The single most overlooked aspect of the saltwater world.

[ReefKeep66]

I am posting this thread here as to hopes it will help/enlighten new hobbyists as to why maintaining proper water paramters is so important.(Although I won't be specifically going over testing and right parameters, this is to convince many new hobbyists to test their systems instead of wasting time and money, and most importantly marine life) I see many,many post from people who wonder why they have algae outbreaks or fish and corals dying in their system. 9/10 times it has to do with your water quality. This is something I think a lot of new hobbyists overlook when first starting their saltwater aquarium. I know I did many years ago, it gets to the point where the hobby is no longer fun but more of a hassle cleaning algae off your sand bed or wondering why your tank doesn't look good or this or that is dying. Personally I think water paramters are the single most overlooked aspect of saltwater aquarium keeping (behind filtration). As you begin to understand this and start testing your system and making corrections and ultimately keeping correct, stable parameters you will find much more success in this hobby. The 10 minutes a day testing water could save you $$$ and long periods of maintenance and grief. As the hobby continues to grow there are many tools to help us and make things easier. If you get anything from this post, before the next time you make a thread about not having success, algae outbreaks,fish dying,etc ask yourself when was the last time you tested your water. Really. Many people say their water is "good" but the whole purpose of these forums is for hobbyists to help hobbyists. We can't check your paramters for you. Although we can eventually figure out what the cause is but that can all be eliminated if you would just check your water before posting a help me thread. None of this is intended to be nasty or hateful but it just seems like something a lot of new hobbyists don't pay attention to and wonder why they don't have success within the saltwater hobby. So please take this into consideration next time your wondering what's wrong in your system. Best of luck to all my fellow reefers.

[gone fishin]

Over the past few years I have seen many people that set up a tank and immediately start dosing things into a tank after a cycle. Whether it is individual bottles of things or a full blown 2 part dosing system. I think often times this gets people into trouble. Most new tanks just need a plain old WC schedule. All that extra dosing of things just creates a mess. Just my 2 cents

[Un5tab1e]

I'm very much a beginner..thank you for this. I would like to add that by testing parameters it's not just ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. You have to check alkalinity, calcium, phosphates, pH and magnesium. I struggled my first few months because a LFS told me the big 3 was all that mattered.

[ReefKeep66]

Agreed. Water changers are another overlooked aspect of the saltwater hobby, although there your main source of nutrient export. Your almost garuanteed to have some degree of success if you monitor and maintain water paramters and keep up with a regular water change schedule. Dosing is only needed when your system needs it.The only way to know this is to regularly test your water. Waiting until you see something wrong defeats the purpose of testing your warter as testing regularly will prevent most things from happening in thw first place. People think pouring all types of things into their aquarium will give them the automatic success their looking for but really it comes down to responsible husbandry.

[ReefKeep66]

I'm very much a beginner..thank you for this. I would like to add that by testing parameters it's not just ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. You have to check alkalinity, calcium, phosphates, pH and magnesium. I struggled my first few months because a LFS told me the big 3 was all that mattered.
Don't forget salinity! The big "3" do play a crucial role in your aquarium but every other paramter plays a key role in maintaining and keeping a natural ecosystem.

[Un5tab1e]

You know I just considered salinity a given there. Now that you mentioned it I'm sure there are people that just read the instant ocean bag and are probably running lower than they should.

[Ilsimen]

What would you recommend for a good test kit. I'm getting back in after an 8 year break and want to start off on the right foot without making the same mistakes I made last time!

[rfgonzo]

I would recommend Salifert test kits for everything but phosphates, and a Hannah checker for phosphate.

[ReefKeep66]

Simply put, there's not one "best" test kit but there's many which will get the job done. Obviously I would stay away from test strips but I've personally used api master test kits and the red sea line of test kits. There are tons of more options though. It really comes down to what you prefer and a price point you want to get at but regardless you want something that's going to do your system justice. Spending tons of money on a set up and cheaping out on a test kit doesn't make much sense to me. I don't know about you but buying a test kit isn't my most anticipated purchase, but it plays as an important role as anything else. Hanna checkers seem to have a positive buzz as well and have digital read outs compared to matching colors on a color chart. Although I think hanna only has testers for alk, mg, and phosphate (not 100% sure I've never personally owned one or did much research on them besides the basics) my recommendation to you is to find a test kit which caters to your needs. I can sit here and tell you which test kit I think is best but it might not be the best for.your needs.

