Water Changes

No, you aren't missing anything. Water changes are, shall we say, subject to individual belief, experience and need. For example, in a smaller tank, 30 gal. and under, my practice has always been every 2 weeks. However, if that tank had no fish and just coral, once a month may be fine. In larger tanks 55 gal. to say 120 gal. every 4-6 weeks is what I follow but a more substantial volume is changed i.e. 30-40% of the total water volume(this is reef and fish). In much larger tanks even still, over 120 gal. some change water once every 2 months or so or not at all and use supplements to replenish the lost elements and buffers. It is subjective to the needs of the individual tank and the health thereof.

 

I have done the dosing route and then if something becomes off its just that much more in the way of w/c and the quanity of them. I do 1 water change every other week in the ammount of 15 percent. Its a pain on a 220 but ive made a method that does not require much work. I will be putting a pump from my mixing vats soon and a drain in the sump and ill just make a mark on the back corner of the tank where nobody sees to know the proper ammount. Then I will not hate the dreaded wc also. The skimmer also will not remove everything so there is a degree of waste left behind.

 

You don't have to do anything, it is afterall your tank. But I highly recommend getting into a regular routine. w/c, maintenance on pumps etc. It sucks but it's a small price to pay for the health and well being of our tanks.;D ~REEFSPARKY~

 

Yeah I'm just going to do a 10 gallon water change every 2 weeks. Sound good?
Also I keep my SG at 1.024-1.025, How much salt would I add to keep it at that with a 10 gallon w/c?
I use Instant Ocean Salt, I like to dose all of the elements myself

 

Don't dose anything you aren't testing for. Quality salt mixes have everything you need in them and when you do a water change mix the water at least 24 hours before and use a PH to aeriate it. Also use a heater to get it within a degree or two of your tanks temp. Never add fresh mixed sw to your dt. Before you add the new mixed water check the sg and make sure it's within a point or two of your tank water. We'll get ya on the right track yet..

*edit* most salt mixes will give you 1.025 sg @ 1/2 cup salt to 1 gallon water. Just read the directions on the bucket or bag.

 

Yeah trust me I got into the whole test for EVERYTHING thing lol
& Yeah I just got some fresh ro/di water, I want to know how much salt would I add to keep my SG the same?

 

Mix it like I said above. 1/2 cup salt to 1 gallon water. SG should be 1.025 with most salt mixes. If it's high add a little water and recheck, if it's a low add a little salt and recheck. If your tank water is 1.025 and you add water with an sg of 1.024-1.026 it's not going to hurt anything.

 

Oh alright, Thanx for everything k+

 

np

 

OK, if your display tank has the SG you want, then topoffs will keep it there. Remember, you're only replenishing what has been lost to evaporation. When a gallon evaporates, the SG in your tank goes up. When you top off, you reset things back to the SG you strive to maintain. As stated above you'll use fresh RO/DI water and not salt water. When your top off is complete, if you did things right--your SG will be at the level you want.

As for keeping your salinity the same when doing water changes, take a sample of your tank water, and when mixing new SW for water changes, make sure it matches that SG of the water in your tank. If you draw out 5 gallons, replace it with 5 gallons of water at the same SG as the tank water.

This way, nothing changes. Make sense?