water changes??

[atrain]

I've gotten pretty lazy on my water changes and i'm wondering just how much they're needed. My lvls are all in check, water sparkling clear, corals all look happy, 0 algae(literally), lots of water circulation. So, with all that said, do i really need to do water changes? and why? I haven't done one in about 2 mths or so due to the fact i get calcium build up in the main pump and have to dismantle it everytime i did a change. I check nitrates, ph, alk, cal 1-2 times a week and amm. and phos. on rare occasion. With everything looking so happy, how often do i really need or should do water changes. tank is just over 1.5 yrs old.
I always thought it was mainly for nitrates, but i don't have any. oxygen? between skimmer and circulation how much would new water introduce?
I am also using r/o water for top-off and have a low bio-load for fish.
I'm asking because although everything looks good, I want to know what's actually best for the tank and why.
Any info would be greatly appreciated.

aaron

[Mr_Quality]

There remains a steadfast minority that doesn’t believe in water exchanges. My next-door neighbor, an older fellow from Germany, who claims he hasn’t done a water exchange in over 5 years. I haven’t seen his tank (He’s a Discus breeder and I didn’t even know he had a reef tank), but he says it's beautiful and healthy.

I believe in water exchanges myself. There are many trace elements in artificial seawater that we don’t measure and get depleted w/ age. Likewise there are others that accumulate that we don’t measure. Both of these situations can potentially be harmful. So even if the stuff you do measure is in spec, I worry about the things you aren’t measuring.

Besides, salt is cheap compared to the livestock you’d put at risk.

Mike

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The tank will drift away from NSW ratios of ions over time without water changes. Also, certain organics may build up that are difficult to remove in other ways.

Can I prove that this is detrimental? No. But I do water changes because it is easy to do and is likely enough, IMO to help to make it worthwhile.

[atrain]

thx for the input:) I hadn't though of it in those perspectives which is exactly why i asked in the first place:)

Thx again

aaron

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You're welcome.

Happy reefing. :)