[ReefKeep66]

You know I just considered salinity a given there. Now that you mentioned it I'm sure there are people that just read the instant ocean bag and are probably running lower than they should.
I've seen examples of people who think salt is salt and don't even measure the amount they add. This is a given obvious no-no but some people just overlook this.

[DamonG]

Interesting that. Only honest problem is that most, including myself only find out about sites and forums "after" they set up their first or maybe even second system. I can't (like I'm sure many others are in the same boat) convey how much money and time I spent messing around with fish stores when I first began. Honestly, probably up to 3 years ago and I've been messing with fish at least a third of my life. It was only when I began investigating, reading and going against the local grain that I began to learn and understand some of what is truly involved and how simple you really can make things on yourself.

It's an unfortunate thing when you feel lost in a hobby. And the most heartbreaking thing for and to me is the fact that for every p reefer, fish keeper, etc, that finally is able to get help on a forum or just is hard headed and sticks with it, there are a good 10 to 20 that don't and simply drop out. I believe in strength in numbers and we need more blood..

And on salt, there are still a lot of experienced reefers that don't truly know the importance of a quality salt and basic things. That's a lot of the perpertuation of false information unfortunately. There's always new things to learn with our partnership with our aquatic friends. Hopefully we can set the tone for future hobbyists.

[x1C0DE1x]

One thing I think is overlooked is the replacement of lights. No one ever told me to replace the bulbs in my T5 after 6 months. Took me a year and a half to know that. I lost a few corals from that I am pretty sure. Everything else is good. That's something at the LFS never told me so pass it along to the new guys.

[ReefKeep66]

Interesting that. Only honest problem is that most, including myself only find out about sites and forums "after" they set up their first or maybe even second system. I can't (like I'm sure many others are in the same boat) convey how much money and time I spent messing around with fish stores when I first began. Honestly, probably up to 3 years ago and I've been messing with fish at least a third of my life. It was only when I began investigating, reading and going against the local grain that I began to learn and understand some of what is truly involved and how simple you really can make things on yourself.

It's an unfortunate thing when you feel lost in a hobby. And the most heartbreaking thing for and to me is the fact that for every p reefer, fish keeper, etc, that finally is able to get help on a forum or just is hard headed and sticks with it, there are a good 10 to 20 that don't and simply drop out. I believe in strength in numbers and we need more blood..

And on salt, there are still a lot of experienced reefers that don't truly know the importance of a quality salt and basic things. That's a lot of the perpertuation of false information unfortunately. There's always new things to learn with our partnership with our aquatic friends. Hopefully we can set the tone for future hobbyists.
This is the great thing about these forums. We can continue to educate people who need help and we our selves can learn things.

[wooden_reefer]

I am posting this thread here as to hopes it will help/enlighten new hobbyists as to why maintaining proper water paramters is so important.(Although I won't be specifically going over testing and right parameters, this is to convince many new hobbyists to test their systems instead of wasting time and money, and most importantly marine life) I see many,many post from people who wonder why they have algae outbreaks or fish and corals dying in their system. 9/10 times it has to do with your water quality. This is something I think a lot of new hobbyists overlook when first starting their saltwater aquarium. I know I did many years ago, it gets to the point where the hobby is no longer fun but more of a hassle cleaning algae off your sand bed or wondering why your tank doesn't look good or this or that is dying. Personally I think water paramters are the single most overlooked aspect of saltwater aquarium keeping (behind filtration). As you begin to understand this and start testing your system and making corrections and ultimately keeping correct, stable parameters you will find much more success in this hobby. The 10 minutes a day testing water could save you $$$ and long periods of maintenance and grief. As the hobby continues to grow there are many tools to help us and make things easier. If you get anything from this post, before the next time you make a thread about not having success, algae outbreaks,fish dying,etc ask yourself when was the last time you tested your water. Really. Many people say their water is "good" but the whole purpose of these forums is for hobbyists to help hobbyists. We can't check your paramters for you. Although we can eventually figure out what the cause is but that can all be eliminated if you would just check your water before posting a help me thread. None of this is intended to be nasty or hateful but it just seems like something a lot of new hobbyists don't pay attention to and wonder why they don't have success within the saltwater hobby. So please take this into consideration next time your wondering what's wrong in your system. Best of luck to all my fellow reefers.

