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Unread 02/05/2018, 01:27 PM   #1
Bent
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What would happen if I quit doing everything except water changes?

I’ve been wondering about something. Maybe I’ve reefed myself into a corner and all the things I’m doing now are just doing more harm than good. It was suggested to me to look up the redfield ratio and after doing some research, I wonder if I’m just doing too much.

What would happen if I stopped running gac, GFO vinegar dosing. Give my tank a couple months with everything stopped, keep testing water parameters and then restart things as the need arises? Keep changing water and socks and leave it at that unless water testing tells me otherwise?

Idk just spitballing here.


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Unread 02/05/2018, 01:33 PM   #2
thegrun
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I suspect you would see a rise in nitrates and phosphates, a decline in trace elements. You may also see some issues with your corals due to increased toxins depending on what corals you keep.


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Unread 02/05/2018, 01:41 PM   #3
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here is the thing I don't do anything like that tbh I have yet to start dosing calcium, alkalinity or magnesium yet. IMO I think the more chemicals and stuff you throw at the tank the worst it gets. My favorite type of advice is the kind that is a natural approach for example you have cyan reduce feeding and improve flow you don't have to throw chemicals at it. I personally like a more natural approach I just do water changes, good flow, a good CC and good lights and I do water changes every 4-7 days and my tank is doing great I think


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Unread 02/05/2018, 01:52 PM   #4
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Why do you need to running gac, GFO vinegar dosing? I used to use them to chase # when I first started this hobby. I have not use any of the above for years (5+) now. only dose 2-parts for my corals. other than that just water change (10%) every month and top off. also I don't use filter sock
Unless you have a tons of fish in your tank and care too much about a couples of algae popping up now and then, you should be okay, just my opinion.


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Unread 02/05/2018, 02:06 PM   #5
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For some reason my system produces an exorbitant amount of detritus.


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Unread 02/05/2018, 02:31 PM   #6
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I prefer the simple method. Water changes, fuge and skimmer plus some 2 part dosing sure, but fuge plus cheato tank plus gfo plus carbon dosing? Could be escessive but maybe not, everyone's tank is different.
More flow and lighting and less number chasing. Pretty general answer and probably stuff you already know.


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Unread 02/05/2018, 02:39 PM   #7
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Quote:
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For some reason my system produces an exorbitant amount of detritus.
Cut back on feeding. How often and how much do you do now?


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Unread 02/05/2018, 02:41 PM   #8
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What are you doing that you want to stop.

I dose vinegar/vodka (70/30), run a Ca reactor and skim. Auto water changes. Anything else is not necessary.


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Unread 02/05/2018, 02:47 PM   #9
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Do it and find out.. adapt/adjust as needed..

Like many reefers (from my experience) you may be doing more work/have more stuff,etc... just because you think thats what it takes to have a successful tank..

Like GFO.. Are you running it because you have a phosphate problem that you can't solve any other way? If so then your phosphate problem will likely get worse.. If not then why are you running it anyways?


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Unread 02/05/2018, 03:48 PM   #10
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Cut back on feeding. How often and how much do you do now?
I feed once a day a small amount with an auto feeder with NLS pellets.


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Unread 02/05/2018, 03:54 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mcgyvr View Post
Do it and find out.. adapt/adjust as needed..

Like many reefers (from my experience) you may be doing more work/have more stuff,etc... just because you think thats what it takes to have a successful tank..

Like GFO.. Are you running it because you have a phosphate problem that you can't solve any other way? If so then your phosphate problem will likely get worse.. If not then why are you running it anyways?
Yes I had a huge phosphate problem a looooong time ago with just boards of turf algae so I started running GFO. I can probably do without it as I think it was just the sand and rock that were leeching it but I’ve been too ascared to stop. After the hair algae was battled back I started having a nitrate issue from sources unknown. So I started vinegar dosing to handle that. I’ve always run GAC just because I like how clear it gets the water, same with the UVS (which is gone now RIP).


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Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump
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Unread 02/05/2018, 04:26 PM   #12
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Quote:
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Yes I had a huge phosphate problem a looooong time ago with just boards of turf algae so I started running GFO. I can probably do without it as I think it was just the sand and rock that were leeching it but I’ve been too ascared to stop. After the hair algae was battled back I started having a nitrate issue from sources unknown. So I started vinegar dosing to handle that. I’ve always run GAC just because I like how clear it gets the water, same with the UVS (which is gone now RIP).
Go slow & stop one thing at a time. Wean the tank off of carbon dosing.


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Unread 02/05/2018, 06:10 PM   #13
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Just keep track of calcium and alkalinity, That's all I used to do until I quit doing that and just went off instinct.
I know how much to add every day. I hate to say this but don't worry about nutrients, I have seen a wide spectrum of high to low in different systems. Just keep track of calcium and alkalinity.


