04redmach1
Reefing newb
When deciding our tank, this is also something I want to keep in mind. How much and how often do you guys change/replace water in reef tanks with fish?
Replacing water in aquarium... how much and how often
- Thread starter 04redmach1
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kwsm
Reefing newb
We do 10-20% once a week.
ltljoker
The Great Tang Herder
On any given tank you do atleast a minimum of 10 to 20 percent a month. Some of us do it more often depending on there skimmer or bioloads....:Cheers:
reeffreak
Reef pro
It will all depend on the individual system's bioload.General rule of thumb is usually 10% weekly or 25% monthly.Personally,I do 25% on a monthly basis.
04redmach1
Reefing newb
Is there anyone who does not replace per month? Is it possible to have a perfect running environment where levels stay fine? Or you just have to replce no matter what?
sen5241b
Reef enthusiast
I do a 50% once a month. If my water parms start to get way off I do a 50% followed by several 25%s over the course of a week.
Bifferwine
I am a girl
Yes, but that really only happens in very mature tanks that have been set up for years. It takes a long time for tanks to become self-sustaining. And even then, you have to add additives to compensate for what the corals are using and removing from the water. It's pretty hard to have a system like this. Very few are successful.
04redmach1
Reefing newb
So you are basically changing out ALL of your water over a weeks course? Wouldn't having ceratin cleaners, corals, and crustaceans help with levels?
04redmach1
Reefing newb
Ah, ok. But wouldn't after a while of having the proper community be a lot easier to deal with? You only replace water when levels are high correct?
dcantucson
Reef pro
No you do it to prevent those levels from becoming high. Once things are out of control, it's harder to get them back in line. Plus you may lose some corals and livestock by letting things get out of control.
Bifferwine
I am a girl
You replace the water before parameters get high, as Dcan said. Yote likes to say, "You don't wait for your car to break down before you do an oil change, do you?"
sen5241b
Reef enthusiast
I've gone two months without a water change but after that much time my water parms, calc, alk and Ph eventually get way out of whack and rather than get into complex dosing systems I just do water changes until everything is right.
Hiker4twenty
Reef enthusiast
I do about a 15% water change every 10 days. Keeps my levels in check and everything is healthy and growing in my system.
yote
In Memoriam
I do a 15 gallon water change on my 125 every 8 days.That keeps all my parameters in check and stable.
A lot of folks think that water changes are just to reduce nitrates and other bad stuff,and they do ,do that.But the changes also replace the trace elements and minerals that are used by everything in the tank.
And YES,It is like changing the oil in your car.You dont want to wait until you have a rod knocking before you do the change.
A lot of folks think that water changes are just to reduce nitrates and other bad stuff,and they do ,do that.But the changes also replace the trace elements and minerals that are used by everything in the tank.
And YES,It is like changing the oil in your car.You dont want to wait until you have a rod knocking before you do the change.
Toolman
RESPECT MY AUTHORITAH
Youy guys are trying to put me out of work If people start doing regular PM on their cars I can't sell any more motors. :mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen: I got a 28 and do 3 gallons once a week better safe have already been sorry..
Gigaah
Reefing newb
Well I was bout to go to bed untill I read this thread. All of the above are correct except for one matter.
You can have a new tank and not have to do water changes. You will have to dose for alk/calc maybe a few others but not so vital as food often carries it.
If you set up and algae turf scrubber filtration system you don't HAVE to do water changes. Some choose to still as it replaces some of the trace elements..however these can be dosed. I think I did a 25% change on my 55 gallon once when it was a month or two old after I added a bunch of live stock and the scrubber hadn't matured yet. Other than that I've not done any water changes and the tank was born on november 1st 2009..so thats..7 months. All water parameters are pristine. There is a lot of additional information on algaescrubber.net as far as what exactly it accomplishes and how to build it.
So yes it can be done but you'd have to DIY the filtration system. after that you'll just have to clean the screen off once a week and call'r good. If you have any questions PM me. I'd be glad to help or answer and questions.
(sorry for the broken record routine guys but I can't let people asking if there is a way to do it go on thinking it can't be done unless you have an uber mature tank.)
You can have a new tank and not have to do water changes. You will have to dose for alk/calc maybe a few others but not so vital as food often carries it.
If you set up and algae turf scrubber filtration system you don't HAVE to do water changes. Some choose to still as it replaces some of the trace elements..however these can be dosed. I think I did a 25% change on my 55 gallon once when it was a month or two old after I added a bunch of live stock and the scrubber hadn't matured yet. Other than that I've not done any water changes and the tank was born on november 1st 2009..so thats..7 months. All water parameters are pristine. There is a lot of additional information on algaescrubber.net as far as what exactly it accomplishes and how to build it.
So yes it can be done but you'd have to DIY the filtration system. after that you'll just have to clean the screen off once a week and call'r good. If you have any questions PM me. I'd be glad to help or answer and questions.
(sorry for the broken record routine guys but I can't let people asking if there is a way to do it go on thinking it can't be done unless you have an uber mature tank.)
mikewurtz
FOWLR Power!
I do 20% bi-weekly.
PRC
Stop Quoting Me!
I also use an algae scrubber but I still do a 30g water change weekly in a 180g tank.
It takes less than 10 minutes for me to change 30 gallons of water. I have (2) 32g rubbermaids, I fill one with saltwater the night before, keep the water moving with a spare powerhead over night, throw in a heater.
Next day, wake up put in my siphon hose let the water drain into the 2nd rubbermaid that's empty. When the water level matches the pre-made saltwater, i pull it out of the tank.
then I turn my pump on and start dumping 5g buckets into my sump as the return pump draws it into the DT...
I like to do water changes weekly, my calcium and other levels stay where they need to be, I don't have to spend money on additional supplements and my livestock is getting some nice clean water every week.
It takes less than 10 minutes for me to change 30 gallons of water. I have (2) 32g rubbermaids, I fill one with saltwater the night before, keep the water moving with a spare powerhead over night, throw in a heater.
Next day, wake up put in my siphon hose let the water drain into the 2nd rubbermaid that's empty. When the water level matches the pre-made saltwater, i pull it out of the tank.
then I turn my pump on and start dumping 5g buckets into my sump as the return pump draws it into the DT...
I like to do water changes weekly, my calcium and other levels stay where they need to be, I don't have to spend money on additional supplements and my livestock is getting some nice clean water every week.