Is the great importance of water chemical quality overlooked?
It seems that this is discussed often.

The fact that great water chemical quality is necessary but insufficient for fish is often overlooked. That is, the pathogenic closed nature of the tank with fish is overlooked.

[ReefKeep66]

Is the great importance of water chemical quality overlooked?
It seems that this is discussed often.

The fact that great water chemical quality is necessary but insufficient for fish is often overlooked. That is, the pathogenic closed nature of the tank with fish is overlooked.
It must be overlooked because I see numerous threads of people who are having issues within their marine aquarium which result directly from their water paramters. If they had a basic understanding of these, they wouldn't have to post the thread in the first place.

[ReefKeep66]

You are right though. This is discussed often, but many of times the people discussing the topic are already aware of its importance and significance. Newer hobbyists and advanced hobbyists alike still neglect to apply and understand one of the most important aspects of keeping a saltwater aquarium. When I kept my first saltwater tank these topics seemed boring. I didn't check paramters regularly or dose as needed. And I did not have much success with my first aquarium. I was always frustrated when the tank looked ugly and nothing really looked happy in there. After getting back into the hobby, I've finally come to understand and appreciate the most natural aspects of a marine aquarium. Sure you can have some success without this but at some point or another your going to be wondering what happened to my tank. Why does it look grim, etc. The only way to successfully maintain and mimic a natural marine habitat is to have an basic understanding of its principal. The biggest one being water. I'm trying to get people who are just getting the hobby a heads up so they don't make the same mistakes I and many others have made.

[gbru316]

I agree with the premise of this thread, with one caveat. You must absolutely include stability in the discussion. Water parameters are constantly changing. If the parameters alternate between the maximum "ideal" and minimum "ideal," you're going to have issues, especially with SPS.

At any given time, discrete testing may indicate that the water is fine. However, if those discrete tests are plotted over time, it may become apparent that the water chemistry is not stable which could be why someone is experiencing problems. Tests alone don't show the entire picture. This is why many of us log our test data. It allows us to see and fix potential problems before things start dying, it allows us to adjust our dosing to maintain stability, and for nerds like me, interpreting data is just plain interesting.

[TreyK]

I am posting this thread here as to hopes it will help/enlighten new hobbyists as to why maintaining proper water paramters is so important.(Although I won't be specifically going over testing and right parameters, this is to convince many new hobbyists to test their systems instead of wasting time and money, and most importantly marine life) I see many,many post from people who wonder why they have algae outbreaks or fish and corals dying in their system. 9/10 times it has to do with your water quality. This is something I think a lot of new hobbyists overlook when first starting their saltwater aquarium. I know I did many years ago, it gets to the point where the hobby is no longer fun but more of a hassle cleaning algae off your sand bed or wondering why your tank doesn't look good or this or that is dying. Personally I think water paramters are the single most overlooked aspect of saltwater aquarium keeping (behind filtration). As you begin to understand this and start testing your system and making corrections and ultimately keeping correct, stable parameters you will find much more success in this hobby. The 10 minutes a day testing water could save you $$$ and long periods of maintenance and grief. As the hobby continues to grow there are many tools to help us and make things easier. If you get anything from this post, before the next time you make a thread about not having success, algae outbreaks,fish dying,etc ask yourself when was the last time you tested your water. Really. Many people say their water is "good" but the whole purpose of these forums is for hobbyists to help hobbyists. We can't check your paramters for you. Although we can eventually figure out what the cause is but that can all be eliminated if you would just check your water before posting a help me thread. None of this is intended to be nasty or hateful but it just seems like something a lot of new hobbyists don't pay attention to and wonder why they don't have success within the saltwater hobby. So please take this into consideration next time your wondering what's wrong in your system. Best of luck to all my fellow reefers.

TLDR but from what I gather you say water paramaters are often overlooked? I am going to have to disagree.

Water params are the backbone of our tanks.. without proper paramaters nothing lives...

