No water changes

[eWarren]

Thanks everyone for all your advise. I am glad to know I can come to this site and get lots opinion and advise. This is great. Thanks again

[ron101]

I think that feeding your fish is a significant form of supplementation.

[chevyjaxon]

ive had a 90 gal up and running for 8 weeks now not even 1 water change ive loaded up the system too ive got a tang, clown, 5 damsels, huge neon wrasse, mushroom corals, and a bubbletip anemone i use marine snow, purple up, and 2 skimmers one is a woodlimestone skimmer the other is made by instant ocean i think im doing great for a noobie and to think i was starting to worry about doing a water change even though my nitrates are under 20 ppm i guess that being said no water changes for atleast another month

[adidas]

i've done about 2 water changes since September, mind you I only have 2 fish.

[Myka]

Originally Posted by chevyjaxon

and to think i was starting to worry about doing a water change even though my nitrates are under 20 ppm i guess that being said no water changes for atleast another month

Eek! This is exactly what I meant. Your tank isn't the type of setup that is good for a low or no waterchange scheme. This will cause you trouble. I think ALL newbies should be doing 10-15% waterchanges once a week or once every couple weeks. ESPECIALLY when your equipment isn't top of the line.

[chevyjaxon]

no my equipment isnt top of the line but i have 2 skimmers each rated for aquariums up tp 100 gallons so that being said i should be good for 200 gallons

[Myka]

Just because a skimmer is rated for X gallons sometimes doesn't mean it's any good for even half the gallons. PLUS, cheap skimmers are crap on ANY size tank. Don't fool yourself...you'll be more successful.

[Okguy]

Originally Posted by chevyjaxon

and to think i was starting to worry about doing a water change even though my nitrates are under 20 ppm i guess that being said no water changes for atleast another month

Umm you aren't doing very well for a Newbie. Any Nitrates in your tank are bad (it burns your poor fishes gills) and any real reefer will do everything in their power to get them down to 0. I suggest a water change ASAP or you're just being mean.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Anything around 20 ppm is way too high. That means you need to do a water change. Your anenome will thank you. Try to keep them at least below 5 ppm or better yet undetectable.

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by chevyjaxon

ive had a 90 gal up and running for 8 weeks now not even 1 water change ive loaded up the system too ive got a tang, clown, 5 damsels, huge neon wrasse, mushroom corals, and a bubbletip anemone i use marine snow, purple up, and 2 skimmers one is a woodlimestone skimmer the other is made by instant ocean i think im doing great for a noobie and to think i was starting to worry about doing a water change even though my nitrates are under 20 ppm i guess that being said no water changes for atleast another month

I am asuming from all the happy faces you are joking, er I hope so anyways.. I am talking a system with perfect water condidions. when I did do my rare water changes, amonia, nitrate and nitrite were all still undetectable. I used both a Ca reactor and a kalk reactor, my skimmer was probably rated for 4 times my water volume, and I had low fish stalking and I feed on the lower side. don't use nitrates as a deciding factor as when you see them you should have already done one if your system can't handle them.

also don't be scared of large waterchanges.. I used to do 20% changes and if I decided I needed a big one I would do 80% and I have even done a couple 100% changes when I moved tanks ect.. as long as your salinity, PH, Ca, Alk and temp are very close you should be fine.

Steve