How crucial are water changes for keeping SPS?

[Kennyboy1984]

Hey everyone. How important are water changes for keeping SPS alive and healthy? Anyone ever keep sps long term without doing any water changes for months? I only ask because I actually haven't been doing water changes for a few months and my sps are alive but don't look like they use to. Thanks in advance.

[KEstep]

If I do not perform my regular water change schedule my corals do not seem to grow as fast. Could just be me but just seems like they do much better with them.

[dvanacker]

Look up Dave Jelly's TOTM (250g). He has gone a year or more sometimes without a water change and his tank is amazing.

I however do a 8% water change per week if I can. I tested Dave's nitrate once and it was 0ppm, compared to my nitrate which hoovers around 2.5-5ppm. Go figure. I dont know the secret and he won't tell me.

[undertai]

I try and do a water change every 2 weeks. Most times I forget and do it once a month with no problems yet.

[nwrogers]

I think it depends on the bioload and skimmer. For my tank they are necessary...

[al abaqueta]

I have an HS protein skimmer, and HS nitrate reactor for my 90 gallon display. My paramaters are all zero including my nitrates. I feed heavily daily along with seaweed supplements for my tangs. I change 10% weekly to replenish nutrients, specificaly the calcium since my sps colonies seem to drain that element.I find better coloration, growth, and polyp extension with regular water changes. This seems to work for my system. Hope this helps. Al

[MACH5]

I used to change water every week. I'm finding that the less I mess with my tank the better my acros do. Now I'm performing WCs every 3rd week with good results. That shows you how every system reacts differently! It also depends on your bioload of course( I only have 3 fish).
I personally would not go over a month w/out some kind of WC.

[Wazzel]

I do a 10% water change on my 150g tank every week, give or take. I think it helps to replinish the trace elments and dilute the polution. I would prefer to do a larger % less often. Something like 25% every third week.

[eskymick]

Originally posted by dvanacker
... I tested Dave's nitrate once and it was 0ppm, compared to my nitrate which hoovers around 2.5-5ppm. Go figure. I dont know the secret and he won't tell me.

Maybe he has a denitrator hiding behind his other equipment. I use one, and my nitrates are always at 0ppm.

[northbay-reefer]

I've found that when I started to do frequent water changes and making sure the new water parameter matches with the tank, my sps start to grow and color up so I highly reccomend it.

I do 7% every 2 weeks and keep the skimmer running in tip top form.

[Horace]

I often go over a month with no WCs....no problems. Im sure I could go much longer, but I dont like to risk it . I do on the other hand think that weekly WCs is totally unnecessary if you have the propper dosing equipment and propper nutrient export

[MACH5]

Agree with Horace.

[rkl303]

I notice growth spurts in my acros whenever I do a water change the next day.

I wouldn't say its necessary to keep them, but they do better with them.

Also my colors have gone down...but I can also attribute that possibly due to the bulbs being a few months old. I think the t5 bulbs might wear down quicker on the tek fixture as there isn't very much circulation + my tek fixture keeps vibrating and hitting the bulbs.

[brianbigoats]

i do a 5% water change ever week i think it helps dilute any toxins as well as a small change keeps perms more stable

[Oldude]

I do about 10% every 4-6 weeks

[em805]

I haven't done a water change in 6 months in my new tank but, the parameters are awsome and my corals are happy. I believe the skimmer I use on it has a lot to do with that.