In fact the majority of the time, if someone is posting about a problem with their tank/coral/whatever the first thing they post is all of their water paramaters...

[ReefKeep66]

TLDR but from what I gather you say water paramaters are often overlooked? I am going to have to disagree.

Water params are the backbone of our tanks.. without proper paramaters nothing lives...

In fact the majority of the time, if someone is posting about a problem with their tank/coral/whatever the first thing they post is all of their water paramaters...
I am more pointed towards new hobbyists. Obviously many people understand the things were discussing, it is a very broad topic, most people just getting into the hobby know these things they just don't apply them. that's why I posted this thread in the new to the hobby forum.

[ReefKeep66]

And you can't really disagree when it's "TLDR" I don't intend to write a chapter of a novel every time I post something, I just can't sum it up. SDWI

[TreyK]

I am more pointed towards new hobbyists. Obviously many people understand the things were discussing, it is a very broad topic, most people just getting into the hobby know these things they just don't apply them. that's why I posted this thread in the new to the hobby forum.

Fair Enough!

[ReefKeep66]

I agree with the premise of this thread, with one caveat. You must absolutely include stability in the discussion. Water parameters are constantly changing. If the parameters alternate between the maximum "ideal" and minimum "ideal," you're going to have issues, especially with SPS.

At any given time, discrete testing may indicate that the water is fine. However, if those discrete tests are plotted over time, it may become apparent that the water chemistry is not stable which could be why someone is experiencing problems. Tests alone don't show the entire picture. This is why many of us log our test data. It allows us to see and fix potential problems before things start dying, it allows us to adjust our dosing to maintain stability, and for nerds like me, interpreting data is just plain interesting.
Your absolutely right. I did mention stability but I guess not as bolded. Water parameters and stability go hand in hand. It comes down to individual basis. Some tanks can stay relatively stable and some fluctuate quite often. There will be fluctuations but closely monitoring and understanding your system will allow you to keep a more stable enviorment.

[HumbleFish]

I agree about poor water quality/parameters not being in check, being what kills a lot of corals and the source of most nuisance algae problems. However IME, diseases are by far the #1 killers of fish. Noobs think just because they can't see a disease it must not be there (ich/flukes harboring in the gills immediately comes to mind). Back when I practiced ich management, it wasn't unusual for a fish to die "mysteriously" every now & then. Or not act right every so often. The only way to have fish live 10-20 years is to QT and practice disease eradication. And be very selective about which species you mix together (to alleviate aggression issues).

[phillrodrigo]

If newbies can take the time to understand what each parameter means and how each effect each other or if they don't effect each other you have a pretty good starting point. Learning what to do with what ever that tests says is very key. I may not really know what alkalinity really is but I know if my alk is low what to do about it and what it's gonna effect calcium will lower as alk goes up. Mag helps all 3. Phosphate and nitrate have alot to do with algea issues. I think some times it takes one person to say something a certain way and all of a sudden in clicks.

[ReefKeep66]

Exactly, you don't have to be a major in chemistry and biology to under the basics.

[DamonG]

You know though.. Just by practical experience, how do we "realistically" keep a new person interested or "catch" their attention. You all may (probably do honestly) know the gloss over the eyes syndrome. Someone sees your system or pictures and they ask the inevitable "how do you do it".. Lol, I seem to lose, even people that have a system, but may be full of algea, at ro/di.. And the ironic thing is, I'm running a little AL ro buddy with the first add on. But they feel it's too expensive?

They want to start with frags or Anemones but they have an algea problem and are doing the bottle juggling trying to get rid of it, making things worse. So I have wondered that over the years and lots of times now, I really just keep my mouth shut. But you want to share.. Lol

[ReefKeep66]

I didn't quite understand that but it's really not a secret. I'd rather see a bunch of nice looking tanks than helping people get rid of problems. That's why I share.

[DamonG]

Lol, basically just venting out of frustration over the exact goal you are seeking.. That's all.. Basically, what is a practical approach to "help" with the issue? Realistically.. What can we do to help people get to that point? As fellow hobbyists? We have all been there with issues and that's how we got to where we are with understanding. I'm asking, how do we help? Being a realistic part of a(the) solution?


Isn't that the point? In the end?

