Happy tank, skip a water change?

[doctorgonzo788]

So I have a 30G "frag" tank setup that's been running for a couple months now with softies and a few anemones, and four itty bitty clown fish. Everything in it looks really, really good - full polyp extension, great colors, happy fish. It's been three weeks since I did a water change, and everything in the tank looks better and better on a daily basis.

I brought home 5G of water to do a water change today, but I wanted to ask the group - if all of the livestock is happy, should I put it off? I understand that most of this livestock likes the water a little dirtier. So, regardless of what some test tells me, and only looking at a tank full of happiness, should I do it or no?

I have an 80G SPS tank at work that I'm running on Zeovit and going for ULNS. This softy tank is really on the other end of the spectrum, and I'm not sure if I should target some specific nutrient level, or stay on schedule for the sake of a schedule, or just go by the health of the inhabitants. Input is greatly appreciated!

Chris

 

[lsu_fishfan]

Personally, I've found that the corals do seem happier without a water change, as the water chemistry stays stable. After about 1 month, trace elements begin to deplete, and corals get a little unhappy. I vote holding off a week or so, and let everything be happy.

 

[dball711]

In my opinion, stability is is the most critical part of reef reef keeping. I do my weekly water changes regardless of "how things look". I don't understand the term dirty water, not sure that would ever be a target to aim for.

I keep 2 tanks, one devoted for SPS and the other for polyps and softies (both get the sam maintenance schedule and about a 15% weekly water change). Thats my opinion for what its worth...

 

[doctorgonzo788]

Dirty is relative; this tank has around 5-10ppm nitrates vs my SPS tank which is in the "undetectable" range.

I'm really curious, if it's the slowly rising nutrient level that is making things look happier and happier, or something else.

 

[axio]

dball711;1068172 wrote: In my opinion, stability is is the most critical part of reef reef keeping. I do my weekly water changes regardless of "how things look". I don't understand the term dirty water, not sure that would ever be a target to aim for.

I keep 2 tanks, one devoted for SPS and the other for polyps and softies (both get the sam maintenance schedule and about a 15% weekly water change). Thats my opinion for what its worth...

+1 I'm with Dave on this one. Never understood that either... My tanks have always done much better on a regular routine change. Almost always weekly. whether its a SPS reef, LPS reef, FOWLR, or even freshwater. Yes the coral will get slight stressed/close up during the change... but my tanks always look best the day after the water change, not the day before.

Jakub

 

[doctorgonzo788]

I went ahead and did 5 gallons (about 15%) last night. Felt good siphoning three weeks of funk out of the sand bed.

Will see how things look today when I get home.

 

[ghbrewer]

I agree with Jakub and Dave, regular water changes are the way to go. Weekly has worked best for me and it gives me a chance to vacuum the sand bed. Jakub is right, the day after a good cleaning and water change is always when my tank looks the best.

 

[bulkrate]

Weekly water changes in which you MATCH key parameters yield the "happier corals the day after" outcome more often than not.

Water changes where you spike the alkalinity more than 1 dkH or two because you only checked salinity... not so much. Incidentally, how does one "buffer down" the alkalinity of change water? My current bag of ReefCrystals is mixing up to high 11/mid 12's of late.

 

[redstang]

Small water changes daily via AWC work great IMO.

 

[russ-iv]

if my bird's nest isnt angry. i dont change water.

change water if you are overstocked and have rising nitrates and phosphates. if not. unless you are running 14+ alk, you wont be depleting those trace elements within 90 days

my .02

disclaimer:
when i do my 90 day water change it is more like a 50% though

 

[thanhreef]

Russ-IV;1068291 wrote: if my bird's nest isnt angry. i dont change water.

change water if you are overstocked and have rising nitrates and phosphates. if not. unless you are running 14+ alk, you wont be depleting those trace elements within 90 days

my .02

disclaimer:
when i do my 90 day water change it is more like a 50% though

+1. The bird's nest is not happy, it tells you something wrong.

 

[shrimpy brains]

I'm with the regular water change people on this one. Things can go bad fast enough in this hobby. I'm not sure why anyone would wait till things look "unhappy" before doing basic maintainance.

 

[lsu_fishfan]

Shrimpy Brains;1068310 wrote: I'm with the regular water change people on this one. Things can go bad fast enough in this hobby. I'm not sure why anyone would wait till things look "unhappy" before doing basic maintainance.

