Water changes

[stoney1118]

How often do you really do water changes?, i know i followed the once a month 10% rule and i did them once a month on the day no exceptions, i had probs keeping ph and cal and even mag up. i went to a 10% evry two weeks with salinity salt as always and no more problems at all!

 

[stoney1118]

see thats what im talkin bout, i need to finish my auto water change system! once a week baby! all auto!

 

[gmpolan]

andyman;545781 wrote: personally, i do my 10%-15% weekly

+1

 

[columbus reef]

gmpolan;545792 wrote: +1

+2

 

[brianjfinn]

My rule is a weekly 10% water change. For my current system, however, it's more than necessary, so sometimes I'll slack off and go a month without doing a water change. I think your post expresses a very important point. Our systems can be so different as far as livestock requirements and how much we feed, that having a definite rule is almost impossible. While it can be prudent to follow a rule-of-thumb, I've found that many times it's necessary to find out what the requirements of our systems are and base the water changes on that. A 50 gallon tank keeping only Xenia will be able to go much longer w/o a water change than a 100 gallon tank filled with SPS and tangs. Unless that 100 gallon tank is running a denitrator, phosban, and a calcium reactor. There are so many variables...

 

[stoney1118]

Yup I agree.

 

[tsunami]

I am doing a 15% monthly and the tank is doing fine. I have a low fish number though.

 

[raz0945]

I feed very heavy, so it causes me extra work, I do a water change every 4-5 days, abour 10-12%. I have a hose to suck the water out and a hose to put the water back in. It takes me about 45-1hr to do it! It takes almost 10 min to empty and put the saltwater hose up, it's 80ft long. I have 6 tanks and 30+fish and 130+ corals. The plus side is that the heavy feedings keep the fish fat and happy and the corals grow faster. The angels do not eat my coral and the aggression is very low. The only way I have lost a fish is do to it going thru my crate tops but thanks to Dave's 1/4 in mesh that seems to have stopped. Down side is $ for extra salt and 2 hours a week! To have a healthy and happy tank that works for me.

 

[putemup]

I try to do 5% per week

 

[raz0945]

I forgot to say-I'm no longer employed so I have the time to do this. If I was employed full time it would not be so easy. I also have a great husband that helps pay for my passion and I'm also old enought to be your mother or grandmother! :lol2: Boy Do I Hate That!!!

 

[brianjfinn]

Raz0945;545858 wrote: Boy Do I Hate That!!!

I dunno, sounds pretty good to me. :up:

 

[gnashty]

I do 18% weekly - If I am traveling then it gets pushed one week to the following saturday - got it down to less than 30 minutes - now just need to fully automate it

 

[mapleredta]

I typically do about a 25% water change weekly.

 

[dvara78]

I normally do 15% every two weeks, but have been able to do 15% every week lately. Hopefully I can keep it up.

I do see a difference in corals - look healthier and happeir - as are the fishes

 

[jef4y]

I'm stocked pretty light and am very regimented on light feedings.

Change ~25% every 3-4 weeks. (15 gal on my 60'ish gallon system)

I was doing weekly changes & then bi-weekly, but really it just seemed to be stressing everything unnecessarily as the water was testing perfect up to and beyond 1 month. So now I shoot for every 3 weeks and try not to go beyond 4 weeks.

 

[zippgirlrn]

10% weekly or 20% every two weeks, but I feed heavy, even though my fish load is not high for a 75.