Water Changes Needed or Not. Please Vote!

Thank you for reminding me duoc..

Yes, let me point this out & make this crystal clear.. If you do not have enough LR, LS, skimmer or another means of removing waste. You must do water changes.

 

10% weekly. Old habits die hard.

Every system is different. Size, the equipment we do or don't have, and probably a few other variables I can't think of right now play a major role in determining whether or not we need to do water changes and if so, how much or how often.

I have a 29g, so a 10% weekly WC keeps everything in balance for roughly $50 per year in salt. However, someone with a 120g system is not going to want to change 12g per week, so it's easier and more cost effective to invest in whatever is necessary to reduce or eliminate WCs.

Then there are those that do occasional WCs for the sake of sanity. AFAIK, the jury is still deliberating on the depletion of low-level SW components for which we can't even test, and I do not agree with my LFS's theory, "If you think it's being used, then dose it".

 

I'm just throwing this out there and with my limited knowledge, there should be no expectation of "correctness".

When keeping just fish, it seems that keeping only the basics are neccesary (ammonia, nitrate/trite, pH, sg) which can be done without WC. All that is needed is proper top off and filtration.

However, with reef-keeping (especially SPS), there are nutrients in your salt that, I would imagine, get used up and must be replenished. Yes, that's what dosing is for but that is in of itself.

I prefer the idea of frequent but small water changes of about 10% weekly/bi-weekly. As long as you're monitoring the water you're putting into your tank to match the conditions as closely as possible, you avoid any "swings" of temp, pH, salinty, etc.

 

LOL.. You know what happens to thinking right? Never dose unless you KNOW!

 

I got slack in my maintenance awhile back and stopped doing water changes. It has been at least 6 months since I did one on our LPS/softie tank and it has never looked better. We do have a remote DSB and lots of rock. The skimmer is so-so. I haven't had to clean the glass in 3 months. Other than some spots of coraline, the glass is clean. I haven't checked for nitrates or phopshates but there is no hair algae or cynao but do have some bubble algae which I can live with.

Jack

 

I do 5% per week. I think it may be more important in a SPS tank than most others due to depletion of minerals being greater. I can see where Jack's tank could benefit since softies and LPS supposedly prefer "dirtier" conditions, not that the water is dirty in his tank, and use less minerals. Very intriguing and would vary from system to system based on maintenance routines, feeding and equipment used.

 

I've tried everything and nothing has proved more effective for long term stability and success than regular water changes. For me, it hasn't mattered which tank, LPS, soft coral SPS. All benefit significant from water changes long term. Sort term, sure there have certainly been tanks that I "thought" were doing better without water changes, but long term, those tanks eventually became disasters. There is all sorts of crap accumulates over time without water changes, there is just no other effective way to remove hydrophilic substances for example. If not right away, eventually this stuff will effect your tank. Just my .02.

 

Besides keeping the water clean which can be done with skimmers, carbon ,and gfo reactors. WC provide the essential elements at the right levels.(depending on the salt you are using) Since we don't test most of these I feel doing wc's is the only way to make sure these levels at least stay in the ball park.8)

 

im not sure.. but i know that ive only done maybe 3 water changes since i got my 150G tank..

Not because i dont want to do the water changes. ( well, there is some lie in there)...
but because each water change would have to be of at least 20G or something.. that isnt too fun.. LOL and i barely have time with my schedule.

long story short.. with those 3 water changes, it seems to be enough for my tank to be healthy for 3 years. ( hopefully more)..

I do plan doing water changes more often, however it wont be until i am able to get everything set up in a way it wont be that much of a PITA.

 

seeing as i have a 14 gal, wc isnt too much of a problem. I change water when i feel i need to lol.