Anyone ever do a 90% water change?

[ReefingwithO]

I do a 70 to 80% change on my 10 gallon nano all the time. I also disturb the sandbed during that time with no ill effects. Sometimes the corals are ticked off for a day or so but everything is fine.

 

[fishbox]

I do a 70 to 80% change on my 10 gallon nano all the time. I also disturb the sandbed during that time with no ill effects. Sometimes the corals are ****** off for a day or so but everything is fine.

Do you just make sure temp and salinity match?

 

[Reefmon]

Just caught a video this afternoon, an interview with an Aussie reefer (with a _big_ tank) who routinely does water changes of that magnitude ... but he uses natural seawater, which I suspect makes a difference. He also has a maintenance pro to come in and help with the process.

~Bruce

That guy has a old video of him doing a big water change

 

[Howard1234a]

Here are a few basic things to check:

Check that a window in the house isn't shining into the tank.

If you are feeding a cheap flake food; it is possible that there is a phosphate in it. That causes algae growth.

Excess nutrients built up in the sand can cause the problem as well as lights that are old (over a year) or incorrect spectrum or type of lights.

If you clean dirty sand; wash it until it runs clean. Use fresh dechlorinated saltwater. There should still be tons of great bacteria left and you should avoid cycling the tank.

 

[ReefingwithO]

Do you just make sure temp and salinity match?

Yes,

I see some others say they match ph but I wouldn't know how to do that.

Sometimes the corals are exposed for a few minutes.

 

[Hans-Werner]

Don´t do a water change against phytoplankton bloom! The 10% phytoplankton left will easily be enough to green your water again in just a few days and the fresh saltwater will bring in some nutrients the phytoplankton likes like iron, manganese etc.. I recommend to use a UV.

 

[Heather w]

My 29 has a nasty phytoplankton bloom for over a month. It did clear up after the first week for two days but came back stronger. My water is murky green and I can't see two inches into the tank. I'm getting worried about the 4 corals I have (large RBTA, litho frag, favia frag, and a goni frag). The fish seem fine. I know that a uv light would clear it up but I had a huge car repair bill that drained the rest of my student loan money and I'm two months from graduation and finding work.I don't think my tank will survive that long. My plan/idea is to prepare enough fresh salt water to do a 90% water change. Once that water is ready, I'll move the green water currently in the tank along with the 4 corals and fish to a holding tank. Then fill the display with new water and then re-acclimate livestock. Note that I am not removing rock or sand. Just nasty green water and livestock. What do you all think?

Go to Dr. Fosters in Live Aquaria.com. there is NO NEED to do a 90% water change, you just need to get serious advice from here and do your research. You have to kill what is causing the bloom. Even at 90% whatever is causing it is still in your substrate and live rock. Treat the disease, not the symptoms.

 

[oceanhighz]

I use a BRS 5 stage RODI. ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite are in check but I don't have a phosphate kit. This all started when tried dosing phyto thinking it would help my pod population. I stopped dosing but it's just not clearing up. I've been doing my normal 5g per week water changes with no luck. Without spending money this is all I can think of.

Have you you tried lights out for a few days? If there is that much phyto in your tank, they need light to photosynthesize. If they die off from lack of light and you're doing water changes, should help remove the die off. Do you have a skimmer?

 

[fishbox]

Here are a few basic things to check:

Check that a window in the house isn't shining into the tank.

If you are feeding a cheap flake food; it is possible that there is a phosphate in it. That causes algae growth.

Excess nutrients built up in the sand can cause the problem as well as lights that are old (over a year) or incorrect spectrum or type of lights.

If you clean dirty sand; wash it until it runs clean. Use fresh dechlorinated saltwater. There should still be tons of great bacteria left and you should avoid cycling the tank.

Tank and equipment is under 6mos old and I used BRS dry rock and new sand. I mainly feed frozen and use quality foods and feed lightly. And there's no windows in the room.

 

[fishbox]

Have you you tried lights out for a few days? If there is that much phyto in your tank, they need light to photosynthesize. If they die off from lack of light and you're doing water changes, should help remove the die off. Do you have a skimmer?

I started a 3 day lights out period today. No I don't have a skimmer

 

[fishbox]

Go to Dr. Fosters in Live Aquaria.com. there is NO NEED to do a 90% water change, you just need to get serious advice from here and do your research. You have to kill what is causing the bloom. Even at 90% whatever is causing it is still in your substrate and live rock. Treat the disease, not the symptoms.

Why do you recommend going to liveaquaria??

 

[fishbox]

Don´t do a water change against phytoplankton bloom! The 10% phytoplankton left will easily be enough to green your water again in just a few days and the fresh saltwater will bring in some nutrients the phytoplankton likes like iron, manganese etc.. I recommend to use a UV.

I know the UV light works. See original post.

 

[prsnlty]

Don´t do a water change against phytoplankton bloom! The 10% phytoplankton left will easily be enough to green your water again in just a few days and the fresh saltwater will bring in some nutrients the phytoplankton likes like iron, manganese etc.. I recommend to use a UV.

+1

 

[fishbox]

I've got a post in a local forum to see if someone has one i can borrow but if you read post 1 you'll see that this guy is seriously broke for the next month or two. So if I could just clear up the water for now to ensure my corals survive til I get cashflow

 

[prsnlty]

I've got a post in a local forum to see if someone has one i can borrow but if you read post 1 you'll see that this guy is seriously broke for the next month or two. So if I could just clear up the water for now to ensure my corals survive til I get cashflow

That would be great if you can. What Hans was saying is that it'll be the same in a couple of days even changing 90% of the water. So hopefully someone will have one to borrow.

 

[fishbox]

Wow that quick?

 

[prsnlty]

Wow that quick?

Sadly, yes

 

[fishbox]

Well hopefully the lights out trick will do something and hopefully someone has a UV I can borrow.

 

[Cory]

A big waterchange wont get rid of phyto. It will grow back stronger.

What works is a uv light. In 2-3 days the water will be crystal clear again.

But yes 90% changes arent bad. In fact Eric Borneman reccomend it iirc. Ive done 70% changes too with problems. If i could do 100% daily i would, our reef tanks make too much waste.

 

[Hockeypunk1]

I know your short on funds at the moment, but ebay has some dirt cheap uv that would probably work for you. I just picked up a 55 watt jebao for around $70. They have some even cheaper ones arond $30 that would. Just do your research because one of the really cheap ones has been known to melt the housing and kill livestock. Good luck