Your opinion on adjusting my water change frequency

[geno]

From my past posts, many of you know I have a 125g display tank with a 30 gallon sump/refugium.

I currently have 2 tangs (large) 2 clowns, 1 sand sifting goby (medium) 1 6-line wrasse (small) and 1 lawnmower blennie (medium).

I have been changing 15g of water every Sunday. I was thinking of going to every other weekend.

Do you think this would be acceptable or should I stick to the weekly water change?

thanks for your thoughts

 

[ralph atl]

I think you'd be fine.

 

[flyingarmy]

Water changes should be based on your bioload, equipment(calcium reactor/kalk doser, dosing schedule and how much you feed. But from what you have in your tank, every other weekend should be fine. I know several reefers that haven't done a water change in years and their tank is thriving!

 

[mockery]

Before my friend started doing water changes his tank was doing great. Then he started doing them and the water he bought, was not properly buffed/ and killed everything in his tank cause the pH was at about 6 or less. So i think you would be fine backing off a little.

 

[rostato]

Mockery;234176 wrote: Before my friend started doing water changes his tank was doing great. Then he started doing them and the water he bought, was not properly buffed/ and killed everything in his tank cause the pH was at about 6 or less. So i think you would be fine backing off a little.

Your friend should have tested the water. Its not the reefs fault he bought water that did not mimic the params of his tank.

 

[mockery]

yeah you are right he should have

 

[geno]

thanks everyone!

your comments fit what I was thinking -- but hey, still consider myself new at this -- so I value your experienced opinion.

:yes:

 

[acroholic]

Mockery;234176 wrote: Before my friend started doing water changes his tank was doing great. Then he started doing them and the water he bought, was not properly buffed/ and killed everything in his tank...

Another great reason to do frequent, small partial water changes vs larger, more infrequent ones. Smaller WCs won't totally whack out your chemistry if there is an issue.

I do 25 gallons every 1-2 weeks on my system (+ or- 200 gallons total volume), and after I do the change I test and then adjust chemistry if needed.
Dave

 

[geno]

I am a big believer in the smaller more frequent water changes -- thus, the reason for my question of going to every other week.

I've never had a problem with any parms -- but don't want to start something either.

I know my bio load is small -- however, if I go to every other week with my WC -- is 15g sufficient for my 125g + 30 or should I increase it to say 20g or more?

 

[nickskains]

I do about 18g or so every 2 weeks. I have a 90g + 30g.

 

[stickx911]

geno;234343 wrote: I am a big believer in the smaller more frequent water changes -- thus, the reason for my question of going to every other week.

I've never had a problem with any parms -- but don't want to start something either.

I know my bio load is small -- however, if I go to every other week with my WC -- is 15g sufficient for my 125g + 30 or should I increase it to say 20g or more?

I cannot remember, do you have a lot of corals or inverts? if you do smaller changes less often you may have to dose nutrients (calcium, iodine, what-have you)...just a thought.

 

[geno]

That was a good question regarding the corals...

I have about 15 different soft and hard corals -- the soft ones are medium size and the hard are both small and large. Sorry, I just can't seem to recall the names of these things. If it's important to the discussion, I'm sure I can do the naming justice.

I have just started dosing Brightwell A & B at the daily rate of 25ml each.