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SkyJunkie
05/01/2013, 03:51 PM
Ive just finished my 12 week fallow period. I got lazy without fish and never did any water changes. Terrible I know. Checked my water parameters today and besides ph being only slightly low, everything else is fantastic.

Is a water change needed if the water tests great?
mets17127
05/01/2013, 04:21 PM
What do u have in there? If u have coral and a lot of inverts they will have used up all those elements we do t test for, and plenty we do, like Ca, and Mg. a water change isn't so much to get rid of nitratesas it is to replenish ions
SushiGirl
05/01/2013, 04:27 PM
If you have corals, yes. Water changes replenish trace elements that corals need & use.
jcarey
05/01/2013, 06:29 PM
What did you test when you checked your parameters?
johnwick
05/01/2013, 07:24 PM
There are lots of things you can't test for that may be depleted and need to be replaced. In my opinion...
downbeach
05/02/2013, 05:23 AM
Regardless of the particular philosophy you may believe in, re: frequency, volume, etc., I think you'll see that all these experts advocate water changes.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/rhf/index.php
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/water.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/watchgantart.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/scottsh2ochgart.htm
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/10/aaeditorial
http://successfulreefkeeping.com/learn/salinity-mixing-saltwater/
fireshark02
05/02/2013, 07:06 AM
Definitely adds beneficial trace elements
SkyJunkie
05/02/2013, 05:50 PM
Thanks for the responses. I'll definitely do a water change before adding fish. I just got lazy. Is 50% a good volume to do after having no change for 12 weeks?
johnwick
05/02/2013, 06:24 PM
That's more than adequate.
cgray07
05/02/2013, 10:59 PM
It would be better to do smaller more frequent water changes rather than 50% all at once. I would do 10% every few days until you get to a 50% change then go to biweekly changes again.
borderreef
05/03/2013, 01:26 PM
What do u have in there? If u have coral and a lot of inverts they will have used up all those elements we do t test for, and plenty we do, like Ca, and Mg. a water change isn't so much to get rid of nitratesas it is to replenish ions

Couldn't have said it better myself.