Water Change Freguency?

[treetopflyn]

I have been doing biweekly 23% water changes on my 72 Mixed reef for the past 3 months. Tank has +-85# LR, 25+ corals, Pair of clowns, 6 line Wrasse, Purple Pseudochromis, Starry Blenny, Snails, hermits, starfish, 2 feather dusters & 2 tube anemones. and I am thinking about switching to every 3 weeks. What ya think?

Water test this am (2 weeks since last Water change)
Phos=O
Nitrate=O
Nitiries=O
Calc= 420
Alk=10
Mag=1320
Salinity = 1.0255
Temp= 78-82

[gmate]

If your Nitrates are zero, then I think you'd be fine to switch up your schedule. If you start testing amounts of Nitrates, then I'd go back to where you were.

[treetopflyn]

I think I am gonna try 3 weeks this time. I'll keep a close eye on everything and test again next week. If anything looks out of line I will go back to biweekly.

[bucksfan1976]

Yea watch the nitrates, my stuff was perfect for aprox 2 months so i went to more of a bi weekly water change and the nitrates increased. What I found was if you want to do it less frequently simply do more when you change it. I have a 65 gallon so when i went to bi weekly i went from 15 gallons to 20 gallons and that seemed to help out alot.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I change water many times each day, with an automatic pump system that slowly replaces about 1% daily.

IMO, there are many good reasons to change water, especially for the things that you cannot measure, and about 30% total per month is a fine total amount, however you change it.

This has more:

Water Changes in Reef Aquaria
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/rhf/index.php

[droth335]

We change 10% weekly (for the most part - we probably skip a week 5-6 times per year).

[rtparty]

A trend that I notice in this hobby is that when you first setup your tank, you follow the advice and change water on a consistent basis. Then you get lazy and start changing the water whenever you feel like it. The tank looks good, why change anything?

Biweekly water changes turn into bimonthly or even worse. A year into that schedule, the tank doesn't look like it used to anymore. Things have slowly gotten out of control and now you are back to changing water once a week. When things don't immediately turn around, people start to sell off their stuff. It is sad IMO. The whole thing can be avoided.

Like Randy said, 30% a month is an awesome number to shoot for. I can't stand it when "experienced" reefers come in here and brag that they only change their water once a year, if that! I promise you, the majority of those reefers will encounter problems down the road.

It really isn't Old Tank Syndrome, it is Old Reefer Syndrome. People get lazy and their tank suffers for it.

[treetopflyn]

This is not me being lazy. I have the time and enjoying working on the tank. I was just questioning weather or not 2-23% water changes a month could be pushed to once every 3 weeks? When I had the tank set up a few years back I did monthly water changes for 5 years and I don't think I ever skipped one. Just want to make sure that 2-23% a month is not over kill.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Two 23% changes a month is not overkill, but whether it is more or less than optimal will depend on what is happening with the water chemistry that the change is potentially correcting. You may not notice any difference changing less. :)

[treetopflyn]

ahhh screw it. I'll just keep the same routine. Works better with my schedule anyway.

[MarineSniper]

ahhh screw it. I'll just keep the same routine. Works better with my schedule anyway.

That's my current routine and I believe in it. I know there are people who say it's overkill and some brag about never changing theirs but I can't get around the physics of it. I'm removing "dirty" water and replacing it with water that is filled with trace elements that are being depleted with no way of being naturally replaced in a closed system

Randy, I was surprised to see you using the method you describe. Is this the only form of water change you use or do you occasionally do a large one, as well? It seems to be something rather easy to set up. I've always thought larger amounts were best but can see where a constant flow of new water could be better. I'd definitely like to hear more about it!

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The difference in exported "bad" stuff is small, and the advantages are several.

As I detail in the article, 1% daily for 30 days is equivalent (or better, depending on how you do it) to one 24% water change.

The advantage the way I do it is:

1. I make up 88 gallons of new salt water and forget about it for weeks. That is less work than any single water change would be.

2. You need not heat the new water.

3. You need not match salinity or anything else.

4. The tank creatures never experience any sudden changes in anything

[Arthur1]

Randy, I know that there are a few pumps out there that can do what you're doing, as far as daily water changes go, but out of curiosity, which pump are you using? Just curius!

[bbdreaux]

i do a 5% once a week

[bbdreaux]

change my filter 1nce every 2 weeks

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Randy, I know that there are a few pumps out there that can do what you're doing, as far as daily water changes go, but out of curiosity, which pump are you using? Just curius!


I use a 30 gpd dual head reef filler pump set on a timer from Home Depot to run for a bunch of 15 minute periods through the day and night. It is noisy so is only suited to a basement or a garage.

There are peristaltic pumps which can do this which are quieter. You can use 1 dual head or two independent pumps.

[bif24701]

A trend that I notice in this hobby is that when you first setup your tank, you follow the advice and change water on a consistent basis. Then you get lazy and start changing the water whenever you feel like it. The tank looks good, why change anything?

Biweekly water changes turn into bimonthly or even worse. A year into that schedule, the tank doesn't look like it used to anymore. Things have slowly gotten out of control and now you are back to changing water once a week. When things don't immediately turn around, people start to sell off their stuff. It is sad IMO. The whole thing can be avoided.

Like Randy said, 30% a month is an awesome number to shoot for. I can't stand it when "experienced" reefers come in here and brag that they only change their water once a year, if that! I promise you, the majority of those reefers will encounter problems down the road.

It really isn't Old Tank Syndrome, it is Old Reefer Syndrome. People get lazy and their tank suffers for it.

so true, you can sense it in their post as well. Good points.

[yousmellsfishy]

Randy, I know that there are a few pumps out there that can do what you're doing, as far as daily water changes go, but out of curiosity, which pump are you using? Just curius!

I'm curious too. Looking to pick up a LiterMeter III but if there's a less expensive alternative that does the same thing.......