Water Change

[sliggy382]

Hi guys, quick question.
I have a RO/DI system coming to me shortly and I was wondering if it was ok to do a 100% water change in my systems? I have been using tap water and of course I have the algae issues, especially the cyano. The water itself is not what we worry about with cycling, it is the rock and substrate that harbor the bacteria, correct?

I have got to get rid of this cyano and hair algae. I want to do this correctly.

Thanks everyone!

[Slystone]

What do you have in your tank? Fish, inverts? Or just LR cycling?

[sliggy382]

What do you have in your tank? Fish, inverts? Or just LR cycling?

I have one fish, a few inverts and it has cycled now. Is it too much to do a 100% waterchange.

LR with sand substrate

[NeilFox]

If you have a place to put the fish and inverts for a couple days it shouldn't be a problem. Just let the salt fully dissolve and stabilize then reaclimate. I don't think you need to be that drastic though. You may have some phosphate and silicate in the tap water, but if you remove the algea you should remove the phosphate that is bound up in it. Diatoms from silicate will burn themselves out pretty quick. A little unsightly for a week or two but not a big issue at all. Your salt mix will have a little phosphorus in it anyhow, as will food..

[rogermccray]

Why not do a bunch of smaller ones, like weekly 40% changes for a little while? a 100% seems to drastic for me. You know what they say in this hobby, nothing good happens fast.

[wnppmy]

Realize your in a hurry with the replacement, I would stay with the 25 to 33 percent max, then less than 25 percent on weekly change. Algae etc is simply the early cycle issues anyway.

Early stage I had a terrible cyano outbreak, used Chemiclean, I frown on most chemical treatments but this one doesn't screw up the beneficial bacteria. As the system ages things smooth out. Give it a thumbs up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpaVzb_8pn8&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[worm5406]

Try this:

http://www.reefcentral.com/index.php/rodi-calc

Type in 25 for gallons replaced and then how much is in your tank...

That will tell you how long until it is mostly replaced.. Kinda like a amaturzation schedule.

25 per change at 120g for me (heck that does not even include my sump) takes me 16 weeks to replace it all.

[Stomkat]

I would just do a 50% water change at the most, then up to 25% each week after for a month.

Interested in seeing what more experienced reefers think..