[gbru316]

Perhaps we should start by making sure that those curious about the hobby are fully aware of what it takes to have a successful reef tank. That it's far more than mixing up salt, plugging things in and adding livestock.

[ichthyogeek]

Basically, what is a practical approach to "help" with the issue? Realistically.. What can we do to help people get to that point? As fellow hobbyists? We have all been there with issues and that's how we got to where we are with understanding. I'm asking, how do we help? Being a realistic part of a(the) solution?

As a "new" person, maybe...would it be possible to show before/after pics, with water parameters? It might help to show people what a difference in water parameters can do. For example, I have a ton of algae in my tank, both micro and macro. I know that I most likely have phosphates, nitrates, and stuff. I don't have a test kit (but because of this thread, I'm going to buy one...eventually). Or just let them learn it on their own. Sometimes people are stubborn, and the only way to let them learn, is to let them fail once or twice, then show them what went wrong.

[ReefKeep66]

Lol, basically just venting out of frustration over the exact goal you are seeking.. That's all.. Basically, what is a practical approach to "help" with the issue? Realistically.. What can we do to help people get to that point? As fellow hobbyists? We have all been there with issues and that's how we got to where we are with understanding. I'm asking, how do we help? Being a realistic part of a(the) solution?


Isn't that the point? In the end?
Well I guess trying is better than not trying. If someone just starting actually gives a hoot about these subjects might stumble upon this and realize it's importance.

[ReefKeep66]

Your right though Damon. Realistically 90% of new hobbyists start on a steep leaning curve and never really get the success or enjoyment out of the hobby as they anticipated.

[DamonG]

Perhaps we should start by making sure that those curious about the hobby are fully aware of what it takes to have a successful reef tank. That it's far more than mixing up salt, plugging things in and adding livestock.
Yes, but that's my confusion though. Honestly, is it really even possible to do so on a "casual" or surface type of discussion? I mean, I'm thinking about all that has been said in this thread alone, and it's, in a way a plea for offering help to forward the hobby. At least it seems that way in my reading. But it's also correct some people are stubborn (I admit I am), but, and maybe it's as I grow older that I realize and appreciate that our hobby is more than that. It's a stewardship with our pets, and it really is a great responsibility. Why hurt or end the life of an innocent creature..

But, maybe you all are right also in the thought that if they have one grain of a care, they, just like the vast majority of us, would seem out learning. Thinking to myself as I write this, about the Internet. Honestly, there's really no reason excuse to not learn if one truly wants to? Forums and YouTube alone, you honestly can learn a ton from all over the globe!

Makes me think :I saw the most interesting thing at the lfs a couple days ago.. I cannot remember the author, but it was a series on families of fish. The one my gut showed me was on tangs and surgeons. I think there were 5 books in the series. They weren't cheap at all, but heck, knowledge is power. There was also one of two on inverts.

But in keeping with the discussion(apologies for the digression) I don't recall ever seeing one book, a solid one on water chemistry. I mean, now that I think of it, without scouring and digging, and tons of reading countless sources, where could a new person look to find, or say "hey, get this book" to begin their journey? I'd honestly purchase that myself.

I personally, for the industry, think that would be a great start. And things change rapidly, such as technology that we use, but a good, down to earth "saltwater composition and characteristics" book. For seasoned and new? There are a lot of fish books that identify, but like that series I mentioned above, except with water chemistry. I am a hodge podge having messed with hydroponics and fish tanks, those two together give a very good basic understanding. But that took years! What I wouldn't have paid for a book or series that circumvented that whole process by a good decade or two.

I think that's what our hobby needs. If anyone knows one or some please share. I personally am interested, even with the little bit that I do feel I know..

[DamonG]

Your right though Damon. Realistically 90% of new hobbyists start on a steep leaning curve and never really get the success or enjoyment out of the hobby as they anticipated.
And that's really a shame on two levels: first is that the person that drops out, tells not one person, but another 20 or thirty people. Then, sooner or later, where is the new blood going to come from. And two, lol at the life that is lost in the process. You can't put a dollar sign on loss of life..

