Am I at the point where I can stop doing water changes?

[Thanos]

I set up my first reef tank a little over 2 years ago and have always tried to do weekly 15% water changes. I was recently away from college and had my parents looking after the tank and due to a lack of time, they couldn't get to a water change for over a month, which is by far the longest the tank has gone without a water change. Combined this with the fact that they were feeding extremely heavily, and I expected to come back to a massive nutrient issue, but to my shock, the nitrates and phosphates were both at 0.00 (both checked with Hannah checkers, tested twice since I didn't believe them the first time). The alkalinity was pretty depleted so I had to dose soda ash to get it back in check and I toned down the skimmer to try and get some nutrients back but other than that, this is the best my tank has ever looked, and aside from a ton of coralline algae, there's absolutely no nuisance algae in sight. Now I'm starting to wonder if I could save myself and my parents a lot of hassle and stop doing water changes, and instead dose additives to make sure nothing gets too depleted (probably All for Reef). Alternatively, I'm wondering if I should just go down to 1 water change a month so I still have some water being exchanged, but not nearly as much as I currently do. I'm just interested in hearing everyone's thoughts on this.

 

[vancouverredsea350]

I dose all for reef, run an ice cap turf scrubber and use phosguard. I don’t do water changes.

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

You will open a whole can of worms with this question, as well as quite the debate on whether or not we should do water changes.

First, to answer your basic question, does your tank have water in it? Then you can stop doing water changes, whether or not you should is an entirely different discussion.

I personally do not do water changes at all on my larger tanks (currently a 240) opting to use a calcium reactor and other nutrient management techniques, but still do them on my smaller tanks as water changes are more cost effective at their size - but I only do them based on testing, if I am still withing a couple percentile points of my salts target parameters I hold off but outside that it is time for a W/C.

 

[rtparty]

I’ve seen far more tanks fail because hobbyists stop water changes than tanks fail because they continue to do them. It is some of the cheapest and best insurance we have.

 

[00W]

Agreed on a can of worms and well said. I've never stopped doing water changes (have thought about it though) and for me it's just easier to do them than not.
But definitely a can of worms.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I set up my first reef tank a little over 2 years ago and have always tried to do weekly 15% water changes. I was recently away from college and had my parents looking after the tank and due to a lack of time, they couldn't get to a water change for over a month, which is by far the longest the tank has gone without a water change. Combined this with the fact that they were feeding extremely heavily, and I expected to come back to a massive nutrient issue, but to my shock, the nitrates and phosphates were both at 0.00 (both checked with Hannah checkers, tested twice since I didn't believe them the first time). The alkalinity was pretty depleted so I had to dose soda ash to get it back in check and I toned down the skimmer to try and get some nutrients back but other than that, this is the best my tank has ever looked, and aside from a ton of coralline algae, there's absolutely no nuisance algae in sight. Now I'm starting to wonder if I could save myself and my parents a lot of hassle and stop doing water changes, and instead dose additives to make sure nothing gets too depleted (probably All for Reef). Alternatively, I'm wondering if I should just go down to 1 water change a month so I still have some water being exchanged, but not nearly as much as I currently do. I'm just interested in hearing everyone's thoughts on this.

The zero-water-change craze amazes me. Not that some can get away from water changes, but that so many aspire to this goal.

Since you know you'll need to dose if you aren't doing water changes (as evidenced by the recent low alk), I'd recommend trial and error. Go to monthly water changes and dial in your dosing. If things still look good, try 6 weeks or 2 months. No reason to go cold turkey... it's really not an either/or proposition

 

[tritonpower]

I started spreading them out at year 2. Every 2 weeks for a while then once a month. I am approaching year 4 and I now do them once every 2-3 months. Mostly to clean the sand. I do a triton water test every couple months to be sure trace elements are good but using BRS/Tropic Marin hybrid dosing with TM part A/K/C and BRS soda ash/calcium has maintained everything so far. Just my experience.

 

[ChefJoe]

My tank is 3 years old and I haven't done a water change in 10 months. I've been dosing brs/ tropic marin balling hybrid method with TM A- and K+ along with Biofuel, NeoNitro and Neophos, and Acropower. I do run a refugium and protein skimmer. I feed very heavy and paramaters have held incrediably stable in all areas.

 

[mfinn]

Some people seem to be able to get away with not doing water changes and some don't.
Myself I do water changes.
I guess you could try it.
What's the worst thing that could happen?
Corals losing color, not growing, tank crash? IDK.
If that's the gamble you want to take, go for it.

 

[GARRIGA]

I'd ignore the internet and just go with personal experience. If it ain't broke...

Returning from extended time away to find my tank is thriving means perhaps I was the one breaking it and best just leave it alone.

 

[fish farmer]

I set up my first reef tank a little over 2 years ago and have always tried to do weekly 15% water changes. I was recently away from college and had my parents looking after the tank and due to a lack of time, they couldn't get to a water change for over a month, which is by far the longest the tank has gone without a water change. Combined this with the fact that they were feeding extremely heavily, and I expected to come back to a massive nutrient issue, but to my shock, the nitrates and phosphates were both at 0.00 (both checked with Hannah checkers, tested twice since I didn't believe them the first time). The alkalinity was pretty depleted so I had to dose soda ash to get it back in check and I toned down the skimmer to try and get some nutrients back but other than that, this is the best my tank has ever looked, and aside from a ton of coralline algae, there's absolutely no nuisance algae in sight. Now I'm starting to wonder if I could save myself and my parents a lot of hassle and stop doing water changes, and instead dose additives to make sure nothing gets too depleted (probably All for Reef). Alternatively, I'm wondering if I should just go down to 1 water change a month so I still have some water being exchanged, but not nearly as much as I currently do. I'm just interested in hearing everyone's thoughts on this.

Your tank will tell you.

Stop all together, see what happens.

Skip a week or do less water per change, see what happens.

I know when I stop water changes (siphoning sand/detritus/that little bit of algae)....the tank conditions suffer.

 

[Troylee]

Once a month is fine but I wouldn’t go without them for ever! Unless you have test kits and dose major and minor trace elements your corals will suffer. Your tank might also look great at double zeros but you’re flirting with disaster if dinos take over at those levels. I’d raise them up with more fish and feeding or dose them I guess.

 

[vlangel]

I am a die hard water change proponent. However, now that my own tank is over 7 years old, has thriving macroalgae to keep nutrients in check and I dose Coral vite and feed heavily, my tank only needs a 5-10 % water change once a month and it has never looked better. Continually look at your tank with a critical eye and it will tell you if it needs water changes.