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Unread 02/05/2018, 07:28 PM   #14
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I'd go slow with any changes you make, but all I do is water changes and maintain alk, ca, and mg. I don't dose anything.



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Unread 02/05/2018, 08:59 PM   #15
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Here's a 20 year old system that just has alk, calcium and magnesium added as needed. No dosers or reactors, very occasionally GAC is used for a month or two in a cheap DIY pvc canister filter that holds about a cup.

https://youtu.be/xzREGBsmXBg

As far as carbon dosing goes there's mounting evidence it can cause serious problems as labile forms of DOC can promote heterotrophic bacteria and increase the number of pathogenic bacteria. OR, if you have cryptic sponges they will filter it out much faster than bacteria can process it so it's not doing what it supposedly does.

http://classroom.oceanteacher.org/pl...th_Ecology.pdf

https://peerj.com/articles/108/?utm_...medium=TrendMD

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23303369

https://www.nature.com/articles/nmicrobiol201642

http://www.int-res.com/articles/meps...4/m314p119.pdf


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Unread 02/05/2018, 09:08 PM   #16
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Quote:
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I feed once a day a small amount with an auto feeder with NLS pellets.
I would switch to frozen food. Flake and pellet food is ULTRA CONCENTRATED! Frozen is like 90% water. I have been fighting a GHA problem for 1yr and finally won the battle. I think a BIG portion of that was not feeding flake or pellets.

my 0.02

IMG_1186******** async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8">


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Unread 02/05/2018, 11:56 PM   #17
Bent
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I would switch to frozen food. Flake and pellet food is ULTRA CONCENTRATED! Frozen is like 90% water. I have been fighting a GHA problem for 1yr and finally won the battle. I think a BIG portion of that was not feeding flake or pellets.

my 0.02

IMG_1186******** async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8">
Hmm. That’s a thought. The problem with that, is that I can’t physically feed the tank every day.


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Unread 02/06/2018, 12:11 AM   #18
Bill_Moorman
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Hmm. That’s a thought. The problem with that, is that I can’t physically feed the tank every day.


Could you do every other day? An established tank should have tons of pods and things the fish can snack on between feedings. I could be wrong, but it likely won’t hurt the fish a bit if you feed less frequently. Just make sure to monitor them. They will slim down if they need more food and will get fat if you feed too much!



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Unread 02/06/2018, 12:25 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill_Moorman View Post
Could you do every other day? An established tank should have tons of pods and things the fish can snack on between feedings. I could be wrong, but it likely won’t hurt the fish a bit if you feed less frequently. Just make sure to monitor them. They will slim down if they need more food and will get fat if you feed too much!



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Negative ghost rider. I might be able to do twice a week. And there’s zero chance the wife is going to do it.


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[QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE]

Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump
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Unread 02/06/2018, 12:30 AM   #20
kampo
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interesting thread. i'm comming from the freshwater world, and new to salt, but i've always prescribed to the KISS principle in my fishroom. I change water, have lots of plants and don't bother with watching anything else if a tank looks healthy.

my salt tank i'm wathcing levels a bit more, mainly because its young, but my game plan on my small tank is really simple. 35 gallon display 10 gallon unbaffled sump. run it about 3/4 full of water, have ATO, heater, and pump in there no sock and a big wad of cheato to control nutrients. so far working great but i don't have a ton of bioload yet.


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Unread 02/06/2018, 01:22 AM   #21
Bill_Moorman
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Negative ghost rider. I might be able to do twice a week. And there’s zero chance the wife is going to do it.


Bahaha you could bribe her to help!


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Unread 02/06/2018, 04:14 AM   #22
ReefkeeperZ
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water change only tank, tested to know when to change water, but never really dosed anything, tried a few things here and there but found I never really needed to with ample waterchanges. did 50% tank volume every other week, and 100% every 6months to a year.


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Unread 02/06/2018, 04:27 AM   #23
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as for predicting what your tank is going to do who knows? I would taper any changes to one at a time slowly, that way you don't cause a major upset to your system.


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Unread 02/06/2018, 12:44 PM   #24
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I havnt been doing any waterchanges for the last 3 months or so. I switched to DSR. Its a Dutch thing but it works like a charm. Now i controle every element in my tank and have no complaints.

https://youtu.be/qqGa9aBhdHs


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Unread 02/06/2018, 12:54 PM   #25
Bent
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See.. I looked in my tank this morning and I know my GFO is starting to deplete because my sand is starting to turn brown.

If I change it, the brown will go away.


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