[ReefKeep66]

And that's really a shame on two levels: first is that the person that drops out, tells not one person, but another 20 or thirty people. Then, sooner or later, where is the new blood going to come from. And two, lol at the life that is lost in the process. You can't put a dollar sign on loss of life..
That's the worst part. I mean obviously there is going to be some loss, it's impossible to eliminate it completely, but if people would just do a little research before hand. So many "nemos" and "doris" have lost their life

[jeffdenney]

I Just read the whole thread. Im new to salt water and currently have a freshwater tank so I think I'm already trained on testing and I agree.

The lack of testing is even worse In The freshwater world.. most people I meet that have tanks dont even cycle or know what cycling a tank is.

Another big one for me is patience. Adding more smaller doses over time and seeing how everything reacts.. lots of notes, logs, and pictures for reference..

[gbru316]

But in keeping with the discussion(apologies for the digression) I don't recall ever seeing one book, a solid one on water chemistry. I mean, now that I think of it, without scouring and digging, and tons of reading countless sources, where could a new person look to find, or say "hey, get this book" to begin their journey? I'd honestly purchase that myself.



Not a printed book, but should be required reading nonetheless:

The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners (http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-03/rhf/index.php)

A Simplified Guide to the Relationship Between
Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium and pH (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/)

Instead of taking the time to write a book, find a publisher, etc, Randy wrote a series of articles for Reefkeeping magazine, a free online magazine published (I believe) in partnership with RC.

[Dan_P]

Agreed. Water changers are another overlooked aspect of the saltwater hobby, although there your main source of nutrient export. Your almost garuanteed to have some degree of success if you monitor and maintain water paramters and keep up with a regular water change schedule. Dosing is only needed when your system needs it.The only way to know this is to regularly test your water. Waiting until you see something wrong defeats the purpose of testing your warter as testing regularly will prevent most things from happening in thw first place. People think pouring all types of things into their aquarium will give them the automatic success their looking for but really it comes down to responsible husbandry.

What do you mean that "...water changes are your main source of nutrient export?"

[ReefKeep66]

What do you mean that "...water changes are your main source of nutrient
[QUOTE=Dan_P;23200651]What do you mean that "...water changes are your main source of nutrient export?"
Removing water from your aquarium is a means of nutrient export in the sense that all the dissolved nutrients within the water (nitrates,phosphates) are directly removed when you take the water out.These excess nutrients in the water will lead to a higher nitrates and algae growth. Protein skimming,another method of nutrient export, also removes the dissolved nutrients in the water by "skimming" and removing the dissolved organic material within the bubbles if you will. Protein skimming is not as efficient as actually removing water and replacing it with new water. With a large enough refugium, it can also.be a mean of nutrient export.
What do you mean that "...water changes are your main source of nutrient export?"

[Kdadair]

I see the problem first hand. I have been reading and studying these forums since before I started my tank in March. My hubby sees me still studying the forums and will always say, "are you reading about fish again?"

A lot of the problem is that some people are just too lazy to study up on what they want to do.

[ReefKeep66]

I see the problem first hand. I have been reading and studying these forums since before I started my tank in March. My hubby sees me still studying the forums and will always say, "are you reading about fish again?"

A lot of the problem is that some people are just too lazy to study up on what they want to do.
Exactly people want the beatiuful success associated with keeping an aquarium but don't take the time.to understand WHY that aquarium looks so good. It should be no secret by now, but there are some stubborn ones out there.

[Captainsreef]

Exactly people want the beatiuful success associated with keeping an aquarium but don't take the time.to understand WHY that aquarium looks so good. It should be no secret by now, but there are some stubborn ones out there.

Beautifully said!

[OoooDRAGONoooo]

Hi all,if all the different water parameter tests are reading optimal, why do u need to do water changes?

[Nina51]

Over the past few years I have seen many people that set up a tank and immediately start dosing things into a tank after a cycle. Whether it is individual bottles of things or a full blown 2 part dosing system. I think often times this gets people into trouble. Most new tanks just need a plain old WC schedule. All that extra dosing of things just creates a mess. Just my 2 cents

i'll see your 2 cents and raise you 2 more! i see people just starting out asking about dosing vodka, vinegar, milk & honey, 'possum pee...you name it, they ask about it. it boggles my mind! i'm pretty sure you won't find that stuff in the ocean!

i have never dosed anything. since my tank is fairly new, i fight the usual cyano, gha, etc. but other than those minor things, i have a super healthy reef and very happy fish!

