regular water changes thing of the past?? who doesnt do them who does????

Aquattro · #1 07-17-2011, 05:29 PM

I guess when I speak it's from a SPS point of view. With a LPS tank, or soft corals, I might be less inclined to change as much for corals, although the fish would still have to be considered. I guess my philosophy is to keep it as close to natural as I can, given the small space. I just know that when I'm swimming down in the tropics, I don't mind getting a mouthful of water, but I sure wouldn't want tank water touching my lips

I've pulled fish out of the ocean for my selfish enjoyment, I feel the least I can do is keep the water as clean as possible.

Now sure, it can be done. Steve will pop in here shortly and tell us how he ran his tank for over a year without changing water, and his corals had some color. But....is this optimal for all the creatures in the water? Or is it sufficient to meet our particular requirements (color, growth, whatever it is we each want from the tank). I would guess the later. A tank can and often will be successful, within the measurements of our individual requirements for success, without water changes. Will it get worse by changing water? I don't think it would. Would the fish be healthier/happier with water changes? I suspect so..

reefwars · #2 07-17-2011, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquattro

I guess when I speak it's from a SPS point of view. With a LPS tank, or soft corals, I might be less inclined to change as much for corals, although the fish would still have to be considered. I guess my philosophy is to keep it as close to natural as I can, given the small space. I just know that when I'm swimming down in the tropics, I don't mind getting a mouthful of water, but I sure wouldn't want tank water touching my lips

I've pulled fish out of the ocean for my selfish enjoyment, I feel the least I can do is keep the water as clean as possible.

Now sure, it can be done. Steve will pop in here shortly and tell us how he ran his tank for over a year without changing water, and his corals had some color. But....is this optimal for all the creatures in the water? Or is it sufficient to meet our particular requirements (color, growth, whatever it is we each want from the tank). I would guess the later. A tank can and often will be successful, within the measurements of our individual requirements for success, without water changes. Will it get worse by changing water? I don't think it would. Would the fish be healthier/happier with water changes? I suspect so..

another good point...the fishies..... i do want whats best for them and having a small tank means they are forced to breathe the same water more frequent........so i may have to re think for their sakes as i agree with your point that if were gonna box em up might as well give them the best we can

Lance · #3 07-17-2011, 06:09 PM

10% every other week.

CoralineCori · #4 07-17-2011, 10:52 PM

We do 10-15% weekly water changes. It is necessary in order to keep our nitrates at a normal level, and all other params perfect and consistent. We always use r/o water and add fresh treated water when we have evaporation, so that helps too as we usually have to add water every other day. All of our corals are doing very well with this as well as fish and we have not had anything die (yet *crossing fingers*). You are very brave reefwars...not sure I would want to take a chance on leaving the tank go myself. Isn't water changes and stuff all part of the hobby really? I would be scared of a spike or algae infestation, phosphates or extremely high nitrates. Just sayin

lastlight · #5 07-17-2011, 11:08 PM

Used to do 10g every week on my 110g system. After doing a large 45g change the other day to reduce nutrients and whatever I can't measure I was impressed how colors and growth picked up. I'm now doing 15g every week.

viperfish · #6 07-17-2011, 11:12 PM

Most people seem to address the water change issue from a nutrient point of view. Nutrients can be filtered out, there are many ways to do it with good equipment and media. There was an article in Coral magazine a while back asking the question "are water changes necessary" and it was concluded that normal water changes have a minimal impact on nitrates. I think the biggest challenge would be how to restore the depleted trace elements. The big three (calc, alk, and mag) are no problem but we all know there are a great deal of other elements that are essential, difficult/impossible to dose, and only seem to come from a fresh batch of reef salt. It sure would be nice to have a way of running an SPS tank without water changes but I think we're a long way from it right now.

Aquattro · #7 07-18-2011, 12:15 AM

Agreed. I don't personally change water to dilute nutrients, my NO3 and PO4 are undetectable. It's more "the breath of fresh air", but with water, that I'm trying to provide. With it, replace some of the depleted things I probably don't even know are in the water.

MarkoD · #8 07-18-2011, 01:17 AM

i think the only people that dont do water changes are those that carbon dose or those who have deep sand bed

nlreefguy · #9 07-18-2011, 02:04 AM

Yeah, same here. I don't do them often enough but doing a water change has a visible benefit to my corals. I assume I'm replacing something that I didn't even know was there. My nutrients are all undetectable too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquattro

Agreed. I don't personally change water to dilute nutrients, my NO3 and PO4 are undetectable. It's more "the breath of fresh air", but with water, that I'm trying to provide. With it, replace some of the depleted things I probably don't even know are in the water.

StirCrazy · #10 07-20-2011, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquattro

Now sure, it can be done. Steve will pop in here shortly and tell us how he ran his tank for over a year without changing water, and his corals had some color.

don't need to now, you already did.

but some color ..... come on

anyways I don't say you can go with out one but I definatly don't say you need to do it every month or week for that matter, if you have a good set up that is overskimmed, ect then you need to be the judge. do a couple at one month, then try two months for a couple then three months while keeping notes of different things as you go. this is what I did, and yes I did go a year once and that was sucessfull but shortly after that I had the heater incident and the sand bed removal.

Steve