water changes

[garyw68]

What is the longest you have been without a water change? It is going over two weeks for me. I have been too busy with my job and family. I plan to do it tomorrow. Am I worried about nothing?

[Shagsbeard]

I'd say that two weeks on the average is about right. It really depends on how much your beasts and algae leach out of the water. One of the primary reasons to do water changes is to replace trace elements that are consumed by animals and plants and eventually removed from the system all together by your skimmer. Water changes put those minerals and trace elements back into the system.

Two weeks is fine. Corals are probably more "needy" in terms of these trace elements, then crustaceans and finally fish. Your fish probably won't even notice... they get most of their trace minerals from their diet.

[bertoni]

I do changes about once a month, but every two weeks is probably better. I'm going to reform school for water changes. :) I wouldn't worry, though, in your case.

[Andrew]

I pretty much do a change every 7-10 days. I keep track in a notebook so I dont forget.

[PatMayo]

I do 8 to 12 gallons every weekend. I generally get it done Friday, Saturday or Sunday. So far in 199 days that tank has been up I have not missed a weekend water change. I actually changed up to 16 gallons a couple weekends in a row battling the HA problem I have now.

2 weeks as Jonathan stated should be no problem.

Jonathan, the have an opening in that reform school for you.

Regards,

Pat

[hodsgod]

I change around 7% every weekend, barring one or two lapses. I have never had any water quality problems this way.

I am sure the occasional week without a change wont do much harm.