is pre mixed with R/O water that I mix the night before. Always on the 30th of the month.
     
  11. Birdlady

    Birdlady Finback Whale

    Joined:
    May 8, 2004
    Messages:
    2,716
    Location:
    PhillySuburbs, Pennsylvania
    I am a floater, like Makay! ;D I try for a 15 gallon change every 6 weeks or so...but the diatoms on the sand are a reminder to me that it is time! :tongue4:
     
  12. basile

    basile Feather Duster

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2009
    Messages:
    220
    Location:
    Ottawa Canada
    If i was to rely on the nitrates that could go for months at a time so i do it monthly thats it.