No water changes

[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.

[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.

[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

[Reefmaster08]

Change 20% of the water volume in your tank every two weeks no matter what, use ro/di water use kent part a/b 2 times a week have at least 5 watts per gallon of good quality lighting like t5-mh, clean your filters 2 times a week with bleach and make sure it has no bleach on it when it goes back into the tank.

I run a protein skimmer its a must.
I also have a uv sterilizer light it does alot of good.
Def get a refugium and put rock rubble, coco pods, cheato, snails, live sand & a ok light run it when your sleeping.
Filter Sump is the only way to go.
Maxi jet power heads a must for good water flow.
check your levels once a week.
Dont clutter your tank with alot of fish (Nitrate factor)
Use very little live sand less poo.
Get a mag glass cleaner.
Fiji live rock imo.

If any body has questions let me know.

Brian.

[Myka]

^ Yessir!

[ron101]

I found the recommendations overly rigid.

[Reefmaster08]

Where is the very old thread about no water changes and no skimmers? it had great discussions! and I dont want to type out another 4 page explanation...