water change question

[Five-0]

I am starting up a 28g saltwater FOWLR tank. Right now I have a maroon clown, brittle starfish and a cleaner shrimp. The water parameters are well within check and the fish seem to be very healthy. The tank is less than 1 month old and I used 40 pounds of live sand and have 25 pounds of cured live rock to get it started. I also have a AquaClear 70 filter and a Remora C skimmer. How often should I do water changes if any if the parameters are within check? How much water to change at one time? Thanks for your responses.

[kaihonu82]

i have a 29gal and i do 5 gallons weekly

[Pistonkev]

At least once a month 10% Min. I try to do weekly changes.

[drummereef]

I do 10% weekly water changes. Sometimes a little more if needed.

[kraze3]

I agree 10% weekly or 20% bi weekly.

[Pistonkev]

At some point the I don't ever do any post is coming.

[Five-0]

If the parameters are fine what is the purpose of the water change? I am probably missing something here though.

[UnderCoverDork]

10% a week on my 20g...

[kaihonu82]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9362647#post9362647 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Five-0
If the parameters are fine what is the purpose of the water change? I am probably missing something here though.


well, the fish are basically swimming around in their own waste.....we wouldn't appreciate that, and neither do they :)

[Five-0]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9362896#post9362896 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kaihonu82
well, the fish are basically swimming around in their own waste.....we wouldn't appreciate that, and neither do they :) Speak for yourself:eek:

[magdelan]

My dog eats the cat's poop... where does that fit into the equation?

[xenon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9362647#post9362647 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Five-0
If the parameters are fine what is the purpose of the water change? I am probably missing something here though.

It's an easy way to replenish trace elements.

[brownsugar]

Call me weird but i actually like doing water changes gotten used to it.

I guess there is a whole debate of who does how much but in the end, you should choose a method that suits you as there are many examples of amazing tanks who either do regular water changes or do very little.

My personal reasoning for water changes is basically in the ocean there isn't any closed systems even isolated lagoons get massive volumes of water changing and replenishing trace elements at high tide. Its all a big constant water change if ya think about it.

The least you could call it a breath of fresh air for you inhabitants.

I personally do a regular 10 % change a week with a light sand bed vacuum.

Also with a 28 gallon you don't have the luxury of big volume of water to buffer you on the occasion something went wrong.

[hmello@bermexin]

10 % weekly is what I do. You are not only doing it to reduce nitrates, but to replenish things like magnesium, strontium, iodine etc. which are the things we do not normally test for but are important for balance in the reef system and come in with the newly mixed saltwater.

[Shagsbeard]

You are also removing the build up of material that comes with the water but isn't removed by your skimmer or evaporation. Our tanks concentrait stuff. As water evaporates, it leaves behind everything that came with it. Swaping it out with unconcentraited water helps lower the ammount of nasty stuff that we're not even aware of.

[crhis]

At some point the I don't ever do any post is coming.

I do 10% weekly on my fowlr tanks ....but I have a small reef (softies and lps) that thrives in nutrient rich water
I have started doing 10% monthly on that tank.
and it's better than ever.
but that's just my situation .

[AZDesertRat]

I can't believe no one has mentioned it yet, but always use RO/DI water for consistency.

[hmello@bermexin]

Had to leave something for you to do AZDesertRat...........

[returnofsid]

I just upsized from a 29 but always did 5 gallon changes, once a week, using RO/DI water. Also in a 29, evaporation can cause salinity increases rather quickly so top off with fresh RO/DI water each day as well.

[ocellaris06]

Water changing is simple. But I have something in my mind:
1. Water evaporation: If we are using RO/DI or even distilled water. Those leaves behinds should
came with "salt mixes" only. They should not be harmful to livestock. Am I missing anything?
2.Trace element can be replenished by adding water due to water evaporated. Can it be done in this way?
3. May be there are some wastes (I have no idea about them) cannot be removed by protein skimmer and can only be removed by water change!! I don't know.

Anyway, I will do water change but be not so often.