Water Changes?

[2fishy]

I have always done a 10% water change weekly, unless for whatever reason the water changes get neglected for a few weeks, I will do a 20%.

Does anyone do more than a 10% water change weekly? Have you found any pro's or con's to doing more than a 10%?

[CleveYank]

More water changes usually improve or maintain excellent water quality.
What is going in...is being constantly dilluted out.
Food, trace and other additives good or bad.

The biggie.
Or the thing you worry about with alot of water changes. Concerns delicate or SPS tanks the most.
For example.
Instant Ocean regular salt mix. Comes in with low Alk and Low Ca and therefore SPS folks need to adjust or "account" for this defficiency.
Fish only, most LPS and soft coral tanks....not too much to worry about.

As long as you are aging overnight...letting the fresh mix reach dissolving and ionic and pH balance by mixing it with a powerhead is best with an airstone and heating it to the exact temp of your tank.

It's ready to go. Checking the pH once in a while just to see it's in the 8 to 8.3 range is a good idea so that you know what things start out at. Some may do this all the time...but maybe I'm a bad example but I do not check the pH of new mix that often. Oh and in case you didn't know. The best method is to add salt to the water while mixing and not filling water up over dry salt.

Enjoy.

[sk8rreefgeek]

I usually do about 25% weekly/bi-weekly.

definitely no problems. I imagine you could even do a lot more and be fine. I think it also depends on your livestock as well.

I love that fish btw

[2fishy]

Thanks for the info, and thanks for the comment on the fish!

I don't run a skimmer & really can't get one behind the tank as there is only 3" of space, but have experienced an increase of nitrates. The only skimmer that I could add would be the Prizm & that not even the large one. I only have starburst polyps, blue mushrooms on an oyster, a very small purple tree coral, & what appears to be a bouquet of rock anemones!

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

10% weekly is near the high end of what most folks do, but there can be certain benefits of going even higher if you want certain effects.

I change 1% daily automatically (not more than your 10% weekly), but I thought you might be interested in seeing what specifically can be accomplished with different size changes:

Water Changes in Reef Aquaria
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/rhf/index.php

[sk8rreefgeek]

whoa! nice pic!

[2fishy]

Thank you Randy! That is exactly what I need to look at. Initially the problem with nitrates in my aquarium may be coming from 2 bio-wheels on the HOB filter, I need to lower the nitrates another way so that I can get my filter maintenance back to par, before attempting to remove any of the bio-wheels.

[2fishy]

Originally posted by sk8rreefgeek
whoa! nice pic!

Thanks! Do you think they will have a photo contest for pests in the aquarium? This thing has split so many times it's now jumped rocks!

[packer]

Midwest Sulphur denitrifier for nitrate lowering? I have had GREAT success with mine and was only pretending tho chase them away with water changes.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thank you Randy!

You're welcome.

Happy Reefing.

[Capt_Cully]

I've just started a 10% weekly water change regimen. I had been a little inconsistent. One of our Local Stores has a 180 with very simple plumbing, no reactor, no refugium, small sump. He has amazing growth, polyp extension, and water quality. His secret: He does HUGE water changes 1-2x a week (30-60gallons) and doses B-Ionic. Obviously most of us don't have the time and cash it takes to burn that much salt mix and dosing supplements.

BUT, my point is, I've seen first had the benefits of a strict water change schedule. I'm a believer. I run a reactor, I dose Mg and Ca once a week and have been doing the 10% changes and definitely see an improvement! I figured the extra $$$ I've spent on supplements and other remedies outweighs the cost of a bucket of salt every 6 weeks.

Stick with it and you won't be sorry!!!
Best of Luck!

[Live504]

A rule of thumb is to do a 10-15% water change every week. I've went weeks without even doing water changes. I change about to15-20 gallons of water per week.