[ReefKeep66]

Hi all,if all the different water parameter tests are reading optimal, why do u need to do water changes?
You cant always assume your test are 100% correct. You don't have to necessarily change water only when you see a change in parameters. Doing water changes regularly will prevent these fluctuations.

[gbru316]

Hi all,if all the different water parameter tests are reading optimal, why do u need to do water changes?

Because there is more to the water than the commonly tested parameters. Trace elements aren't dosed and can become depleted. An infusion of clean saltwater every now and then repleneshes these elements.

[DamonG]

That's the worst part. I mean obviously there is going to be some loss, it's impossible to eliminate it completely, but if people would just do a little research before hand. So many "nemos" and "doris" have lost their life
True, true.. Far too many!

[DamonG]

I see the problem first hand. I have been reading and studying these forums since before I started my tank in March. My hubby sees me still studying the forums and will always say, "are you reading about fish again?"

A lot of the problem is that some people are just too lazy to study up on what they want to do.
Yes, I see this too and agree completely also..

[DamonG]

Not a printed book, but should be required reading nonetheless:

The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners (http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-03/rhf/index.php)

A Simplified Guide to the Relationship Between
Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium and pH (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/)

Instead of taking the time to write a book, find a publisher, etc, Randy wrote a series of articles for Reefkeeping magazine, a free online magazine published (I believe) in partnership with RC.
Thanks and thanks much!

[wooden_reefer]

IMO, just as importantly the reverse is often true as well.

There are those who emphasize good water chemcial quality to the point of excess.

For disease control of fish, the limited usefulness of good water chemial quality is not stressed enough.

A tank is both chemically and pathogenically a closed system. Having excellent chemical water quality is not enough. Against ich this is very true; against external bacterial infection this is also true to a less drastic extent.

[sfniners84]

Just would like to say I have enjoyed the thread, and will continue reading and learning from more qualified reefers..

[Dan_P]

You cant always assume your test are 100% correct. You don't have to necessarily change water only when you see a change in parameters. Doing water changes regularly will prevent these fluctuations.

This is a bit too simple, maybe misleading. Doing water changes is no guarantee that fluctuations will be prevented. It depends on what chemical species concentration needs adjustment, how often water changes are performed and how much water is changed. Here is an article that shows the limitations of water changes.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/rhf/index.php

[ReefKeep66]

This is a bit too simple, maybe misleading. Doing water changes is no guarantee that fluctuations will be prevented. It depends on what chemical species concentration needs adjustment, how often water changes are performed and how much water is changed. Here is an article that shows the limitations of water changes.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/rhf/index.php
It is a bit too simple but I know people get tired of reading huge paragraphs so I just summed it up. Doing water changes regularly will help stability in the sense of replacing trace elements and remove nitrate and such.

[Dan_P]

Because there is more to the water than the commonly tested parameters. Trace elements aren't dosed and can become depleted. An infusion of clean saltwater every now and then repleneshes these elements.

Water changes do not replenish trace elements unless you are performing a massive water change. And without measuring the trace element concentration, how do you know when they are depleted? How do you decide on the needed size of the water change amount?

The now and then water change is doing very little to trace element concentrations.

[gbru316]

Water changes do not replenish trace elements unless you are performing a massive water change. And without measuring the trace element concentration, how do you know when they are depleted? How do you decide on the needed size of the water change amount?

The now and then water change is doing very little to trace element concentrations.

Your previously linked article says otherwise. It specifically says that monthly 10-30% water changes are beneficial in that they help keep water parameters (including elemental concentrations) close to initial.

[jerseygurl]

Don't change anything too quickly. That's my $.02. People freak out because X is off and they start dumping in supplements, changing salinity, etc. to fix it and the drastic change causes more damage than the low pH or whatever.

No quick changes, slow and steady.

[ReefKeep66]

Don't change anything too quickly. That's my $.02. People freak out because X is off and they start dumping in supplements, changing salinity, etc. to fix it and the drastic change causes more damage than the low pH or whatever.

No quick changes, slow and steady.
Slow and steady always wins in the reef world.