I don't wait until corals are unhappy. by making water changes a little less frequent, water chemistry remains more consistent, and corals are happier. Isn't that everyone's main goal, to have stable parameters?

 

[russ-iv]

LSU_fishFan;1068312 wrote: I don't wait until corals are unhappy. by making water changes a little less frequent, water chemistry remains more consistent, and corals are happier. Isn't that everyone's main goal, to have stable parameters?

unhappy to me for my birdsnest just means he isnt as bushy as usual. Not like i wait til stn sets in.

Also... ime. a water change by itself makes my corals sulk for a few days. i imagine due to the change between the 2 parameters. (13 alk 475 calc to 9 alk 420 cacl)There are many people who forgo water changes. the triton method is a popular method that comes to mind.

maintenance is different for different tanks. i know with my wife's 40 breeder i change her water every 2 weeks. 25%.

my tank also burns through .1 ppm phosphate (20 ml) every 24 hours and that is without any reactors online. it also burns through (30ml) 2-3ppm nitrate. a water change would be just to replace elements. not nutrient removal.

 

[bcavalli]

Russ-IV;1068373 wrote: unhappy to me for my birdsnest just means he isnt as bushy as usual. Not like i wait til stn sets in.

Also... ime. a water change by itself makes my corals sulk for a few days. i imagine due to the change between the 2 parameters. (13 alk 475 calc to 9 alk 420 cacl)There are many people who forgo water changes. the triton method is a popular method that comes to mind.

maintenance is different for different tanks. i know with my wife's 40 breeder i change her water every 2 weeks. 25%.

my tank also burns through .1 ppm phosphate (20 ml) every 24 hours and that is without any reactors online. it also burns through (30ml) 2-3ppm nitrate. a water change would be just to replace elements. not nutrient removal.

If you did smaller water changes more often you wouldn't have the shock factor going on. Just a suggestion.

 

[russ-iv]

Bcavalli;1068449 wrote: If you did smaller water changes more often you wouldn't have the shock factor going on. Just a suggestion.

good suggestion.

however diminishing returns needs to be considered.

10% is a drop in the bucket

 

[grouper therapy]

Russ-IV;1068469 wrote: good suggestion.

however diminishing returns needs to be considered.

10% is a drop in the bucket

Not done more often.

 

[russ-iv]

grouper therapy;1068484 wrote: Not done more often.

problem i always had with 10% water changes was this.

if nitrates rise 5ppm a week and you do a 10% wc. you dropped nitrates by 1/2 a ppm first week
week 2 you have 9.5 ppm, 2nd wc removes (roughly 1 ppm)
week 3 you have 13 ppm, 3rd change (roughly another 1 ppm)
week 4 17 ppm, 4th change we will say you remove 2 ppm

15 ppm left over, 4.5 removed

do a single 50% on 20ppm nitrate after a month and you have 10ppm.

same works with adding elements. infact. if i actually depleted elements within 90 days, 10% wc would extend the life of my water an additional week or 2.

i get the whole 10% a week wc. i just dont see it making sense for my system.

my .02

 

[lsu_fishfan]

Russ-IV;1068496 wrote: problem i always had with 10% water changes was this.

if nitrates rise 5ppm a week and you do a 10% wc. you dropped nitrates by 1/2 a ppm first week
week 2 you have 9.5 ppm, 2nd wc removes (roughly 1 ppm)
week 3 you have 13 ppm, 3rd change (roughly another 1 ppm)
week 4 17 ppm, 4th change we will say you remove 2 ppm

15 ppm left over, 4.5 removed

do a single 50% on 20ppm nitrate after a month and you have 10ppm.

same works with adding elements. infact. if i actually depleted elements within 90 days, 10% wc would extend the life of my water an additional week or 2.

i get the whole 10% a week wc. i just dont see it making sense for my system.

my .02

I use biopellets and don't have to rely on wc for nutrient reduction.

 

[russ-iv]

LSU_fishFan;1068498 wrote: I use biopellets and don't have to rely on wc for nutrient reduction.

my example was given to show the insignificance of a 10% wc even done weekly.
it doesnt move much.

that goes for replenishment as well. it was just easier to give the example based off export rather than replenishment due to the 10% difference of a fresh salt batch vs what your tank consumed.