Water changes

If you use only RODI and your water params are perfect. ATO setup from RODI container and dozing trace elements, are water changes still necessary?

 

I would say yes. When I used to have a 34 gal set up I would do 5 gal water changes using a two 5 gal buckets. After draining 5gal out of the tank and setting the 2 buckets next to each other you could see the difference. Fresh mix nice and clear and old water had a slight yellow brown look to it.

 

Well if you have a method to converting nitrates into nitrogen gas, yeah you could go a while before the water can get "dirty". I've gone 4 months at most without a water change with a DSB and nitrate filter. But like mx says, the water still gets dirty, particles get into it and something I suppose, but after awhile I've stuck to a month water change still even if my params are fine, just to keep the water looking nice.

 

Some people do not include water changes as a part of their regular maintenance.

 

There are 2 reasons for a water change.

1. export of nutrients.
2. replenish elements.

If you do not need either of those criteria met, then there is no point in doing it.

If your nitrates and phosphates are 0 and stable. If your element params are stable due to dosing of some nature, there is no reason to do it.


I did 1 water change in 2010. I auto dose the big 3.

I did the 1 water change bc I do not dose (or test for) trace elements. There is no evidence whatsoever that trace elements are depleted in a week (or even a month). So I change the water very infrequently, but only for trace elements.

(I am currently doing them again bc I accidentally OD'd on Mg; I see no apparent change in my tank from doing regular WC after having gone so long without them; I stand by my position that if you have 0 nitrate/phosphate and dose the big 3, you are wasting your time to do WC so frequently).

 

As usual many different opinions. Thank you all for your input.

My params seem to be stable. I am dosing big 3 + trace. I think ill go with 20% change once every 2..3 month and see how it goes.

 

What are considered the "big 3"?

 

Mag, alk, calcium. Thats the big three.

 

After experimenting with various water change regimes for the last 10 year, I am finding 15% weekly gives the best results. Adding trace elements may be ok to some extent, but you can't monitor the levels. Some people do larger water changes less often and this may work in some cases. You need some water changes though to keep the trace element levels somewhat in check.

I mean most of these trace elements have unknown effects. There is as much potential for them to be bad as good. Add to that the manufacturing process adds contaminants, which manufactures marketing departments have often just referred to as "trace elements", on the justification that there is just about some of everything in the ocean. Well, I'm sure there is some uranium and plutonium etc... but I don't think it would be beneficial in my tank .

Also, it's helpful to understand the concept of hormesis. Many trace elements are toxins. They may have some biological benefit at low levels, but they become toxic, at higher levels, sometimes at even slightly higher levels. Copper for example is a good example. Even in corals, there is biological necessity for some copper. However, at slightly elevated levels, maybe even as low as 10 parts per billion, can start to have detrimental effects.

All trace element mixes will have some copper, even if they do not list it. Salts do too, however, when you add salt, you also remove some, there is no accumulation. This is the real danger, accumulation. While some people may not notice significant changes after not doing a water change, and then doing some, this is likely because the time-scale of observation is too short. The quantities are very low and the amounts added small. So, it likely takes a lot of time for them to accumulate to levels where detrimental effects become obvious. Years down the road, when you get to that point, and everything has seemed fine, are you going to attribute the observation to what you've been doing for years, or just assume it's "old tank syndrome".

It's unclear how many water changes are required to prevent accumulation of trace elements. Most are not used fast, or used at all by our livestock however, so it is 100% clear some (probably most actually) will accumulate. Many people do water changes every 3 or 4 months and this seems to work. I haven't seen any long term success from people who do water changes significantly less than that. I prefer more often, as its likely that rocks and substrate may become sinks for some elements and a water change only takes 15 minutes to a half hour, every week or so. With how much work I put into my tanks, that just seems like a no brainier to help ensure long-term success

 

Oh, you didnt mean D Wade, Bosh, and LeBron? LOL

Sorry, big Heat fan. ;D